Patent ID: 11970684
Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Field: Biotechnology (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C  Y | IPC C

Claim 0:
1. A bioreactor insert apparatus for reaction medium circulation, biofilm support, and biological treatment, the apparatus comprising:
an inlet volume in fluid communication with a first fluid inlet;
an outlet volume in fluid communication with a first fluid outlet;
a plurality of modular exit volumes, each exit volume being in fluid communication with the inlet volume and comprising at least one exit biofilm support disposed at a boundary between the exit volume and an external volume outside the bioreactor insert apparatus, wherein: the exit biofilm support is adapted to promote growth, attachment, and metabolism of microorganisms in the form of a biofilm thereon, and the exit biofilm support is adapted to permit fluid and solid transport across the exit biofilm support and between the exit volume and the external volume, and each modular exit volume is adapted to be selectively replaced with a different modular exit volume having at least one of a different geometry and a different material relative to the replaced modular exit volume; and
a plurality of modular recirculation volumes, each recirculation volume being in fluid communication with the outlet volume and comprising at least one recirculation biofilm support disposed at a boundary between the recirculation volume and the external volume outside the bioreactor insert apparatus, wherein: the recirculation biofilm support is adapted to promote growth, attachment, and metabolism of microorganisms in the form of a biofilm thereon, the recirculation biofilm support is adapted to permit fluid and solid transport across the recirculation biofilm support and between the recirculation volume and the external volume, and each modular recirculation volume is adapted to be selectively replaced with a different modular recirculation volume having at least one of a different geometry and a different material relative to the replaced modular recirculation volume;
wherein a ratio (A/VA) of total surface area (A) of all biofilm supports combined to bioreactor insert apparatus volume (VA) is at least 1 m−1.