Patent US3847748A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3847748A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Fermentation method and apparatus
Assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
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Filing: 1971-07-12
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Granted: 1974-11-12
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Expires: 1991-07-12
Abstract
Abstract A fermentation method and apparatus wherein fermentation medium is continuously circulated between a high pressure region where air and/or oxygen is absorbed and a low pressure region where carbon dioxide is desorbed. The apparatus comprises two connected compartments. During operation differing aeration of the medium in the two compartments produces differing hydrostatic pressures at the lower ends thereof and causes the medium to circulate. The velocity of circulation can be controlled by varying the supply of air to one compartment.
Inventors
- 👤 M Gibson
- 👤 F Roesler
- 👤 S Smith
- 👤 F Maslen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 14:21
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12M; C12M27/00; C12M27/18; C12M27/24; C12M29/00; C12M29/18; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/803; Y10S435/804; Y10S435/813; Y10S435/818
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
A METHOD FOR THE AEROBIC FERMENTATION OF A SUBSTRATE BY MICROORGANISMS CAPABLE OF UTILIZING THE SUBSTRATE FOR GROWTH, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF CONTINUOUSLY CIRCULATING FERMENTATION MEDIUM COMPRISING THE SUBSTRATE AND MICROORGANISMS THROUGH A SYSTEM HAVING A COMPARTMENT OF ASCENDING FLOW AND A COMPARTMENT OF DESCENDING FLOW, CONNECTED AT THEIR UPPER AND LOWER ENDS, ADMITTING AN OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS TO THE LOWER END OF THE ASCENDING FLOW COMPARTMENT TO PROVIDE A HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE DIFFERENCE AT THE LOWER ENDS OF THE TWO COMPARTMENTS AO AS TO CAUSE SAID MEDIUM TO CIRCULATE BETWEEEN TWO REGIONS HAVING DIFFERENT HYDROSTATIC PRESSURES, AND CONTROLLING THE VELOCITY OF THE LIQUID CIRCULATION BY SPARGING OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS TO THE UPPER PART OF THE COMPARTMENT OF DESCENDING FLOW, THE AMOUNT OF THE GAS THUS ADMITTING TO SAID COMPARTMENT OF DESCENDING FLOW BEING LESS THAN THE AMOUNT OF GAS ADMITTED TO SAID COMPARTMENT OF ASCENDING FLOW, THE GAS ADMITTED TO SAID SYSTEM BEING THE SOLE MEANS ESSENTIALLY FOR STIRRING AND CIRCULATING SAID MEDIUM AND THE DEMINSION OF THE SYSTEM BEING SUCH THAT IN THE ASCENDING FLOW COMPARTMENT THE MEDIUM IS TRANSPORTED CONTINUOUSLY AND RAPIDLY BETWEEN A LOWER REGION OF HIGHER HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE, IN WHICH OXYGEN IS ABSORDED, AND AN UPPER REGION AT A LOWER HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE, IN WHICH CARBON DIOXIDE PRODUCEDD DURING FERMENTATION IS DESORBED, AT A RATE SUCH THAT THE CARBON DIOXIDE LIQUID PHASE PARTICAL PRESSURE TO WHICH THE MICROORGANISMS ARE SUBJECT IS WITHIN THE RANGE TOLERABLE TO THE MICROOGRANISMS.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
239 words
A METHOD FOR THE AEROBIC FERMENTATION OF A SUBSTRATE BY MICROORGANISMS CAPABLE OF UTILIZING THE SUBSTRATE FOR GROWTH, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF CONTINUOUSLY CIRCULATING FERMENTATION MEDIUM COMPRISING THE SUBSTRATE AND MICROORGANISMS THROUGH A SYSTEM HAVING A COMPARTMENT OF ASCENDING FLOW AND A COMPARTMENT OF DESCENDING FLOW, CONNECTED AT THEIR UPPER AND LOWER ENDS, ADMITTING AN OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS TO THE LOWER END OF THE ASCENDING FLOW COMPARTMENT TO PROVIDE A HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE DIFFERENCE AT THE LOWER ENDS OF THE TWO COMPARTMENTS AO AS TO CAUSE SAID MEDIUM TO CIRCULATE BETWEEEN TWO REGIONS HAVING DIFFERENT HYDROSTATIC PRESSURES, AND CONTROLLING THE VELOCITY OF THE LIQUID CIRCULATION BY SPARGING OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS TO THE UPPER PART OF THE COMPARTMENT OF DESCENDING FLOW, THE AMOUNT OF THE GAS THUS ADMITTING TO SAID COMPARTMENT OF DESCENDING FLOW BEING LESS THAN THE AMOUNT OF GAS ADMITTED TO SAID COMPARTMENT OF ASCENDING FLOW, THE GAS ADMITTED TO SAID SYSTEM BEING THE SOLE MEANS ESSENTIALLY FOR STIRRING AND CIRCULATING SAID MEDIUM AND THE DEMINSION OF THE SYSTEM BEING SUCH THAT IN THE ASCENDING FLOW COMPARTMENT THE MEDIUM IS TRANSPORTED CONTINUOUSLY AND RAPIDLY BETWEEN A LOWER REGION OF HIGHER HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE, IN WHICH OXYGEN IS ABSORDED, AND AN UPPER REGION AT A LOWER HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE, IN WHICH CARBON DIOXIDE PRODUCEDD DURING FERMENTATION IS DESORBED, AT A RATE SUCH THAT THE CARBON DIOXIDE LIQUID PHASE PARTICAL PRESSURE TO WHICH THE MICROORGANISMS ARE SUBJECT IS WITHIN THE RANGE TOLERABLE TO THE MICROOGRANISMS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of the compartment of ascending flow is greater than that of the compartment of descending flow.