Including Foam Breaking Means Patents (Class 435/301.1)
  • Patent number: 11584669
    Abstract: A gas dissolved liquid manufacturing device includes: a pump configured to pressurize a liquid; a pipe communicating with the pump; a nozzle disposed in the pipe, the nozzle being configured to generate micro bubbles using a supplied gas; and a gas-liquid separation tank whose upper part communicates with the pipe, the gas-liquid separation tank being configured to separate a gas-liquid mixture generated by the nozzle into a gas and a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi Nakagawa, Suguru Ozawa, Yuji Araki, Toshifumi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10774299
    Abstract: Disclosed is a jacketed, tiered baffle, bioreactor tank comprising an outer cylindrical-shaped jacket and a cylindrical tank having an inner tank surface defining a chamber configured for supporting a flexible bag disposed within the chamber, and an outer tank surface having tiered baffles configured for routing a heat exchange fluid around the entirety of the outer tank surface, the cylindrical tank disposed axially within the outer cylindrical-shaped jacket. The outer cylindrical-shaped jacket is sealed to the cylindrical tank in a manner sufficient to prevent or minimize loss of the heat exchange fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: GLOBAL LIFE SCIENCES SOLUTIONS USA LLC
    Inventors: Parrish M. Galliher, Thomas Erdenberger, Colin R. Tuohey, Joseph D. Crowell, Richard L. Damren
  • Patent number: 9617509
    Abstract: A reactor system is provided for improved fermentation of a gaseous substrate through the introduction of a secondary loop to a forced-circulation loop reactor. The reactor comprises a primary loop through which fermentation broth comprising a gaseous substrate is circulated through a riser segment and a downcomer section by a loop pump. Downstream of the loop pump a portion of fermentation broth is withdrawn from the downcomer section and is directed to the top of the reactor via a secondary loop. Further provided is a method for improving the mass transfer of a gaseous substrate to a fermentation broth in a fermentation vessel comprising a secondary loop. Further provided is a method for reducing foam in the headspace of a fermentation vessel comprising a secondary loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
    Inventors: Xueliang Li, Benjamin James Cossey, Simon Richard Trevethick
  • Patent number: 9018266
    Abstract: Provided is a defoamer for fermentation which has excellent dispersibility in water and forms neither a precipitate nor oil droplets when the dispersion is heated, and which is highly effective in defoaming fermentation media. This defoamer contains a reaction product obtained by mixing a fat or oil having an iodine value of 40 to 130 with glycerin or like in a molar ratio of from 3/2 to 1/2 to obtain a mixture, causing 4 to 17 mol of propylene oxide to add to 1 mol of the mixture, and then causing 20 to 40 mol of ethylene oxide and 70 to 110 mol of propylene oxide to block-wise add thereto in this order, the reaction product having an ethylene oxide/propylene oxide molar ratio of from 1/4 to 2/5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: NOF Corporation
    Inventors: Satoko Matani, Susumu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150031124
    Abstract: The present invention concerns in one aspect a separator for separating the gas and liquid phases of a foam and, in another aspect, a foam reducing apparatus. The separator comprises a first side and a second side and having through-flow means provided therein for permitting a foam or a foam phase to pass from the first side to the second side, the separator further comprising at least one foam contacting surface having a low surface energy, and means for recovering at least one separated foam phase from the foam. The foam reducing apparatus comprises a low surface energy material and means for contacting foam, when said foam is input to the foam reduction apparatus, along a surface of said low surface energy material. The separator and the foam reducing apparatus may be used independently or in combination to good effect to more efficiently disrupt foam to provide separate gas and liquid phases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: David Ward, Robert Longman
  • Patent number: 7906324
    Abstract: A portable, self-contained incubation apparatus has a cell container in which a cell culture can grow. The cell container resides on a base along with other components that maintain the environmental conditions inside of the container within a desired range. The self-contained incubation apparatus is portable allowing the conditions within the cell container to be precisely controlled even as it is being moved from one location to another. Further, at least one transparent surface of the cell container enables observation of the cell culture. Thus, the culture can be observed while the environmental conditions within the container are being controlled by components of the incubation apparatus. Since the cells can be observed without breaking the air-tight seal of the container, observation of the cells can be performed as often as is desired without introducing contaminants to the culture or otherwise significantly affecting the growth environment within the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
    Inventors: James Anderson, Amy Bishop
  • Patent number: 7897379
    Abstract: A device for minimizing the formation of bubbles or foam in cell culture is disclosed. The device has a manifold which directs the inflow of cells and cell culture media into a cell culture vessel so as to allow for displaced air or gas to vent from the cell culture vessel without mixing with the incoming cell culture media, thereby preventing the mixing of air and cell culture media and minimizing the formation of bubbles or foam inside the cell culture vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: David A. Kenney, Gregory R. Martin, Allison J. Tanner, Joseph C. Wall
  • Patent number: 7888111
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a cell culture vessel which is simple in structure and easy to handle, and is capable of preventing damage to the cells when separated, promoting transport of nutrients and excretion of effete matter, and elevating the culturing efficiency improving effect by the structural features. In order to attain the above object, there is provided a cell culture vessel including a culture section provided with a plurality of projections having an equivalent diameter smaller than the cells to be cultured and the culture section side walls enclosing the culture section, wherein the distance between an arbitrary position on the culture section/side wall boundary line and the nearest projection is smaller than the diameter of the cells to be cultured. The effect of the projections in the vessel given to the cultured cells is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kosuke Kuwabara, Akihiro Miyauchi, Norihito Kuno
