A yeast storage and transfer vessel having semi-permeable materials and a method for transfer of liquid yeast to a fermentor using said vessel and a peristaltic pump. In some embodiments, one or more opening(s) may include a port and valves and/or filters allowing the egress of carbon dioxide and other fermentation gases out of the yeast vessel. The bag storage vessel materials may also include semi-permeable materials. The herein disclosed apparatus and method permit the sterile transfer and mixing of yeast and/or fermentation product into a variety of fermentors, in addition to sterile pumping action in the reverse direction.

The subject invention provides systems, apparatuses and methods for cultivating microorganisms and for producing microbial metabolites on a large scale. Specifically, in certain embodiments, a system comprising three separate, but connected, vessels is provided, wherein a first vessel serves as a feed tank for supplying nutrient medium to a second vessel, said second vessel serving as a submerged fermentation reactor; and wherein a third vessel serves as a collection container into which foam containing microbial growth by-products is transferred from the second vessel.

Systems and methods interconnect cell culture devices and/or fluidic devices by transferring discrete volumes of fluid between devices. A liquid-handling system collects a volume of fluid from at least one source device and deposits the fluid into at least one destination device. In some embodiments, a liquid-handling robot actuates the movement and operation of a fluid collection device in an automated manner to transfer the fluid between the at least one source device and the at least one destination device. In some cases, the at least one source device and the at least one destination device are cell culture devices. The at least one source device and the at least one destination device may be microfluidic or non-microfluidic devices. In some cases, the cell culture devices may be microfluidic cell culture devices. In further cases, the microfluidic cell culture devices may include organ-chips.

Reactors, systems and processes for the production of biomass by culturing microorganisms in aqueous liquid culture medium circulating inner loop reactor which utilize nonvertical pressure reduction zones are described. Recovery and processing of the culture microorganisms to obtain products, such as proteins or hydrocarbons is described.

In one embodiment, an algae cultivation system includes a basin that contains a liquid and a photobioreactor at least partially immersed in the liquid of the basin, the photobioreactor comprising a closed container including multiple panels that together define an interior space in which algae can be cultivated, at least one of the panels being transparent, the photobioreactor further comprising an inflatable float associated with the container that can be filled with a gas to change one or both of the position and orientation of the container within the liquid.

Embodiments described herein generally relate to methods and systems for configuring settings of a cell expansion system including a bioreactor. Through a user interface, a user may configure display settings, system settings, and settings associated with protocols for loading, growing and/or harvesting cells. In configuring settings for protocols and associated processes, a diagram view or window of the cell expansion system is displayed in embodiments. The diagram view displays the process settings as graphical user interface elements. Settings available for configuration are enabled for selection in the diagram view. The diagram view allows the user to visualize the settings available for task configuration and to configure enabled settings. Configured settings are stored and capable of retrieval for subsequent execution or modification of the applicable protocol.

A method of obtaining a compound may include adding a substrate to a medium in a reactor, and reacting the substrate in the reactor to form the compound. A first stream is separated from the reaction liquid through a first membrane. A second stream is separated from the reaction liquid through a second membrane. The first membrane is a filtration membrane and the second membrane is configured for liquid-gas or liquid-liquid extraction The first membrane and the second membrane are at least partially immersed in the medium and are moved relative to the reactor during the separation steps.

The invention comprises one or more gas volume fraction measurement devices operatively connected to one or more controllers and one or more deaeration mechanisms which receive control signals from said one or more controllers and perform an act on the system, such as by controlling a level of deaeration chemistry into some portion of the fermentation system. In one embodiment, the deaeration mechanism is an antifoam feed pump which pumps antifoam chemistry into a feed line of the fermenter in response to the measured gas volume fraction in the fermenter's recirculation loop, in an amount determined by the controller to be effective to reduce foaming and lower column height in the fermenter.

The present invention relates to a gassing unit for bubble-free introduction of a process gas into a liquid located in a reactor, wherein the gassing unit comprises at least: a first gas receiving chamber and, spaced therefrom, a second gas receiving chamber for receiving a process gas, the two gas receiving chambers being connected to one another via at least two two-dimensional, gas-conducting diffusion membranes comprising hollow fibers spaced apart from one another and at least partially fixed to one another; a receptacle for a gas supply on at least one of the gas receiving chambers; a receptacle for a shaft on at least one of the gas receiving chambers;
wherein the gassing unit for gassing the liquid in the reactor can be supplied with process gas via the gas supply receptacle, can be set into a rotational movement via the receptacle for the shaft and can form a convection flow within the reactor via the rotational movement of the gassing unit in the liquid. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for gassing a process liquid, a gas-liquid reactor comprising a gassing unit according to the invention, and the use of a gassing unit according to the invention for supplying biological cultures with process gases.

A cell screening device including a bottom plate, a cell placement membrane, a pair of fluid injection parts, and a flow channel, the flow channel being formed between the bottom plate and the cell placement membrane and extending in such a manner that the flow channel end parts respectively reach the fluid injection parts. In the cell placement membrane, a plurality of wells, each having a size capable of housing a single cell, and through holes are formed. In the back side of each lid, i.e., the ceiling face of the flow channel end part, a debubbling surface, which rises in an inclined or step-like manner as getting closer to a fluid injection hole, is formed.