An airlift bioreactor for perfusion cell culture comprises a single- or multi-tiered riser for working volume scale-up, an internal inclined gravity settler for cell retention, an outlet port for cell-free spent culture medium removal, and an inlet port for fresh medium addition.

An algae production reactor system according to the invention comprises a reactor vessel which is provided with: one or more liquid inlets and one or more liquid outlets; one or more gas inlets at the bottom, said gas inlets being connected with a source of carbon dioxide, and one or more gas outlets at the top of the vessel; vertically interspaced and joined pairs of double glass plates which are at least partially submerged in the reactor liquid, said double glass plates having a layer of light-scattering particles in between and having a flat side being exposed to a light source; and means for vertically circulating reactor liquid.

A sparger device includes a sparge tube having opposed distal ends, an inlet opening, and a plurality of sparge holes along a longitudinal extent of the sparge tube between the opposed distal ends, and a central hub coupled with the sparge tube at a point intermediate the opposed distal ends of the sparge tube, the central hub having a fluid passageway in fluid communication with the sparge tube via the inlet opening.

A reaction apparatus is provided. The reaction apparatus includes a first tank, a second tank, a cover, a stirring assembly, a heater, a controller and a gas delivery system. The first tank has an accommodating space. The second tank is in the accommodating space of the first tank and includes holes. The cover is on an opening of the first tank. The stirring assembly is on the cover. The stirring assembly includes a driving motor and a stirrer connected to the driving motor. The stirrer is in the accommodating space of the first tank. The heater is in the accommodating space of the first tank. The controller is coupled to the heater to control the heater. The gas delivery system is on the first tank and in communication with the accommodating space of the first tank.

The invention relates to an incubator comprising sensor means for detecting VOC contamination of the gas atmosphere of the interior of the incubator chamber.

A photobioreactor system may include a one or more fluidly connectable tubes for growing or producing microorganisms or biomass such as microalgae. The system may include either a single tube loop or an array of tubes. A first fluid may be held in the tube or tubes, and an inlet port may be provided for introducing a second fluid into the tube or tubes. The tube or tubes may be arranged vertically so that the second fluid rises through the tube or tubes. An outlet port may be provided at the top of the tube or tubes to remove the second fluid. The second fluid may be recirculated through the system via inlet and outlet lines as well as a pump and a replaceable reservoir for holding the second fluid. Where there is an array of tubes, a single inlet and outlet line may be sued for each tube.

A culture system includes a culture device that includes a culture tank for culturing microalgae, and a collection device that collects a culture solution. The culture tank includes a bottom portion located at the lowest position in the depth direction. The collection device includes a collection tube housed in the culture tank. The collection tube is a tubular body having an internal space. The collection tube includes a bottom side collection portion that extends along the bottom portion of the culture tank. The bottom side collection portion includes an open port formed at a site facing upward in the depth direction of the culture tank.

Disclosed is a method for synthesizing diglyceride using a bubble column reactor. The method comprises the steps of: an immobilized enzyme is placed on the bearing mechanism of the bubble column reactor; a hot bath mechanism is actuated to heat the reactor body to 55-75? C.; glycerol, fatty acid and water are added into a feed chute, preheated to 55-75? C., and then transferred into the reactor body to initiate the reaction; a bubbling mechanism is actuated so that the inert gas is continuously blown into the reactor body via a sieve plate, forming boiling-like bubbles which promotes the mixing and hence to facilitate the reaction; after the reaction, the water bath mechanism and the bubbling mechanism are turned off, the heating and the inert gas circulation are stopped, a compacting mechanism is actuated, and the reaction mixture is settled and layered, thus obtaining an upper layer which is the crude glyceride layer, and a lower layer which is the glycerol layer; and the crude glyceride layer is subjected to two-stage molecular distillation so as to obtain high purity diglyceride.

A gas stirring fermentation device has excellent mixing performance of a culture liquid and is applicable to aerobic culture requiring a high demanded oxygen amount. The gas stirring fermentation device includes a culture tank, a draft tube located inside the culture tank, and a gas supply pipe supplying gas to the inside of the culture tank, in which the gas supply pipe is provided with a gas discharge part made of a sintered metal film, and a culture liquid in the culture tank can be stirred by the gas discharged from the gas discharge part.

The invention relates to a digester for a liquid medium, comprising a container, a dividing wall between two spaces, and a device for injecting gas into the lower part of one of the spaces. The gas creates an upflow of the mixture of liquid medium and injected gas in said space, and a downflow in the other space. The dividing wall is equipped with at least one device for establishing a fluid communication between the spaces, so that the fluid communication configuration is automatically varied between a first open configuration in which fluid can flow freely from one space to the other, and a second closed configuration in which the flow of fluid is blocked fully or partially by the aforementioned device.