Patent ID: 7166460

Claim:
A system for in situ product removal during at least a portion of the biofermentation of a target molecule comprising a) a biocatalyst separation means to remove at least a majority of biocatalyst from a portion of the biofermentation solution containing a target molecule; b) a water removal means for removing a portion of water from the biocatalyst-free solution produced by the biocatalyst separation means of a); c) optionally before or after step b) a removal means to remove components other than the target molecule or water from the biocatalyst-free solution produced by the water removal means of b); d) a process chromatographic means through which the biocatalyst-free solution produced by the water removal means of b) or by the removal means of c) and an eluent are passed e) a target molecule recovery means to recover the target molecule from a first fraction of the discharge from the process chromatographic means of d); f) optionally a non-aqueous eluent removal means to remove non-aqueous eluent from a second fraction discharged from the process chromatographic means of d); g) a water adding means to add water generated by b) to the biocatalyst-free and target molecule-free solution produced from e) or f) in an amount suitable for return to the biofermentation; and a recycling means to return the biocatalyst-free and target molecule-free solution from d), e), f), or g) to the biofermentation.