The disclosure relates to bioreactors, for example for biological treatment and, more specifically to bioreactor insert apparatus including biofilms and related methods. The bioreactor insert apparatus provides a means for circulation of reaction medium within the bioreactor, a biofilm support, and biological treatment of an inlet feed to the reactor/insert apparatus. The bioreactor insert apparatus has a high relative surface area for biofilm attachment and is capable of generating complex flow patterns and increasing treatment efficiency/biological conversion activity in a biologically-active reactor. The high surface area structure incorporates multiple biofilm support structures such as meshes at inlet and outlet portions of the structure. The biofilm support structures and biofilms thereon can increase overall reaction rate of the bioreactor and/or perform some solid/liquid separation in the treatment of the wastewater or other influent.

The invention pertains to a method for synthesizing a product of interest by culturing a microalgal cell producing the product of interest in the dark in a culture medium comprising an organic acid as a fixed carbon source, wherein the microalgal cell is a facultative heterotroph. The product of interest can be a microalgal biomass, a pigment, terpene, recombinant molecule, biogas, or a precursor thereof. In an embodiment, the culture medium comprises urea as a primary source of nitrogen. In one embodiment, the microalgal cell belongs to the order Chlamydomonadales. A method of identifying and isolating a microalgal cell having a preferred characteristic that is suitable for synthesis of a product of interest is also provided, the method comprising identifying and isolating a non-mutagenized or recombinant microalgal cell from a microalgal culture using a fluorescence activated cell sorting technique and/or a phototaxic response.

An anaerobic digestion system may include a material grinding/pulping portion, a hydrolysis portion arranged downstream of the grinding portion, a multiple chamber anaerobic reactor arranged downstream from the hydrolysis portion and including a gas collection and reintroduction system, a collection system for collecting digestate and gas from the anaerobic reactor.

A process for the biological production of hydrogen and/or methane by absorption and biological conversion of carbon dioxide, includes the steps of being performed by co-culture of one or more hydrogen-producing bacteria in at least one first reactor, and one or more acetogenic bacteria in at least one second reactor, and/or one or more methanogenic microorganisms in at least one third reactor.

According to present disclosure, there is disclosed an algae growth and cultivation system that provides a cost-efficient means of producing algae biomass as feedstock for algae-based products, such as, fertilizer, feed, biofuel manufacture, and desirably impacts, nutrient recovery from waste streams for valued byproducts production, recycle water, and alternative/renewable energy production. The system as discussed herein is an integrated systems approach to wastewater treatment, algal strains selection for byproducts production, and recycle of algal biomass-processing waste or additional algae harvested as feedstock for products such as fertilizer production. Embodiments of a system as discussed herein present an economically viable algae production system and process that allows algae-derived products such as fertilizer, feed, biofuels, etc. to compete with non-organic or petroleum products in the marketplace.

According to present disclosure, there is disclosed an algae growth and cultivation system that provides a cost-efficient means of producing algae biomass as feedstock for algae-based products, such as, fertilizer, feed, biofuel manufacture, and desirably impacts, nutrient recovery from waste streams for valued byproducts production, recycle water, and alternative/renewable energy production. The system as discussed herein is an integrated systems approach to wastewater treatment, algal strains selection for byproducts production, and recycle of algal biomass-processing waste or additional algae harvested as feedstock for products such as fertilizer production. Embodiments of a system as discussed herein present an economically viable algae production system and process that allows algae-derived products such as fertilizer, feed, biofuels, etc. to compete with non-organic or petroleum products in the marketplace.

The present disclosure discloses a process for accelerating, increasing, and stabilizing production of biogas with a high methane content in systems for biodigestion of organic waste. The process comprises: a) obtaining from an anaerobic biodigester (3) a fraction of organic waste equal in weight to K times the weight of the daily organic waste load of the anaerobic biodigester (3), wherein the parameter K is a numeric value selected between 10.sup.−3 and 10.sup.−1, sending the fraction to one or more acceleration devices (4), retaining the fraction in the one or more acceleration devices (4) until a final concentration (Cf) of the methanogenic bacteria in the fraction is equal to M times an initial concentration (Ci), wherein the parameter M is a numeric value selected between 10.sup.3 and 10.sup.8; b) as soon as said final concentration (Cf) is obtained in the fraction, directing said fraction from the acceleration device (4) back to the anaerobic biodigester (3); and c) successively repeating steps a) and b).

A method for improving a biogas production is provided in which an organic substrate is pretreated by various methods. In particular, the method includes a combination of a magnetic and an enzymatic pretreatment of the substrate with an attractive specific energy gain. The application of a magnetic field induces changes in biological systems

There is disclosed a modular anaerobic digestion point-of-waste to renewable energy system. The system is directed to a modular and scalable anaerobic digestion system for point-of-waste use. The System includes a pretreatment process for removing inhibitory nutrients from a feedstock, an in-treatment process for providing clean renewable energy and a post-treatment process for further providing clean renewable energy for subsequent use. The System includes a leaching bed; a liquids tank; a mixing tank; an anaerobic digester reactor; a precipitation tank; a stripping tank; a hydrogen sulfide scrubber; a water remover; a gas bladder; a dewaterer; and a flare system.

A waste treatment, pyrolysis and gasification and concerns an apparatus for syngas bio-methanation include a unit for pyrolysis/gasification receiving organic material, the unit for pyrolysis/gasification generating syngas, comprising at least one membrane reactor inside a liquid bath comprising at least one bacteria population, the membrane reactor comprising at least one hollow fiber in contact with the liquid bath, around which a biofilm is formed and into which the syngas from the unit for pyrolysis/gasification flows, so as to convert the syngas into methane. A method for bio-methanation of syngas comprising a step of providing syngas from a unit for pyrolysis/gasification to a membrane reactor inside a liquid bath comprising at least one suitable bacteria population, the membrane reactor comprising at least one hollow fiber in contact with the liquid bath, around which a biofilm is formed and into which the output syngas of the unit for pyrolysis flows, so as to convert the syngas into methane.