Flow Tube Reactor
AssigneeColorado Energy Research Technologies, LLC
InventorsWayne J. Powell, Robert D. Boehmer, Lee L. Johnson, Ken Swartz, Donald E. Lenci
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Abstract
Devices, systems and methods for increasing fermentation rates of microbes via biostimulation are provided. Electrodes are preferably positioned along an interior or exterior of a tube-shaped component to administer electromagnetic/electric pulses to a solution comprising a microbe. Systems can advantageously be used in new biofuels production plants, or in existing biofuels production plants without the need for significant retrofits.
Claims25
A flow tube reactor system for facilitating fermentation of a liquid within a first fermentation vat, comprising:
- a reactor tube having a lumen, and a length of at least 0.1 meter;
- a pulse driving circuitry that provides electrical pulses to an interior of the lumen at a pulse length and duty cycle effective to increase a fermentation rate of a microorganism;
- wherein the electrical pulses are produced at a plurality of electrodes places along a length of the reactor tube;
- and
- wherein the reactor tube is sized and dimensioned to be at least one of (a) submerged in a solution of the first fermentation vat, and (b) suspended in the first fermentation vat.
A method of fermenting a fluid to produce a product, comprising:
- placing components of the fluid in a vat, at least one of the components comprising a microbe;
- suspending a flow tube in the vat;
- and
- operating the flow tube such that a portion of the fluid within the vat flows through the tube, and the tube provides electrical pulses via a plurality of electrodes to the fluid flowing within a lumen of the flow tube at a pulse length and duty cycle effective to increase a fermentation rate of the microbe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.