Some embodiments include a method of culturing one or more microalgae. The method can include: inoculating a bioreactor with the one or more microalgae and a fluidic support medium, the bioreactor having one or more bioreactor walls at least partially enclosing a bioreactor cavity, being configured to be at least one of folded up or rolled up, and being sterile when the bioreactor is inoculated with the one or more microalgae, the one or more bioreactor walls comprising at least one bioreactor wall material, and the at least one bioreactor wall material being flexible and at least partially transparent; and vitally supporting the one or more microalgae. Other embodiments of related systems and methods are also disclosed.

A container system includes a collapsible bag having an interior surface at least partially bounding a chamber, the chamber being adapted to hold a fluid. A sparger is disposed within the chamber of the bag, the sparger bounding a compartment and having an inside edge that encircles an opening passing through the sparger. At least a portion of the sparger is gas permeable. A tubular member is coupled to the sparger and is in communication with the compartment. A shaft passes into the chamber of the bag and through the opening of the sparger. A mixing element is secured to the shaft and is disposed within the chamber of the bag.

A system and method for compartmentalizing micro-carriers in a bioreactor includes a container configured to store micro-carriers and a vessel configured to contain a fluid so as to prevent the micro-carriers from entering the vessel during sterilization, shipping, storage, or other pre-use handling of the system. One or more addition lines connect the container and the vessel such that the vessel is in fluid communication with the vessel. The one or more addition lines are contactable by at least one blocking element configured to reversibly block fluid flow between the container and the vessel. The container, addition lines, and vessel are configured to allow the micro-carriers to be injected into the vessel at any point during a cell culture run. The vessel may also include a rotatable wheel, a harvest port configured to allow for the removal of the micro-carriers from the vessel, and a media removal port comprising a retention screen for removing spent medium.

A container system includes a bag comprised of one or more sheets of flexible polymeric material, the bag having an interior surface at least partially bounding a chamber, the chamber being adapted to hold a fluid. A flexible sparging sheet is secured to the interior surface of the bag so that a compartment is formed between the interior surface of the bag and the sparging sheet, at least a portion of the sparging sheet allowing gas to pass therethrough. A tubular port or tube is secured to the bag so that a passage bounded by the tubular port or tube communicates with the compartment. A mixing element is disposed within the chamber of the bag, the mixing element being spaced apart from the flexible sparging sheet.

A bioreactor (30) for production and harvesting of microalgae is described, comprising a reactor basin (32) in the form of a tank arranged to receive CO2 and water as well as algae, and which is equipped with at least one outlet for harvesting of algal biomass, where the reactor basin (32) comprises a rotating beam (54) equipped with one or more tillable mixing grates (60) and harvesting grates (62).

A reciprocating stirrer device with which favorable gas absorption into the stirred substance can be obtained. The reciprocating stirrer device is obtained from: a stirring vessel in which the substance to be stirred is placed; a reciprocating drive shaft provided inside the stirring vessel; a stirring blade connected and affixed so as to intersect the drive shaft; and a microbubble-generating unit. The microbubble-generating unit is obtained from a sparger that is made of a porous body and a gas supply means for supplying a gas to the sparger. Bubbles are generated in the substance being stirred by passing gas supplied to the sparger by the gas supply means through pores of the porous body.

A system and method for compartmentalizing micro-carriers in a bioreactor includes a container configured to store micro-carriers and a vessel configured to contain a fluid so as to prevent the micro-carriers from entering the vessel during sterilization, shipping, storage, or other pre-use handling of the system. One or more addition lines connect the container and the vessel such that the vessel is in fluid communication with the vessel. The one or more addition lines are contactable by at least one blocking element configured to reversibly block fluid flow between the container and the vessel. The container, addition lines, and vessel are configured to allow the micro-carriers to be injected into the vessel at any point during a cell culture run. The vessel may also include a rotatable wheel, a harvest port configured to allow for the removal of the micro-carriers from the vessel, and a media removal port comprising a retention screen for removing spent medium.

Equipment and a method for on-site and ex-situ modulation of microbial consortia useful in liquid and semi-solid effluents or solid waste treatment systems, for removing and/or reusing undesirable organic or inorganic loads. The equipment has of a main cultivation tank or a liquid body provided with an ex-situ subsystem for modulating microbial consortia for subsequent or concomitant introduction into the main cultivation tank or reactor or into the liquid body. The process is implemented in a culture equipment with controlled conditions for introducing the microorganism-enriched material into the effluent or solid waste to be treated, in the form of pre-cultivation and/or co-cultivation. The ex-situ subsystem of the invention has a device for forming gas/air bubbles in a liquid suitable for applying a shearing force to the microorganisms present in the subsystem, and also useful for modulating the microbial consortia in a main cultivation tank or a liquid body.

A bioreactor system and packaging is provided. The bioreactor system includes a vessel for housing biomaterials for processing and a support structure. The vessel includes a flexible material defining a chamber and a mixing system positioned within the chamber. The mixing system includes an agitator for imparting motion and mixing to the contents of the vessel and includes a base affixed to the flexible material at a base section of the chamber, a shaft moveably mounted in the base and extending from the base into the chamber and at least one mixing element mounted to the shaft, the shaft configured to be driven by a motor magnetically coupled to the shaft and external to the lower portion of the chamber. The support structure is connected to the mixing system such that the shaft is moveable therein and configured to cooperate with an external structure to provide support for the shaft.

The invention modernizes abandoned or inefficient petrochemical plants for the production of jet fuel, diesel, naphtha, drilling fuels and wax. It utilizes an amine system shifted in a brownfield situation and a PRISM unit to cleanse incoming syngas and obtain an optimal H2:CO ratio for conversion. The refit and repurposing introduces novel heat transfer elements to a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactor and embarks a proprietary FT catalyst for the production of GTL products. It also incorporates unique FT analyzers to monitor hydrocarbon streams and aid production and Coriolis flow meters for precise measurements of liquid wax flow, unaffected by wax congestion or vibration. Feedstocks include numerous sources such as Natural gas, Biomass, etc