This disclosure describes a biochemical reactor with side nozzles. The biochemical reactor may include a tank configured to house immobilized carriers and fluid. The biochemical reactor may include a circulation conduit at least partially disposed within the tank. The circulation conduit may include a circulation inlet opening and a circulation outlet opening. The biochemical reactor may include one or more vanes disposed proximate to the circulation outlet opening. The one or more vanes may be configured to cause the immobilized carrier and the fluid exiting the circulation outlet opening to enter into a helical pattern. The biochemical reactor may include one or more side nozzles configured to induce a tangential flow of fluid within the tank. The one or more side nozzles may be disposed proximate to the circulation inlet opening and/or the circulation outlet opening.

Devices, systems and methods for processing cellulosic material to produce fermentable sugars are provided. Devices, systems and methods for increasing fermentation rates of microbes via biostimulation are provided. Electrodes are preferably positioned along an interior or exterior of a tube-shaped component to administer electromagnetic/electric pulses to a solution comprising a microbe. Systems can advantageously be used in new biofuels production plants, or in existing biofuels production plants without the need for significant retrofits.

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.

Bioconversion processes are disclosed in which biocatalysts including microorganisms or isolated enzymes that are substantially irreversibly retained in the interior of an open, porous, highly hydrophilic polymer are cycled between at least two different fluid media for the bioconversion of one or more substrates to one or more bioproducts. The processes are particularly attractive for using gas phase or using liquid feedstocks containing the substrate.

A process and apparatus for sequestering carbon and converting it to fuel, such as methane, and/or materials, such as fermentation substrates, biopolymers, bioplastics, oils, pigments, biochar, metals, such as mercury, chromium and arsenic, fibers, proteins, vitamins, fertilizers and animal feed. The apparatus comprises a deep well carbon-sequestering bioreactor coaxially located within a deep well anaerobic bioreactor. Carbon is sequestered into a photosynthetic biomass or a heterotrophic biomass, which is subsequently digested by an anaerobic biomass containing methanogenic microbes, whereby methane is a digestion product. Alternatively, the biomass can be subjected to physical-chemical treatment to produce oil and other useful byproducts.

A process and apparatus for sequestering carbon and converting it to fuel, such as methane, and/or materials, such as fermentation substrates, biopolymers, bioplastics, oils, pigments, biochar, metals, such as mercury, chromium and arsenic, fibers, proteins, vitamins, fertilizers and animal feed. The apparatus comprises a deep well carbon-sequestering bioreactor coaxially located within a deep well anaerobic bioreactor. Carbon is sequestered into a photosynthetic biomass or a heterotrophic biomass, which is subsequently digested by an anaerobic biomass containing methanogenic microbes, whereby methane is a digestion product. Alternatively, the biomass can be subjected to physical-chemical treatment to produce oil and other useful byproducts.

Bioconversion processes are disclosed in which biocatalysts including microorganisms or isolated enzymes that are substantially irreversibly retained in the interior of an open, porous, highly hydrophilic polymer are cycled between at least two different fluid media for the bioconversion of one or more substrates to one or more bioproducts. The processes are particularly attractive for using gas phase or using liquid feedstocks containing the substrate.

Apparatus and method for mixing a tank containing a fluid with a gas, wherein the gas is fired with a periodic intensity and duration through the employment of a gas container containing an inverted siphon, with one end contained in the container and the other end extending into a fluid.

The present invention provides an integrated multiphase biocatalytic reactor and separator system (1), comprising, an upflow reaction section (2), a separation section (3), and a recycle flow section (4), wherein: the upflow reaction section (2) comprises a gas phase inlet (12), arranged to introduce a gas phase (G) for lifting a reactor flow (C) comprising a first and a second phase liquid; the separation section includes a first separation zone (31) configured to degas an effluent flow from the upflow section, and a second separation zone (32), i.e. a liquid-liquid phase separator, configured to separate the degassed effluent in a lower liquid phase (LP) and an upper liquid phase (UP), said second separation zone further comprising an outlet (15) for collecting the upper liquid phase and an outlet for recirculating the lower liquid phase back to the upflow reaction section via the recycle flow section (4).

A culture device by which microalgae can be satisfactorily cultured using a simple structure while suppressing an increase in energy consumption, and a culture method. A main body of this culture device comprises an accommodation part which accommodates contents and to which gas is supplied. The inner wall faces of the accommodation part are joined together to form a joined part which extends along the gas supply direction. A guide part and a circulation part, which are adjacent to each other across the joined part, are each along the extending direction of the joined part and communicated with each other via a guide part inlet and a guide part outlet. A gas supply port enables gas supply toward the guide part.