Bioreactor having a gas exchanger

• US 4,970,166 A
• Filed: 05/26/1987
• Issued: 11/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kei Mori
• Original Assignee: Kei Mori
• Inventors: Mori, Kei
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah P.
• Application Number:
  US07/054,355
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 435/284, 435/286, 435/289, 435/291, 435/313, 435/314, 435/315, 435/309, 362/32, 362/101, 362/805
• US Class Current: 435/292.1
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/02 Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/06 Tubular C12M23/08, C12M23/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/24 Gas permeable parts
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/18 External loop; Means for reintroduction of fermented biomass or liquid percolate loop type reactors for chemical or physical processes B01J19/2435
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 31/08 by conducting or reflecting elements located inside the reactor or in its structure

Abstract

A bioreactor comprising a bioreactor tank, a plurality of transparent cylindrical bodies together making up a light radiator and arranged parallel to each other in the bioreactor tank, a plurality of optical conductors inserted into each of the transparent cylindrical bodies, a light source device for guiding into the optical conductors the visible light ray components of solar rays and/or artificial light rays, and a gas-exchanger for supplying carbon dioxide CO₂ to a micro-organisms suspension in the space between the transparent cylindrical bodies in the bioreactor. A part of the micro-organisms suspension in the bioreactor is returned to the bioreactor through the gas-exchanger, and carbon dioxide CO₂ is supplied to the micro-organisms suspension in the gas-exchanger. The gas-exchanger consists of silicone pipes having microscopic holes through which the returned micro-organisms suspension pass and a hermetically sealed tank into which the silicone pipes are disposed. Carbon dioxide CO₂ at a pressure higher than that of the micro-organisms suspension flows into the silicone pipes upon being supplied to the hermetically sealed tank.

Claims

1. Photosynthesis apparatus comprising a bioreactor tank means containing a culture fluid, light radiator means disposed in said tank means, said light radiator means comprising a plurality of transparent cylinder bodies disposed parallel to one another, said light radiator means further comprising optical conductors disposed in each of said cylindrical bodies, solar ray collecting means for guiding light rays into said optical conductors, said tank means being elongated and having a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis being vertically disposed, said tank means having an upper end and a lower end, said tank means having an upper end portion juxtaposed to said upper end, said tank means having a first outlet for said culture fluid, said first outlet being located at said upper end portion, gas-exchanger means for supplying carbon dioxide, said gas-exchanger means having a first inlet for said culture fluid, a first conduit between said first outlet and said first inlet, a pump in said first conduit for pumping culture fluid from said tank means to said gas-exchanger means via said first conduit, said tank means having a second inlet for said culture fluid, said second inlet being located at said lower end of said tank means, said gas-exchanger means having a second outlet for said culture fluid, a second conduit between said second outlet and said second inlet for conducting culture fluid from said gas-exchanger means to said tank means, said gas-exchanger means comprising a hermetically sealed container means and a plurality of porous pipes having microscopic holes disposed in said container means, said culture fluid passing through the interior of said porous pipes, and carbon dioxide supply means for supplying carbon dioxide to said container means and to the exterior of said porous pipes at a pressure higher than the pressure of said culture fluid in the interior of said porous pipes such that the carbon dioxide infiltrates through the microscopic holes in said porous pipes to be dissolved in the culture fluid in said porous pipes, said gas-exchanger means, said first and second conduits, and said pump means defining a closed recycling means for recycling said culture fluid such that a part of said culture fluid is recycled through said closed recycling means to be replenished with said carbon dioxide as said culture fluid flows through said closed recycling means.

2. Bioreactor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said light source means guides the visible light ray components of solar rays to said optical conductors.

3. Bioreactor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said light source means guides the visible light ray components of artificial light rays to said optical conductors.

4. Bioreactor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said porous pipes in said gas-exchanger means comprise silicone pipes.

5. Bioreactor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said porous pipes in said gas-exchanger means are made of silicone rubber.