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the compartment of ascending flow is divided vertically into sections each section being of greater cross-sectional area than the section immediately above it.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein the compartment of ascending flow is divided into two sections.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the two compartments are situated side by side and are connected at their upper and lower ends.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the oxygenated hydrocarbon is methanol.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein excess heat is removed from the fermentation medium by passing the fermentation medium continuously through a heat exchanger.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
172 words
A fermenter having two compartments constituting a riser and a downcomer, conduit means to permit fermentation medium to circulate continuously between the compartments, means towards the lower end of the riser to admit a gas into the fermenter and means to allow gas to escape from the upper part of the fermenter, and means for sparging gas into the upper end of the downcomer to control the velocity of the medium circulating through the compartments, the dimensions of the fermenter being such that when gas is admitted towards the lower end of the riser, fermentation medium contained in the fermenter is caused to circulate continuously and rapidly between a lower region of the riser of higher hydrostatic pressure in which gas is absorbed and an upper region of the riser of lower hydrostatic pressure wherein gas is desorbed, at a rate such that the microorganisms in the fermentation medium are subjected to a liquid phase partial pressure of gas produced during the fermentation which is within the range tolerable to the microorganisms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
172 words
A fermenter having two compartments constituting a riser and a downcomer, conduit means to permit fermentation medium to circulate continuously between the compartments, means towards the lower end of the riser to admit a gas into the fermenter and means to allow gas to escape from the upper part of the fermenter, and means for sparging gas into the upper end of the downcomer to control the velocity of the medium circulating through the compartments, the dimensions of the fermenter being such that when gas is admitted towards the lower end of the riser, fermentation medium contained in the fermenter is caused to circulate continuously and rapidly between a lower region of the riser of higher hydrostatic pressure in which gas is absorbed and an upper region of the riser of lower hydrostatic pressure wherein gas is desorbed, at a rate such that the microorganisms in the fermentation medium are subjected to a liquid phase partial pressure of gas produced during the fermentation which is within the range tolerable to the microorganisms.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A fermenter according to claim 9 wherein the cross-sectional area of the riser is greater than that of the downcomer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A fermenter according to claim 9 wherein the riser is divided vertically into sections each section being of greater cross-sectional area then the section immediately above it.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
A fermenter according to claim 11 wherein the riser is divided into two sections.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A fermenter according to claim 9 wherein the two compartments are situated side by side and are connected at their upper and lower ends.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A fermenter according to claim 9 wherein means are provided for admitting gas to the riser at a plurality of points along its length.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
A fermenter according to claim 1 wherein means are provided in the riser to reduce gas bubble coalescence.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
186 words
A fermenter having two compartments constituting a riser and a downcomer, conduit means to permit fermentation medium to circulate continuously between the compartments, means towards the lower end of the riser to admit a gas into the fermenter and means to allow gas to escape from the upper part of the fermenter, and means for sparging gas into the upper end of the downcomer to control the velocity of the medium circulating through the compartments, the dimensions of the fermenter being such that when gas is admitted towards the lower end of the riser, fermentation medium contained in the fermenter is caused to circulate continuously and rapidly between a lower region of the riser of higher hydrostatic pressure in which gas is absorbed and an upper region of the riser of lower hydrostatic pressure wherein gas is desorbed, at a rate such that the microorganisms in the fermentation medium are subjected to a liquid phase partial pressure of gas produced during the fermentation which is within the range tolerable to the microorganisms wherein means are provided to reduce gas bubble coalescence comprising at least one grid.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
