A perfusion bioreactor and a perfusion device. Each perfusion device has a mesh structure, and an encapsulated organ tissue (EOT) disposed in the mesh structure. The EOT has a body with a thickness defined between a first surface of the body and a second surface of the body. The body has at least one channel extending into the body from one of the first and second surfaces to receive a fluid therein. The at least one channel has a diameter selected to diffuse solutes out of the fluid and into the body. The perfusion devices are arranged one adjacent to another and spaced apart from each other along the length of the bioreactor to receive fluid, and to perfuse the fluid to the EOT of each perfusion device and to the at least one channel therein. A method of processing blood plasma and an artificial liver system are also disclosed.

A measuring apparatus and a method for determining the degree of bacterial contamination of process liquids uses at least one gas sensor for measuring the gas concentration of a gas producible by aerobic bacteria in the process liquid. An evaluating device is connected with the sensor for evaluating a sensor signal generated by the sensor and correlated with the degree of bacterial contamination. To determine the degree of bacterial contamination a funnel-shaped gas collecting bell is partly immersed in the process liquid so that a gas collection cavity for collection of the escaping gas is formed directly above the process liquid surface in the gas collecting bell. The gas escaping can be fed by a gas pump via a gas feed line to the sensor, conducted via the sensor and pumped back again to the gas collection cavity by way of a gas return line.

Plant for producing at least partially desulfurized biogas, comprising a biomass digester and/or post-digester, the digester and/or post-digester comprising: a chamber (1) in which an anaerobic digestion of the biomass takes place, leading to the production of biogas (2) and of digestate (3), a means for introducing an oxidizing gas, a desulfurization net (4) placed horizontally and fastened in the upper part of the chamber, and ropes (5) attached to said desulfurization net and which hang down to the biogas-digestate interface.

A method of converting CO.sub.2 gas produced during industrial processes comprising contacting methanogenic archaea with the CO.sub.2 gas under suitable conditions to produce methane.

The method of growing a biopolymer material employs incubation of a growth media comprised of nutritive substrate and a fungus in containers that are placed in a closed incubation chamber with air flows passed over each container while the chamber is maintained with a predetermined environment of humidity, temperature, carbon dioxide and oxygen. The air flows may be directed parallel or perpendicularly to the surfaces of the growth media.

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.

The disclosure provides a system and a process for injecting and uniformly distributing a liquid into a fermentation broth in a bioreactor for maintaining stable condition within the fermentation broth. The system includes a downcomer section which contains two or more circular pipe conduits extending from a wall of the downcomer to the center vertical axis line of the downcomer. Liquid injection apertures are arranged along the circular pipe conduit and are non-uniformly spaced apart from the center vertical axis of the downcomer to the wall of the downcomer. The apertures further alternate and are offset between the top and bottom surfaces of the circular pipe conduit. The process of the disclosure involves using the system described above for carrying out a fermentation process for converting a C1-substrate to at least one product such as ethanol.

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.

A system for growing algae includes a gas concentrator configured to receive a first gas containing CO2 at a first concentration and discharge a second gas containing CO2 at a second concentration higher than the first concentration, and a photobioreactor containing algae in an algae slurry and fluidically coupled to the gas concentrator to receive the second gas. A recycling line extends from a gas outlet on the photobioreactor to remove a third gas from the photobioreactor for future use in the photobioreactor.

Disclosed are methods and systems for propagating microorganisms such as yeast using a carbon source that includes glycerol and a nutrient source that includes a stillage component.