Method and apparatus for growing microbial cultures that require gaseous electron donors, electron acceptors, carbon sources, or other nutrients

摘要

Compositions and methods and apparatus for growth and maintenance of microorganisms and/or bioprocesses using one or more gases as electron donors, electron acceptors, carbon sources, or other nutrients, and for a bioprocess that converts hydrogen and carbon dioxide, or syngas, or producer gas into lipid products, bio-based oils, or other biochemical products.

主权项

1. An apparatus for containing a microbial culture comprising an oxyhydrogen microorganism and/or an extract of an oxyhydrogen microorganism and controlling the environmental conditions to which the culture is exposed, comprising:
a reactor vessel containing a gas headspace and a liquid phase; a microbial culture comprising an oxyhydrogen microorganism and/or an extract of the oxyhydrogen microorganism in the liquid phase; a hydrogen gas feed manifold connected to a supply of hydrogen gas, and configured for feeding the hydrogen gas directly into the liquid phase in the reactor vessel, wherein the hydrogen gas feed manifold comprises an inlet valve for controlling hydrogen gas feed flow into the liquid phase in the reactor vessel; a pressure-relief valve configured to permit gas to exit the reactor vessel; and an eductor fluidly connected to the reactor vessel and configured and positioned to permit mixing and flow of gas from the gas headspace back into the liquid phase contained in the reactor, wherein the eductor is not fluidly connected to the gas feed manifold, wherein the eductor forms a gas recirculation pathway between the liquid phase and the gas headspace, and wherein the gas recirculation pathway is contained completely within the reactor vessel.