Institut Francais De Recherche Pour L'exploitation De La Mer (ifremer)

Institut Francais De Recherche Pour L'exploitation De La Mer

Arnaud Muller-Feuga

Jack Legrand

J&eacute;r&eacute;my Pruvost

Roland Leguedes

Patrick Legentilhomme

The invention relates to a method of improving the transfer in an annular biological reaction chamber defined by coaxial inner and outer walls ( ) and in which there flows a liquid reaction medium containing a culture of microorganisms or of cells from vegetable or animal macroorganisms in suspension. At least one of the walls is an exchange wall enabling gaseous or liquid matter to be transferred or allowing light to pass through. The reaction medium is subjected to a turbulent primary flow that is helical and that under the action of centrifugal force creates rotary secondary vortices so as to encourage renewal of the culture in the vicinity of the exchange wall.

Method for improving transfer in a biological reaction chamber

The invention relates to a method of improving the yield of a photobioreactor of the continuously operating recirculation type as a function of the species of micro-organism being cultured, of the thickness d of the chambers ( ) of the reactor, and of the final concentration desired for the culture. In the method, transparent or respecting particles ( ) are introduced into the reaction medium ( ), which particles are of a density that is substantially equal to that of the reaction medium, thereby adjusting absorbance of the microorganism culture to optimum levels. The invention is mainly applicable to culturing phototropic micro-organisms.

Growing community of inventors

Soreze, France

Arnaud Muller-Feuga