Title: Method of control of microorganism growth process
Application Number: 95194302 Application Date: 1995.07.21
Publication Number: 1154140 Publication Date: 1997.07.09
Approval Pub. Date: 2000.10.18 Granted Pub. Date: 2000.10.18
International Classifi-cation: C12M1/00;C12N1/12
Applicant(s) Name: Aquasearch Inc. Address:
Inventor(s) Name: M. E. Huntley;P. P. Niller;D. Redalje
Attorney & Agent: BAI YIHUA
Abstract:
    A control method for operating aqueous microorganism growth processes is disclosed which can maintain viable growth conditions for many types of microorganisms which have heretofore not been easily reproduced in commercially valuable quantities. The primary control parameters are the degree of turbulence in the aqueous growth medium and the scale of the apparatus relative to the scale of the turbulent eddies in vessels which are partially filled with the aqueous medium directly affect conditions which are required for optimum growth: light exposure, nutrient supply, sedimentation rate, bulk temperature, gas exchange rate and cell integrity. These control elements can be cast in terms of the Reynolds number (Nre) and controlled dimensions of the apparatus (LK) in relationship to the scales of turbulent eddies to define the dissipation lambda K as LK/L. Alternatively, these can be recognized to show that the delivery of nutrients to the microorganism mass is dependent upon the dissipation rate epsilon in the fluid, which allows definition of Lk to be quantified. The broadest ranges generally useful in this invention are Nre = 2000 to 10
Time: 11