Patent ID: 8062873

Claim:
A bioreaction method comprising: retaining a process gas in a membrane vessel under anaerobic conditions; maintaining a plurality of two-headed membrane modules in a horizontally spaced arrangement and at least partially surrounded in the process gas, the membrane modules having a plurality of hollow fibers, each of the plurality of hollow fibers having a hollow fiber wall defining a hollow fiber lumen and an outer surface, and having a first potted end spaced apart from a second potted end, the first potted end is operably connected to one end of the hollow fibers and the second potted end is operably connected to the other end of the hollow fibers to allow the process liquid to flow through the hollow fiber lumens from the first potted end to the second potted end; growing a biolayer of microorganisms within biopores along the outer surface of the hollow fibers and producing a liquid product by interaction of the microorganisms with the process gas; and, passing a process liquid into the hollow fiber lumens and exchanging the process liquid through the hollow fiber wall to supply water and nutrients to biolayer and withdraw the liquid product in admixture with the process liquid.