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US 12,024,695 B2Granted
Culture systems and methods of using same
AssigneeAuburn University
InventorsQinghua He, Jin Wang, Matthew V. Hilliard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Culture systems and methods of using same. The systems include a housing defining an inner space. The inner space includes a headspace and at least a portion of a reservoir. A surface for immobilizing cells is moveable between the headspace and the reservoir. The systems can be used for coculturing methanotrophs and phototrophs for processing biogas and wastewater, particularly from anaerobic digesters.
Claims18
A system comprising:
- a housing enclosing an inner space, wherein the housing is impermeable to fluids;
- a surface in the inner space comprising a surface portion capable of being cycled within the inner space;
- cells adhered to the surface portion, wherein the cells comprise a methanotroph and a phototroph;
- a liquid in the inner space at least intermittently in contact with the cells;
- a gas in the inner space at least intermittently in contact with the cells;
- and
- a liquid sprayer configured to transport the liquid to the cells on the surface portion.
4 more elements
A system comprising:
- a housing enclosing an inner space, wherein the housing is impermeable to fluids;
- a surface in the inner space comprising a surface portion capable of being cycled within the inner space;
- cells adhered to the surface portion;
- a liquid in the inner space at least intermittently in contact with the cells;
- and
- a gas in the inner space at least intermittently in contact with the cells,
- wherein:
- the surface is configured in the form of a continuous conveyor belt capable of being moveable along a conveyor belt path within the inner space;
- the conveyor belt is positioned along the conveyor belt path by support shafts;
- at least a subset of the support shafts comprise long axes configured in a parallel orientation with respect to each other;
- one or more of the support shafts in the subset are translationally moveable with respect to one or more other of the support shafts in the subset in a direction orthogonal to the long axes while maintaining the parallel orientation;
- and
- translational movement of the one or more of the support shafts in the subset with respect to the one or more other of the support shafts in the subset changes an orientation of at least a portion of the surface with respect to the horizontal plane.
10 more elements
A system comprising:
- a housing enclosing an inner space, wherein the housing is impermeable to fluids, wherein the inner space comprises a headspace and a reservoir;
- a surface in the inner space comprising a surface portion capable of being cycled within the inner space, wherein the surface portion is capable of being cycled entirely within the headspace;
- cells adhered to the surface portion;
- a liquid in the inner space at least intermittently in contact with the cells;
- a gas in the inner space at least intermittently in contact with the cells;
- and
- a liquid sprayer configured to transport the liquid to the cells on the surface portion.
4 more elements
A system comprising:
- a housing enclosing an inner space, wherein the housing is impermeable to fluids, wherein at least a portion of the housing is permeable to visible light, and wherein the inner space comprises a headspace and a reservoir;
- a surface in the inner space comprising a surface portion capable of being cycled within the inner space, being cycled entirely within the headspace, and being positioned along a plane angled from 30° to 60° with respect to the horizontal plane;
- cells adhered to the surface portion, wherein the cells comprise a methanotroph and a phototroph;
- a liquid in the inner space at least intermittently in contact with the cells, wherein the liquid comprises at least one of inorganic nitrogen and inorganic phosphorus;
- a gas in the inner space at least intermittently in contact with the cells, wherein the gas comprises at least one of methane and carbon dioxide;
- a light source directed at the surface;
- and
- a liquid sprayer configured to transport the liquid onto the surface.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.