Biological Reactor Systems for High Cell Density Fermentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The commercialization of microbe-based products is hindered by high costs and inefficiencies in microbe cultivation and production, particularly in achieving sufficient propagule density for large-scale industrial applications, with challenges in maintaining viability and activity during processing, storage, and deployment in environments where microbes struggle to survive.
Innovation Solution
The development of unsophisticated, low-cost fermentation systems, including biological reactor systems that utilize chaotic mixing schemes and external circulation systems to achieve high cell densities of microorganisms such as yeast and bacteria, producing microbial metabolites like biosurfactants, enzymes, and biopolymers, which can be scaled and customized for specific applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional submerged or surface cultivation methods are used, then microorganisms can be grown, but the cost per propagule density is high and insufficient for large-scale operations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the cultivation process into two distinct stages: a growth phase in liquid medium to achieve high cell density, and a production phase in semi-solid medium to maximize metabolite yield. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, achieving both high propagule density and cost-effectiveness that neither conventional method could achieve alone.
2Productivity
If high cell densities are achieved through conventional methods, then more microbial product can be produced, but viability and activity are lost during processing, storage, and deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary concentration of microorganisms to high cell density (10^9-10^12 cells/mL) during the growth phase before transitioning to the production phase. This preliminary action ensures that sufficient propagule density is achieved before metabolite production begins, maintaining viability throughout the process rather than losing it during later processing steps.
3Productivity
If microbes are produced at centralized facilities, then large quantities can be manufactured, but transportation and storage costs increase and viability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention enables the cultivation system to produce both high cell density and high metabolite concentration in the same reactor without requiring separation, concentration, and transportation steps. The semi-solid medium system allows microbes to remain viable and active at the production site, serving their own needs without external intervention for concentration and transport.
4Productivity
If conventional fermentation systems are used, then standard production can be achieved, but capital and labor costs are high and scaling is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a universal cultivation system using semi-solid medium that can simultaneously achieve high cell density, high metabolite production, and easy scalability. The same basic reactor configuration and medium system work across different microorganism types and product targets, eliminating the need for complex, specialized equipment for different production scales.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
These systems significantly reduce capital and labor costs, increase microbial product yields, and allow for on-site production, maintaining viability and effectiveness by using local microorganisms and their by-products, thus overcoming previous limitations in microbe-based composition production.
Implementation Method 1
The chaotic mixing scheme uses an internal mixing apparatus as well as an external circulation system
Implementation Method 2
The water controls the temperature of the culture without ever contacting the culture
Implementation Method 3
The sparging system comprises stainless steel injectors that produce microbubbles
Implementation Method 4
The motor is rotatably attached to a metal shaft that extends into the tank and is fixed with an impeller to help propel tank liquid from the top of the tank to the bottom of the tank
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide novel, low-cost fermentation systems and methods of their use. More specifically, the present invention provides biological reactor systems for fermenting a wide variety of, for example, bio level 1 microorganisms with very high cell densities. The reactor systems can be used to grow yeast, fungi and bacteria, as well as growth by-products thereof. In specific embodiments, the reactor systems are used to produce yeast-based compositions. In certain specific embodiments, the reactor systems can be used for the production of Starmerella bombicola yeast compositions.