A pneumatic bioreactor includes a vessel containing a fluid to be mixed and at least one mixing device driven by gas pressure. A first embodiment includes a floating impeller that rises and falls in the fluid as gas bubbles carry it upward to the surface where the gas is then vented, permitting the impeller to sink in the fluid. The floating impeller may be tethered to a second impeller with a flexible member and pulley. The mixing speed is controlled with electromagnets in the vessel acting upon magnetic material in the impeller or its guides. In another embodiment, floating pistons mix the fluid, pushing it through a mixing plate with one or more apertures. In a third embodiment, the mixing device is a rotating drum with bubble-catching blades and rotating mixing plates with apertures. The top of the vessel for these mixers may include a closed top and sterile filters.

Certain embodiments and aspects relate to a photobioreactor including encapsulating photobioreactor units (EPU) within which a liquid medium and a gas are encapsulated. The liquid medium comprises at least one species of phototrophic or mixotrophic organism therein. The gas comprises a high concentration of carbon dioxide. Certain methods of using the EPUs for algal biomass production use automated function units.

A deepwater photobioreactor system including a vertical stack extending between an ocean surface and an ocean floor. The vertical stack includes an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit where the inlet conduit is arranged to transport at least seawater and the outlet conduit is arranged to transport at least a biomass. The system includes a photobioreactor in fluid communication with the inlet conduit and the outlet conduit that is connected to the vertical stack via the inlet and outlet conduits at a first position along the vertical stack below the ocean surface. The first bioreactor is arranged to cultivate the biomass and is positioned below the photic zone of the ocean. The system also includes a mooring system connected to the vertical stack and to the ocean floor and arranged to receive the biomass via the outlet conduit and output the biomass to a harvest pipeline.

An assembly includes a single-use sterilizable bag for containing a biological material. The single-use sterilizable bag has at least one insertion opening; and at least one insertable component configured to be inserted into the single-use sterilizable bag via the at least one insertion opening. The at least one insertable component includes a positioning unit for positioning the insertable component with respect to the single-use sterilizable bag and at least one of a processing unit and a sensing unit for handling the biological material.

A system for algae cultivation includes an algae shade having a gas permeable transparent sheet coated with a gas permeable membrane layer. The gas permeable membrane layer is coated on a top side of the gas permeable transparent sheet and a bottom side of the gas permeable transparent sheet respectively, and the gas permeable membrane layer has a thickness of from 1.0 nm to 10,000 nm. A method of cultivating algae using the algae shade is also provided.

A culture apparatus includes an inner box for housing a culture, an outer box surrounding the inner box, and a first vibration prevention mechanism that is disposed between the inner box and the outer box, and is configured to prevent the inner box from vibrating due to the vibration of the outer box.

The subject invention pertains to a novel gas exchanger system and methods for culturing spheroids, comprising a substrate exhibiting hierarchical high aspect ratio surface features, where the surface geometry incorporates small dimple indentations in the surface and even smaller vent holes or channels that penetrate through the surface, and coated with a superhydrophobic material that forms a contiguous stabilized plastronic air-liquid interface from surface tension that resists the culture medium volume's pressure and guides cells to form spheroids, where the interface serves as an oxygen source and does not slow down nutrient diffusion giving better control over the culture environment.

A cover for a slurry container is provided. The cover includes a plurality of attachable cover units including a first attachable cover unit and a second attachable cover unit. Each of the attachable cover units has at least one edge with an attachable portion. The first attachable cover unit is attached to the second attachable cover unit at the edge of the first and second attachable cover units having the attachable portion.