Porous inorganic support spheres which can be cleaned of surface biomass under fluidized bed conditions

US4987068A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Schott Glaswerke · DE

Inventors

• Walter Trosch · Stuttgart, DE
• Werner Kiefer · Ingelheim am Rhein, DE
• Karlheinz Lohmann · Mainz, DE
• Hans Durolf · Mainz, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 16, 1987
• Grant date: Jan 22, 1991
• Expiry date: Nov 16, 2007

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S435/813
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Microorganisms or animal cells are cultured in a fluidized or fixed bed bioreactor on porous inorganic sintered support spheres containing inwardly continuous and outwardly open pores. The spheres have a density and diameter such that shear forces created under fluidized bed conditions shear off microorganisms or animal cells grown out of the pores and on the surface of the spheres. Culturing may be carried out in a fixed bed continuous reactor and the bed subjected to intermittent fluidized bed conditions to shear microorganisms or animal cells off the sphere surfaces. The spheres may be coated with a thin plastic layer to increase resistance to abrasion. Also, the spheres may be provided with a surface layer of inorganic and/or organic material for improving immobilization of microorganisms or animal cells. The spheres can be used in degradation of municipal sewage and industrial wastes and for bioengineering production of nutritionally essential and pharmacological substances and other fermentation products.