# US 5,707,825 A · Interface bioreactor system

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- Number: US 5,707,825 A
- Document ID: US5707825A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/686,691
- Filed: 1996-07-26
- Granted: 1998-01-13
- Earliest claimed: 1995-07-28
- Assignees: Kansai Paint Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Shinobu Oda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707825A

## CPC

- C12M 25/06: {Plates; Walls; Drawers; Multilayer plates}
- C12M 27/02: {Stirrer or mobile mixing elements}
- C12M 29/06: {Nozzles; Sprayers; Spargers; Diffusers (per se B01F23/231, B01J19/26)}
- C12P 7/40: containing a carboxyl group {including Peroxycarboxylic acids}
- C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS}
- 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)}

## Abstract

This invention provides an interface bioreactor system comprising (a) a reaction tank having (1) a reaction solvent placed therein, (2) a plurality of plate-like hydrophilic immobilizing carriers each having a thickness of 1 to 500 mm and packed therein so as to be arranged in a vertical position at intervals of 3 to 100 mm, the hydrophilic immobilizing carriers having a microorganism deposited and immobilized on the surfaces thereof in a growable or viable state and containing a liquid medium composed of water and nutrients necessary for the growth or survival of the microorganism, and (3) a sparger or agitator disposed at the bottom thereof; and (b) an aeration line connected with the reaction tank for supplying oxygen thereto. This system is highly efficient and can be scaled up easily.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An interface bioreactor system comprising (a) a reaction tank having (1) a reaction solvent placed therein, (2) a plurality of plate-like hydrophilic immobilizing carriers each-having a thickness of 1 to 500 mm and packed therein so as to be arranged in a vertical position at intervals of 3 to 100 mm, said hydrophilic immobilizing carriers having a microorganism deposited and immobilized on the surfaces thereof in a growable or viable state and containing a liquid medium composed of water and nutrients necessary for the growth or survival of the microorganism, and (3) a sparger or agitator disposed at the bottom thereof; and (b) an aeration line connected with said reaction tank for supplying oxygen thereto.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plate-like hydrophilic immobilizing carriers consist of filter pads, gel-like synthetic polymer or an inorganic porous material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plate-like hydrophilic immobilizing carriers each have a thickness of 3 to 50 mm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plate-like hydrophilic immobilizing carriers are arranged at intervals of 5 to 50 mm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reaction solvent comprises as organic solvent solution containing a reaction substrate which is insoluble or slightly soluble in water.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the organic solvent is a hydrophobic organic solvent which is substantially harmless to the microorganism.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A process for the microbial transformation of a reaction substrate which comprises charging a reaction solvent containing the reaction substrate into the reaction tank of an interface bioreactor system as claimed in claim 1 and carrying out the reaction while supplying air to the bottom of said reaction tank and dispersing the air with a sparger or agitator.

### Claim 8

A process as claimed in 7 wherein said plate-like hydrophilic immobilizing carriers are regenerated for repeated uses by washing said plate-like hydrophilic immobilizing carriers after each use and replacing the aqueous phase present therein by a fresh liquid medium.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said reaction substrate is at least one selected from the group consisting of aromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, alicyclic compounds, heterocyclic compounds, higher fatty acids, higher alcohols and fatty acids esters.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

A process as claimed in claim 7 wherein said reaction substrate is at least one selected from the group consisting of aromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, alicyclic compounds, heterocyclic compounds, higher fatty acids, higher alcohols and fatty acids esters.