A NOVEL MEMBRANE BIOREACTOR SUITABLE FOR RETAINING SPECIALIZED MICROORGANISMS

摘要

In a bioreactor, microorganisms are kept in a circulation loop in communication with the inside of a membrane. The outside the membrane communicates with a fluid substrate. One or more nutrients pass from the substrate through the membrane to the microorganisms in the circulation loop. A product of the microorganisms may be collected from the substrate or from the circulation loop. Make up fluid can be added into the circulation loop or permeate through the membrane. Optionally, replacement microorganisms or one or more additional nutrients may be added to the circulation loop. Optionally, there may be an attached growth on the outside of the membrane, or a suspended growth of microorganisms in the substrate applied to the outside of the membranes.