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US 2007/0087402 A1Published application
Oxygen-Assisted Fermentation Process
AssigneeAmerican Air Liquide, Inc.
InventorSudhir Brahmbhatt
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AssigneeAmerican Air Liquide, Inc.
InventorSudhir Brahmbhatt
Estimating the term…
A fermentation process uses substantially pure oxygen. The oxygen is the only reactive gas which is injected into a fermentation vessel. The oxygen is moved through the vessel solely by its own pressure. The process can be used with both mechanically-agitated and air-lifted fermenters. The mechanically-agitated fermenter includes an analyzer for measuring oxygen concentration in the exhaust line, and adjusting the flow of fresh oxygen into the vessel accordingly. In the air-lifted fermenter, an analyzer measures the oxygen concentration in the head space of the vessel, and operates valves which either recycle the gas from the head space, or vent that gas to the outside, according to the measured concentration. A stream of nitrogen is periodically injected into the vessel to drive out carbon dioxide and other gases, to control the pH of the fermentation medium. The present invention substantially improves the efficiency of a commercial fermentation process.
In a fermentation process, the process including the steps of placing a fermentation medium in a vessel, maintaining the fermentation medium in the vessel for a sufficient time to enable a fermentation process to occur in the vessel, and withdrawing a product from the vessel,
In a fermentation process, the process including the steps of placing a fermentation medium in a vessel, maintaining the fermentation medium in the vessel for a sufficient time to enable a fermentation process to occur in the vessel, and withdrawing a product from the vessel,
In an air-lifted fermentation process, the process including the steps of placing a fermentation medium in a vessel, maintaining the fermentation medium in the vessel for a sufficient time to enable a fermentation process to occur in the vessel, and withdrawing a product from the vessel,
A mechanically-agitated fermenter, comprising:
An air-lifted fermenter, comprising:
A fermentation process comprising directing substantially pure oxygen into a vessel containing a fermentation medium, so as to promote fermentation in said medium, wherein said substantially pure oxygen is the only reactive gas, external to the vessel, that is injected into the vessel.
A fermentation process comprising directing substantially pure oxygen into a vessel containing a fermentation medium, so as to promote fermentation in said medium, wherein pressure of said substantially pure oxygen is the sole means for moving oxygen through the vessel.
A fermenter comprising a vessel, and a supply of substantially pure oxygen, the oxygen supply being in fluid communication with said vessel, wherein the oxygen supply is the only source of reactive gas, external to the vessel, that is in fluid communication with the vessel.
A fermenter comprising a vessel, and a supply of substantially pure oxygen, the oxygen supply being in fluid communication with said vessel, wherein pressure of the oxygen supply is the sole means for moving oxygen through the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.