A water treatment apparatus (1), the apparatus (1) comprises a fluid inlet (2), a first MBBR (4) and a second MBBR (5) and a fluid outlet (3), and a controller (C1), wherein the first MBBR (4) and second MBBR (5) are connected in series such that water to be treated flows from the inlet (2) through the first MBBR (4) to the second MBBR (5) and thence to the outlet (3) and wherein the controller or control means (C1) is operable to change the flow direction such that water to be treated flows from the inlet (2) to the second MBBR (5) then to the first MBBR (4) and thence to the outlet (3).

The invention relates to the field of microcarrier perfusion culture of adherent cells. Specifically, the present invention relates to a high-density microcarrier retention device for perfusion culture of adherent cells, a microcarrier perfusion culture system for adherent cells containing the device, and methods of use thereof. The retention device of the present invention includes a sedimentation chamber, a pipeline connected to a bioreactor, a microcarrier retention filter membrane, a liquid backflushing device, an air backflushing device, a peristaltic pump and a pipeline connected to a receiver. The device has high efficiency in promoting the separation of microcarriers from cell culture medium and is helpful for perfusion culture of adherent cells and microcarriers. The retention device makes the culture volume in the bioreactor more flexible, can perform perfusion culture of 20%-100% of the maximum culture volume of the bioreactor, and the retention device can be linearly amplified according to the amplification of the bioreactor volume.

The present invention discloses a respirator for measuring a respiratory rate of a biofilm. The respirator includes a body, a carbon dioxide absorption tube and a perforated partition disposed in an interior of the body. The perforated partition divides the interior of the body into an oxygen mass-transfer stir zone provided with a stirring device and a biofilm reaction zone for placing MBBR fillers. The carbon dioxide absorption tube is provided with an air vent and contains a solution capable of absorbing CO.sub.2. The perforated partition has a first hole corresponding to a middle portion and a lower portion of the perforated partition and acting as a liquid-exchange channel, and a second hole corresponding to an upper portion of the perforated partition and acting as a gas-exchange channel, and the oxygen mass-transfer stir zone is communicated with the biofilm reaction zone through the liquid-exchange channel and the gas-exchange channel. On one hand, sufficient gas-liquid exchange of the oxygen mass-transfer stir zone and the biofilm reaction zone is ensured, and on the other hand damage to the biofilm on the MBBR fillers by the stirring device is prevented. The respiratory dynamic characteristics of the biofilm on the fillers are determined in situ without damage. The measuring process is simpler and more rapid, with more accurate and efficient test results.

A moving bed biofilm reactor system for growing microorganisms comprising a reservoir containing a fluid that contains nutrients conducive to growth of microorganisms and a plurality of inert biomass carriers having a surface area configured to support growth of microorganisms is provided. The microorganisms may be used to remove a pollutant from a fluid. Furthermore, the microorganisms may be harvested and used as a foodstuff fertilizer, biofuels, and bioplastics.

Methods and systems are disclosed for manipulating inert materials and biomaterials, including cell cultures, to efficiently form effective cell beds while preventing excess flow through of cells to permeate waste during bioprocessing. Gentle centrifugation concentrates a large volume of cells produced from bioreactors into the desired concentrated volume and cell density. When cells pass through the centrifuge, the majority fraction of cells are retained in the centrifuge disposable chamber pods as a cell bed. A recirculation loop redirects the remaining minority fraction of cells back to the cell bag instead of proceeding to waste. This prevents initial cell loss during cell bed formation in the chamber pods, increases overall cell yields at harvest, and conserves materials, for example. Growing and harvesting natural killer cells, in particular, increased yields by over 30% when the recirculation loop was employed.

The subject matter of this application is using novel biological reactors for the fermentation of gases into liquid products. More specifically, the subject matter relates to the use of a Multiple-Pass Trickle Bed Reactor (MP-TBR) for the anaerobic or aerobic and biological fermentation of gases generated from industrial processes and/or from the gasification of biomass and other organic carbon sources. The products may include, but are not limited to, ethanol and other valuable chemicals.

A bioreactor has a biofilm that receives a gas through a supporting membrane and another biofilm attached to an inert support. The first biofilm is aerated through the membrane and provides nitrification. The other biofilm has an anoxic or anaerobic zone and provides denitrification. A module useful in the bioreactor has cords potted in at least one potting head. Optionally, some or all of the cords have a gas transfer membrane. The module may provide inert supports, active gas transfer supports or a combination of both types of support. Multiple modules may be assembled together into a cassette, the cassette providing inert supports, active supports or a combination. The module or cassette may have an aerator for mixing or biofilm control.

A malt roaster that includes a roasting chamber having a perforated, air permeable plate enclosing a first end, and an outlet from the roasting chamber positioned on a second end remote from the first end a blower is provided for injecting heated air into the roasting chamber through the air permeable plate at a rate sufficient to fluidize and maintain in an air-suspended condition a predetermined quantity of malt positioned in the roasting chamber for roasting, and a heater is provided for controlling the temperature of the air stream being used to fluidize the malt bed and thereby kiln or roast the malt.

A water treatment apparatus (1), the apparatus (1) comprises a fluid inlet (2), a first MBBR (4) and a second MBBR (5) and a fluid outlet (3), and a controller or control means (C1), wherein the first MBBR (4) and second MBBR (5) are connected in series such that water to be treated flows from the inlet (2) through the first MBBR (4) to the second MBBR (5) and thence to the outlet (3) and wherein the controller or control means (C1) is operable to change the flow direction such that water to be treated flows from the inlet (2) to the second MBBR (5) then to the first MBBR (4) and thence to the outlet (3).

The subject matter of this application is using novel biological reactors for the fermentation of gases into liquid products. More specifically, the subject matter relates to the use of a Multiple-Pass Trickle Bed Reactor (MP-TBR) for the anaerobic or aerobic and biological fermentation of gases generated from industrial processes and/or from the gasification of biomass and other organic carbon sources. The products may include, but are not limited to, ethanol and other valuable chemicals.