Patent ID: 9617509
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: C12M,C12P,Y02E

Claim:
1. A method for increasing mass transfer of a gaseous substrate to a fermentation broth in a forced-circulation loop fermentation vessel comprising a riser section wherein a liquid fermentation broth and the gaseous substrate are flowed concurrently upwards and a downcomer section wherein the liquid fermentation broth and the gaseous substrate are flowed concurrently downward, the method comprising: (a) providing a gaseous substrate to the fermentation vessel comprising a liquid nutrient medium and one or more microorganism; (b) fermenting the gaseous substrate to produce a fermentation broth and at least one product; (c) circulating the fermentation broth and the gaseous substrate through the riser section and the downcomer section of the fermentation vessel; and (d) removing at least a portion of the fermentation broth containing said nutrient medium, one or more microorganism, and the gaseous substrate from the bottom of the downcomer section and circulating it to the top of the riser section via a secondary loop, wherein the fermentation broth enters the top of the riser section via at least one nozzle thereby increasing mass transfer of the gaseous substrate into the fermentation broth.