Patent ID: 9156002
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: B01D,C12M,C12P

Abstract:
1. A process for simultaneously controlling the pH and the level of target ions of a liquid composition in an ongoing fermentation, where an acidic component is continuously produced and where said target ions are the ionic species of said acidic component, comprising at least one step of passing said liquid composition through at least one primary Reverse Electro-Enhanced Dialysis (REED) membrane stack, wherein each of the at least one primary REED membrane stack is an Anion Reverse Electro-Enhanced Dialysis (AX-REED) membrane stack, wherein said at least one step controls the pH in said liquid composition, and further comprising at least one further step of passing said liquid composition through at least one secondary Reverse Electro-Enhanced Dialysis (REED) membrane stack, wherein each of the at least one secondary REED membrane stack is a Cation Reverse Electro-Enhanced Dialysis (CX-REED) membrane stack, whereby at least some of said target ions are removed from said liquid composition, wherein said at least one further step controls the levels of target ions, wherein at least some of said primary REED stacks and some of said secondary REED stacks are operated in parallel, and wherein each said REED membrane stack has: i) a set of end membranes; ii) means for applying an electric field over the membranes by means of at least two electrodes of opposite polarity, wherein said at least two electrodes are located in at least two electrode chambers, said electrode chambers being located at each end of the apparatus and being bound by the end membranes; iii) a first chamber for a first liquid therein, said first liquid being a dialysate liquid or said liquid composition; and iv) an even number of additional chambers arranged symmetrically around said first chamber; said additional chambers being for said dialysate liquid or for said liquid composition therein; and wherein: