An extraction apparatus for a fermentation medium comprises an extraction chamber configured to receive a fermentation medium and comprising a lower portion and an upper portion above the lower portion, as well as a feed device configured to feed at least one gas and one liquid into the lower portion of the extraction chamber, as well as a discharge opening arranged in the upper portion of the extraction chamber and configured to drain a washout liquid, loaded with microorganisms, from the extraction chamber.

An active solid state fermentation bioreactor for producing gases, liquid(s) or solids from gaseous or gaseous and liquid starting materials and a fermentation process using the reactor are disclosed, The bioreactor includes three major phases; a solid phase including the porous solid support, a liquid phase comprising liquid, and a gaseous phase. The solid phase includes a porous solid support, in which at least 20% of the pore volumes have a size resulting in a liquid suction of about 0.01 to about 0.1 bars if these pores are filled with liquid, the porous solid support is inoculated with desired micro-organisms, the volume of the gaseous phase is 20% to 60% of the volume of the bioreactor, and the liquid phase is at least 20% of the reactor volume, The unsaturated capillary conductivity of filling/packing solid material of the bioreactor is at least 0.1 cm/ h. The solid state fermentation bioreactor enables a large gas-liquid interface, in which the filling material has a good capillary conductivity despite the unsaturated state.

An active solid state fermentation bioreactor for producing gases, liquid(s) or solids from gaseous or gaseous and liquid starting materials and a fermentation process using the reactor are disclosed, The bioreactor includes three major phases; a solid phase including the porous solid support, a liquid phase comprising liquid, and a gaseous phase. The solid phase includes a porous solid support, in which at least 20% of the pore volumes have a size resulting in a liquid suction of about 0.01 to about 0.1 bars if these pores are filled with liquid, the porous solid support is inoculated with desired micro-organisms, the volume of the gaseous phase is 20% to 60% of the volume of the bioreactor, and the liquid phase is at least 20% of the reactor volume, The unsaturated capillary conductivity of filling/packing solid material of the bioreactor is at least 0.1 cm/ h. The solid state fermentation bioreactor enables a large gas-liquid interface, in which the filling material has a good capillary conductivity despite the unsaturated state.

The invention describes a methodology for production of a secondary extra-particle fungal matrix for application as a mycological material, manufactured via a Type II actively aerated static packed-bed bioreactor. A pre-conditioned air stream is passed through a substrate of discrete elements inoculated with a filamentous fungus to form an isotropic inter-particle hyphal matrix between the discrete elements. Continued feeding of the air through the substrate of discrete elements and isotropic inter-particle hyphal matrixes develops an extra-particle hyphal matrix that extends from an isotropic inter-particle hyphal matrix in the direction of airflow into a void space within the vessel.

Provided is a reaction apparatus for comprehensively measuring biodegradability of a material, comprising a device frame, an electrical control cabinet and a reaction chamber monomer. The upper side of the reaction chamber monomer is a reaction chamber body, and the lower part is a material receiving trolley. The top of the reaction chamber body is sealed by a chamber cover. A side wall is pasted with an electric heating plate and a thermal insulation cotton. A stirring paddle is arranged inside. An air inlet and an air outlet are respectively provided on a front and a rear wall. A discharging mechanism is located below. The electrical control cabinet separately controls the reaction conditions of each reaction chamber monomer. The present invention further relates to a use method thereof, which can realize the biodegradability evaluation in such three aspects as material degradation rate, disintegration rate and ecological non-toxicity test.

In preferred embodiments, the subject invention provides two-vessel fermentation systems for producing microbe-based products comprising fungal mycelia and/or spores, and/or bacterial endospores, wherein the systems comprise both a submerged fermentation vessel and a solid state fermentation (SSF) vessel. Advantageously use of the two phases improves the efficiency of producing microorganisms by catering to the different requirements for biomass and/or vegetative cell accumulation as well as the requirements for mycelial growth and/or sporulation.

An integrated two-phase anaerobic dry fermentation reactor based on a biomimetic principle of rumen includes a reactor body; wherein the reactor body includes a dry fermentation chamber, a secondary fermentation chamber, and a liquid storage chamber. The dry fermentation chamber is arranged at an upper portion of the reactor body. The liquid storage chamber is arranged at a bottom of the reactor body. The secondary fermentation chamber is arranged between the dry fermentation chamber and the liquid storage chamber in the reactor body. The dry fermentation chamber is connected to the secondary fermentation chamber by a porous structure.

Methods, apparatus, and system for a compost system to reduce operator time, reduce power utilization, increase intensity of land use by the compost system, increase efficiency of biological activity in bulk material composted by the compost system, reduce odor production by the compost system, and to reuse water applied to and which may leach out of bulk material. The compost system may comprise an aerated pad, a pivot arm attached to a center of the aerated pad, and a control module. The aerated pad may receive a bulk material to be composted into a compost product. The aerated pad may comprise an air nozzle and a drain to direct water from the bulk material to a water collection system. The pivot arm may deposit the bulk material on the aerated pad. The control module may manage a temperature inside the bulk material using the air nozzle.

The present invention relates to a solid state fermentation process for producing hydrogen, and to a bioreactor and solid support for use in the fermentation process.

A system for digesting biodigestible feed that preferably includes the steps of comminuting the feed, introducing feed, an oxygen-containing gas, an accelerant, and bacteria into a digestion zone, the bacteria being suitable for digesting the feed under aerobic, anaerobic, and anoxic conditions. The contents of the digestion zone can be changed from aerobic operation to either anoxic or anaerobic operation, or vice versa, without changing the bacteria in the digestion zone.