A method for biogas production includes feeding a receiving structure with a feed containing biomass that comprises lignocellulose and directing the feed from the receiving structure into an anaerobic secretome bioreactor (ASB) reactor environment which includes a synthetic microbial community consisting of at least one selected from extremophile thermophilic anaerobic microorganisms that are essentially acidogens and acetogens, the synthetic microbial community producing a secretome of exozymes. The ASB treated biomass is further directed to an aerobic digestion (AD) reactor environment, the ASB treated biomass being pasteurized so as to be essentially free of non-thermophilic microorganisms, the ASB treated biomass comprising liquid effluent containing solubilized biomass products and metabolized biomass products, and solid effluent. Contents or heat are recycled through a conduit between the ASB reactor environment and the AD reactor environment.

A bioreactor is disclosed. The bioreactor comprises at least one rise chamber containing a growth medium and at least one fall chamber connected to the at least one rise chamber at a top and at a bottom to form a loop. A first gas inlet is connected to the at least one rise chamber for supplying a gas flow to the at least one rise chamber and a second gas inlet supplied gas enriched with carbon dioxide.

A bag assembly for use with a heat exchanger includes a flexible bag having of one or more sheets of polymeric material, the bag having a first end that bounds a first compartment and an opposing second end that bounds a second compartment, a support structure being disposed between the first compartment and the second compartment so that the first compartment is separated and isolated from the second compartment. A first inlet port, a first outlet port, and a first drain port are coupled with the flexible bag so as to communicate with the first compartment. A second inlet port, a second outlet port, and a second drain port are coupled with the flexible bag so as to communicate with the second compartment.

System and methods are provided for initiating a cell culture. The systems and methods include a first enclosure containing a thermal mass positioned on a surface area of a platform. The systems and methods include a second enclosure, containing a culture fluid and a gas mixture, placed on the first enclosure such that the first enclosure is positioned between the second enclosure and the platform. The systems and methods further include a cover secured on the second enclosure, and generating first thermal energy on the surface area of the platform and second thermal energy from the cover.

An anaerobic fermentation with venturi stirring equipment has a container, a circulation unit, and a spray pipe. The container has at least one opening. The circulation unit communicates with the container and has a pump, a pumping pipe, a conveying pipe, and at least one storage tank. The pump is disposed out of the container. The pumping pipe communicates with the pump and a top of the container. The conveying pipe communicates with the pump and is mounted through one of the at least one opening, and the conveying pipe is located in the container. A gas valve is mounted on the conveying pipe. The at least one storage tank is mounted on the conveying pipe. The spray pipe is mounted in the container and communicates with the conveying pipe. The anaerobic fermentation with venturi stirring equipment can promote the fermenting rate and the ecological distribution of the anaerobic bacteria.

A method and system for processing biomass comprising lignocellulosic materials (LM), fats, oils, and grease (FOG), and/or waste-activated sludge (WAS) for biogas production. Biomass is maintained in an anaerobic secretome bioreactor with a synthetic microbial community under thermophilic conditions within a specified pH range. The microbial community produces a secretome of exozymessuch as cellulases, hemicellulases, ligninases, lipases, and proteasesthat hydrolyze and solubilize portions of the LM, FOG, and WAS, resulting in a liquid effluent containing sugars, amino acids, fatty acid anions, and other intermediates. The thermophilic environment also pasteurizes the effluent, which is subsequently processed in a mesophilic methanogenic digestion stage for biogas production. In this stage, volatile fatty acid anions are further metabolized to yield methane (CH.sub.4), carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2), and bicarbonate ions (HCO.sub.3.sup.) as primary products of methanogenesis.

An incubator for cell and tissue culture under controlled atmospheric conditions has a primary air flow control device that forms a primary, preferably laminar flow, air veil across an opening that allows access to the cells or tissue cultures disposed within the incubator. Preferably, most if not all of the air in the primary (laminar flow) air veil is recirculated, and a secondary air flow control device is used that forms a secondary, preferably laminar flow, air veil between the primary (laminar flow) air veil and a user of the incubator.

The present disclosure provides cell culture chambers for use in automated cell engineering systems, and in particular, cell culture chambers that include improved cell-contacting surfaces. Improved cell-contacting surfaces can include a surface coating that promotes cell growth, adherence, differentiation, maintenance of phenotype, and/or improves transduction; a cell-contacting surface comprising a non-porous, gas-permeable material; as well as other modifications to the cell-contacting surfaces. Cassettes comprising the cell culture chambers are also provided.

A recirculating bioreactor exhaust apparatus designed to remove a gaseous element from the bioreactor exhaust, such as carbon dioxide, by freezing the gaseous element and then returning the remaining exhaust gas to the bioreactor and a method of use.

A saccharide-solution production method using a biomass material, including feeding a biomass material containing cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin under a normal pressure to put it under an increased pressure; hydrothermally decomposing the biomass material using pressurized hot water by a hydrothermal decomposition unit; and dissolving a lignin component and a hemicellulose component in the pressurized hot water; thereafter, adding a biomass solid discharged from the hydrothermal decomposition unit to a slurrying vessel containing water injected therein and communicating with the hydrothermal decomposition unit so as to obtain a slurried biomass solid; then, removing water from the slurried biomass solid; and thereafter, performing enzymatic saccharification of the water-removed biomass solid to produce a saccharide solution.