# US 4,400,466 A · Process for the preparation of viscous water by action of micro-organisms

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- Number: US 4,400,466 A
- Document ID: US4400466A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/312,165
- Filed: 1981-10-16
- Granted: 1983-08-23
- Earliest claimed: 1980-10-17
- Assignees: Dumas & Inchauspe
- Inventors: Edgard E. Y. Azoulay
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4400466A

## CPC

- C12P 1/00: Preparation of compounds or compositions, not provided for in groups C12P3/00 - C12P39/00, by using microorganisms or enzymes
- C12P 19/04: Polysaccharides, i.e. compounds containing more than five saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic bonds
- Y10S 435/878: Rhizobium
- C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)}
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

Viscous water for use in oil extraction is produced continuously by bacterial action. A carbohydrate substrate, nitrogen-containing mineral salts and growth factors are introduced into a first fermenter chamber containing bacteria of the genus Rhizobium capable of excreting polysaccharides having viscosity increasing properties and aqueous product, from which the bacteria are separated, is collected from the outlet of this chamber and recycled to the inlet of chamber. Into a second viscosifier chamber there is introduced carbohydrate substrate for synthesis of polysaccharide and bacteria recovered from the first chamber in an amount approximately equal to that which is removed with the viscous product from the second chamber and there is collected from the outlet of the second chamber the viscous product at a rate approximately equal to that of the carbohydrate substrate at the inlet in order to maintain equilibrium in the system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Process for continously preparing viscous water by bacterial action, which process comprises the following steps:
(a) introducing into a first chamber containing a bacterial strain capable of excreting polysaccharides having viscosity increasing properties chosen from the genus Rhizobium, a carbohydrate substrate, nitrogeneous material in the form of mineral salts, and growth factors;
(b) collecting from the outlet of the said first chamber an aqueous product separating the bacteria from the aqueous product;
(c) introducing into a second chamber, by a first inlet, the bacteria recovered from step (b), and, by a second inlet, a carbohydrate substrate providing the raw material for synthesis of the polysaccharides; and
(d) collecting from the outlet of said second chamber a viscous product at a rate approximately equal to that of the carbohydrate substrate at the inlet of the said second chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Process according to claim 1 wherein during the said step (b) the bacteria are separated by centrifuging from said aqueous product collected.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

Process according to claim 2 wherein the said aqueous product substantially free from bacteria is recycled to the said step (a).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Process according to claim 1 which also comprises the following step:
(e) diluting the said viscous product issuing from the said step (d) with water.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

Process according to claim 4 which further comprises the following step:
(f) recovering by centrifuging the bacteria entrained in the product of said step (d) and recycling them to the said step (a).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

Process according to claim 1 wherein the same carbohydrate substrate is introduced in the said steps (a) and (c).

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

Process according to claim 6 wherein the said carbohydrate substrate is chosen from the group consisting of the hexoses and their mixtures and starchy products and their hydrolysates.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

Process according to claim 7 wherein said hexoses include glucose or fructose and said starchy products include corn or manioc.