  • Patent number: 7691625
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a cell culture vessel which is simple in structure and easy to handle, and is capable of preventing damage to the cells when separated, promoting transport of nutrients and excretion of effete matter, and elevating the culturing efficiency improving effect by the structural features. In order to attain the above object, there is provided a cell culture vessel including a culture section provided with a plurality of projections having an equivalent diameter smaller than the cells to be cultured and the culture section side walls enclosing the culture section, wherein the distance between an arbitrary position on the culture section/side wall boundary line and the nearest projection is smaller than the diameter of the cells to be cultured. The effect of the projections in the vessel given to the cultured cells is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kosuke Kuwabara, Akihiro Miyauchi, Norihito Kuno
  • Publication number: 20080206857
    Abstract: A device for minimizing the formation of bubbles or foam in cell culture is disclosed. The device has a manifold which directs the inflow of cells and cell culture media into a cell culture vessel so as to allow for displaced air or gas to vent from the cell culture vessel without mixing with the incoming cell culture media, thereby preventing the mixing of air and cell culture media and minimizing the formation of bubbles or foam inside the cell culture vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: David A. Kenney, Gregory R. Martin, Allison J. Tanner, Joseph C. Wall
  • Patent number: 7303908
    Abstract: A bioremediation assembly and method for bioremediation are described and which includes a bioremediation reservoir defining a cavity; a pump mounted within the bioremediation reservoir and which removes the aqueous bioremediating fluid from the bioremediation reservoir; and a fluid dispensing manifold positioned within the bioremediation reservoir and which is coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the pump, and which directs a stream of bioremediating fluid downwardly so as to aerate the volume of bioremediating fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Surface Technologies IP AG
    Inventor: Bert A. Overland
  • Patent number: 7232476
    Abstract: An apparatus for scum removal is disclosed wherein toothed paddle induces turbulent effect on the fluids present in the reactor by means of its rotary motion. This results in both breaking and radial displacement of the scum, accumulated on the fluid during the course of the biochemical or chemical reaction, towards the outlet of the reactor, thereby ensuring that the reaction continues in scum free environment uninterruptedly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
    Inventors: Ramamoorthy A. Ramanujam, Krishnasami Thirumaran, Rajendran Arumugam
  • Patent number: 6673599
    Abstract: There is disclosed a defoaming rotor capable of skimming foam from the surface of the fermentation broth in a bioreactor, separating the solid and liquid components from the gaseous component of the foam, and returning the solid and liquid components to the broth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Sartorius AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Rietschel, Wolfgang Kahlert, Reinhard Kiel
  • Publication number: 20030068813
    Abstract: There is disclosed a defoaming rotor capable of skimming foam from the surface of the fermentation broth in a bioreactor, separating the solid and liquid components from the gaseous component of the foam, and returning the solid and liquid components to the broth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventors: Wolfgang Rietschel, Wokfgang Kahlert, Reinhard Kiel, Sabine Kiel
  • Patent number: 6465243
    Abstract: A foam detecting sensor (7) and an ultrasonic oscillation horn (13) are mounted on a vertical pipeline between a culture tank (1) and a liquid-vapor separating device (5). When overflowed foams are subjected to ultrasonic irradiation, they burst and lose volume. The burst foams have high apparent density as compared to the foams before irradiation. Thus, the concurrent use of ultrasonic oscillation devices (12, 13) and the liquid-vapor separating device (5), such as cyclone, leads to an enhanced liquid-vapor separation efficiency and higher productivity by fermentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Okada, Yoshitaka Teratani, Naohiro Kadota, Hisao Itoh
  • Publication number: 20020039784
    Abstract: A foam detecting sensor (7) and an ultrasonic oscillation horn (13) are mounted on a vertical pipeline between a culture tank (1) and a liquid-vapor separating device (5). When overflowed foams are subjected to ultrasonic irradiation, they burst and lose volume. The burst foams have high apparent density as compared to the foams before irradiation. Thus, the concurrent use of ultrasonic oscillation devices (12, 13) and the liquid-vapor separating device (5), such as cyclone, leads to an enhanced liquid-vapor separation efficiency and higher productivity by fermentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2001
    Publication date: April 4, 2002
    Applicant: AJINOMOTO CO., INC.
    Inventors: Atsushi Okada, Yoshitaka Teratani, Naohiro Kadota, Hisao Itoh
  • Patent number: 6245553
    Abstract: The need to filter gas emanating from a containment vessel is reduced or eliminated by maintaining, within the vessel, a gradient that concentrates most of the gaseous contaminants away from the vessel exits. This is achieved by reducing the density of gas drawn from the region near its source and discharging the reduced-density gas to another region of the vessel. Owing to its reduced density, the discharged gas already has a lower contaminant concentration than the source gas. The concentration decreases further as convection draws the discharged gas back to its source. So long as the gas flows within the containment vessel are non-turbulent, the concentration gradient remains substantially static, and the vents remain exposed only to low concentrations of contaminants. The gas density may be reduced by heating and humidification, catalytic reaction, or reaction among constituents of the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Inventor: Gene E. Keyser