Disclosed are methods and systems for the production of ammonia biologically using a strain of nitrogen fixing bacteria of the Nostocaceae family.

A packed-bed bioreactor system for culturing cells is provided, the system including a cell culture vessel having at least one interior reservoir, an inlet fluidly connected to the reservoir, and an outlet fluidly connected to the reservoir; and a cell culture matrix disposed in the reservoir. The cell culture matrix includes a structurally defined multi-layered substrate for adhering cells thereto, and each layer of the multi-layered substrate has a physical structure and a porosity that are substantially regular and uniform.

A fixed-bed bioreactor system is provided that includes a vessel with a media inlet, a media outlet, and an interior cavity disposed between and in fluid communication with the media inlet and media outlet. The vessel further includes a cell culture substrate disposed in the interior cavity between the media inlet and the media outlet in a packed-bed configuration, the cell culture substrate including a plurality of porous disks in a stacked arrangement. The interior cavity includes a cell culture section and a spacer section, the cell culture substrate defining the cell culture section and the spacer section being disposed between the cell culture section and the media outlet, and each of the plurality of porous disks has a surface configured to culture cells thereon.

A bioreactor (1; 2; 3) includes a receiving container (10) for receiving a disposable bag (44). A bottom surface (11) of the receiving container (10) is designed to support the disposable bag (44) in the receiving container (10). An outlet opening (5) is formed in the bottom surface (11) and tapers down with respect to the ground for receiving a drain port (45) of the disposable bag (44). The drain port is complementary to the outlet opening (5).

Embodiments described herein generally relate to passively replacing media in a closed cell expansion system to reduce or prevent the dilution of chemical signaling used to inhibit signaling pathways that keep a cell population in the lag phase of cell growth. To prevent such dilution, active inlet fluid flow to the system may be halted. To replace fluid lost by the system, a bag containing media may be attached to the waste line in replacement of the waste or outlet bag connected thereto. By turning off one or more pumps, media from the replacement bag is added to the system at the rate of evaporation. Chemical signaling dilution may be prevented while conserving system resources. Enhancement of chemical signaling to reduce the lag phase of cell growth may further be accomplished by adding molecules, such as chemical-signaling proteins, from a direct source to the system.

A co-culture device includes: a first body including a first membrane having a first main surface for culturing cells and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, a first flow path partially defined by the first main surface, the first flow path configured for a first culture medium to flow therethrough, and a second flow path partially defined by the second main surface, the second flow path configured for a second culture medium having a higher dissolved oxygen concentration than that of the first culture medium to flow therethrough; and an oxygen concentration adjuster for adjusting the dissolved oxygen concentration in the first culture medium to be supplied to the first flow path.

A gas supply device for operation in an incubator allowing treatment of a culture within a shaker flask with gas independently of the composition and humidity of the gas atmosphere within the incubator individually supplies each shaker flask of the incubator with gas using a gas supply clamp detachably connected to the closure cap of each flask. The gas supply clamp has at least two elastic clamping jaws and a web connecting the clamping jaws to one another. The clamping jaws exert a clamping force on the side wall of the closure cap. The clamp is held in place by the elastic clamping jaws. Above a sterile filter in the closure cap, an individual gas atmosphere for treatment of the culture in the shaker flask is produced in a recess of the web above a gas passage in the closure cap.

In an embodiment, a tubing module for a bioprocessing system includes a first tubing holder block configured to receive at least one pump tube and hold the at least one pump tube in position for selective engagement with a peristaltic pump, a second tubing holder block configured to receive a plurality of pinch valve tubes and hold each pinch valve tube of the plurality of pinch valve tubes in position for selective engagement with a respective actuator of a pinch valve array, and wherein the first tubing holder block and the second tubing holder block are interconnected.

A bioreactor vessel includes a bottom plate, a vessel body coupled to the bottom plate, the vessel body and the bottom plate defining an interior compartment therebetween, and a plurality of recesses formed in the bottom plate, each recess of the plurality of recesses being configured to receive a corresponding alignment pin on a bed plate for aligning the bioreactor vessel on the bed plate.

A system for growing algae for biofuel production includes a bioreactor configured to contain an algae slurry, an algae-water separator fluidly coupled to the bioreactor to receive and separate the algae slurry into algae and separated water, and an organics treatment system that receives a portion of the separated water and is configured to reduce a concentration of organics in the portion of the separated water. A recycle line conveys the portion of the separated water back to the bioreactor following processing in the organics treatment system, wherein the portion of the separated water is recycled and forms part of the algae slurry reducing the raw water demand of the bioreactor.