186 words
A fermenter having two compartments constituting a riser and a downcomer, conduit means to permit fermentation medium to circulate continuously between the compartments, means towards the lower end of the riser to admit a gas into the fermenter and means to allow gas to escape from the upper part of the fermenter, and means for sparging gas into the upper end of the downcomer to control the velocity of the medium circulating through the compartments, the dimensions of the fermenter being such that when gas is admitted towards the lower end of the riser, fermentation medium contained in the fermenter is caused to circulate continuously and rapidly between a lower region of the riser of higher hydrostatic pressure in which gas is absorbed and an upper region of the riser of lower hydrostatic pressure wherein gas is desorbed, at a rate such that the microorganisms in the fermentation medium are subjected to a liquid phase partial pressure of gas produced during the fermentation which is within the range tolerable to the microorganisms wherein means are provided to reduce gas bubble coalescence comprising at least one grid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
196 words
A fermenter having two compartments constituting a riser and a downcomer, conduit means to permit fermentation medium to circulate continuously between the compartments, means towards the lower end of the riser to admit a gas into the fermenter and means to allow gas to escape from the upper part of the fermenter, and means for sparging gas into the upper end of the downcomer to control the velocity of the medium circulating through the compartments, the dimensions of the fermenter being such that when gas is admitted towards the lower end of the riser, fermentation medium contained in the fermenter is caused to circulate continuously and rapidly between a lower region of the riser of higher hydrostatic pressure in which gas is absorbed and an upper region of the riser of lower hydrostatic pressure wherein gas is desorbed, at a rate such that the microorganisms in the fermentation medium are subjected to a liquid phase partial pressure of gas produced during the fermentation which is within the range tolerable to the microorganisms divided along a major proportion of its operating height by a partition into inner and outer compartments, the outer compartment surrounding the inner compartment.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
196 words
A fermenter having two compartments constituting a riser and a downcomer, conduit means to permit fermentation medium to circulate continuously between the compartments, means towards the lower end of the riser to admit a gas into the fermenter and means to allow gas to escape from the upper part of the fermenter, and means for sparging gas into the upper end of the downcomer to control the velocity of the medium circulating through the compartments, the dimensions of the fermenter being such that when gas is admitted towards the lower end of the riser, fermentation medium contained in the fermenter is caused to circulate continuously and rapidly between a lower region of the riser of higher hydrostatic pressure in which gas is absorbed and an upper region of the riser of lower hydrostatic pressure wherein gas is desorbed, at a rate such that the microorganisms in the fermentation medium are subjected to a liquid phase partial pressure of gas produced during the fermentation which is within the range tolerable to the microorganisms divided along a major proportion of its operating height by a partition into inner and outer compartments, the outer compartment surrounding the inner compartment.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
A fermenter according to claim 17 wherein the outer compartment is the riser.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A fermenter according to claim 17 wherein the two compartments are connected at their upper and lower ends and at least one point in between.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-11 | 1978-05-13 | 1978-11-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-11 | 1982-05-13 | 1982-11-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-11 | 1986-05-13 | 1986-11-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |