US3645846A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Process and apparatus for adding a liquefied hydrocarbon gas to a culture medium
Assignee: KH Neochem Co Ltd
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Filing: 1968-06-24
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Granted: 1972-02-29
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Expires: 1988-06-24
Abstract
Abstract A continuous process and apparatus for culturing a microorganism in an aqueous nutrient medium under aerobic conditions in the presence of a liquefied hydrocarbon gas which comprises adding fresh liquefied hydrocarbon gas to the culture medium, measuring the concentration of the unused liquefied hydrocarbon gas removed from the culture medium, discharging the unused liquefied hydrocarbon gas to the atmosphere until a predetermined concentration of said liquefied hydrocarbon gas is reached, and then recycling the liquefied liquefield hydrocarbon gas while at the same time discontinuing the addition of the fresh liquefied hydrocarbon gas until the concentration of the unused liquefied hydrocarbon gas falls below said process concentration. The rpocess and apparatus of the present disclosure is also applicable to liquefied hydrocarbon gas-air mixtures.
Inventors
- 👤 Osamu Imada
- 👤 Kazuo Hoshia
- 👤 Masatami Tanaka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 21:58
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12N; C12N1/00; C12N1/26; C12M; C12M27/00; C12M27/02; C12M29/00; C12M29/20; C12M41/00; C12M41/30; C12M41/34; C12P; C12P21/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/802
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the micro-organism belongs to a genus selected from the group consisting of Candida, Brevibacterium, Arthrobacter and Micrococcus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
44 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the micro-organism is a member selected from the group consisting of Candida rigida No. 113, CandIda japonica, No. 104, ATCC 14437, Brevibacterium ketoglutamicum ATCC 15587, Brevibacterium ketoglutamicum ATCC 15588, Arthrobacter roseoparaffinus ATCC 15584 and Micrococcus paraffinolyticus ATCC 15582.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the liquefied hydrocarbon gas is selected from the group consisting of methane, ethane, propane, n-butane, iso-butane, propylene and butylene.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the liquefied hydrocarbon gas is mixed with air or a mixture of oxygen and air.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the ratio of consumption of the oxygen to the liquefied hydrocarbon gas is substantially constant.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the concentration of the liquefied hydrocarbon gas in the gas-air mixture is established and controlled before it is introduced into the culture medium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
176 words
A continuous process for culturing a micro-organism selected from the group consisting of Candida rigida No. 113, Candida japonica No. 104 ATCC 14437, Brevibacterium ketoglutamicum ATCC 15587, ATCC 15588 Brevibacterium ketoglutamicum, Arthrobacter roseoparaffinus ATCC 15584 and Micrococcus paraffinolyticus ATCC 15582, in an aqueous nutrient medium under aerobic conditions in the presence of a liquefied hydrocarbon gas as the main carbon source which comprises adding a mixture of fresh liquefied hydrocarbon gas and air to the culture medium, conducting the culturing at a temperature of about 20* to 40* C. and a pH of about 5 to 9, measuring the concentration of the unused liquefied hydrocarbon gas in the gas-air mixture removed from the culture medium, discharging the unused liquefied hydrocarbon gas-air mixture to the atmosphere until a predetermined concentration of said liquefied hydrocarbon gas is reached, then recycling the unused liquefied hydrocarbon gas-air mixture while at the same time discontinuing the addition of the fresh liquefied hydrocarbon gas-air mixture to the culture medium until the concentration of unused liquefied hydrocarbon gas falls below said predetermined concentration.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the concentration of the oxygen in the unused liquefied hydrocarbon gas-air mixture discharged from the culture medium is used to control the recycling of the unused gas-air mixture and the addition of the fresh gas-air mixture.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 8, wherein the liquefied hydrocarbon gas is selected from the group consisting of methane, ethane, propane, n-butane, iso-butane, propylene and butylene.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
121 words
An apparatus for culturing micro-organisms which comprises a container means provided with a fermentation liquor, inlet means for introducing a liquefied hydrocarbon gas into said container means, means for venting the unused liquefied hydrocarbon gas from the container means to the atmosphere, means for recycling said unused liquefied hydrocarbon gas to the fermentation liquor in the container means and concentration detector means associated with the vent means, said detector means measuring the concentration of the liquefied hydrocarbon gas in the vent means and thereby selectively controlling the discharge and recycle of the unused liquefied hydrocarbon gas in the apparatus and the introduction of fresh liquefied hydrocarbon gas to the apparatus and to supply liquefied hydrocarbon gas only during the nonrecycling stages.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein means are provided for introducing a controlled mixture of the liquefied hydrocarbon gas and air to the container means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the vent means and inlet means are provided with valve means which are controlled by the concentration detector means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein blower means are associated with the recycle means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3268419A
Cited
US3340155A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-02-28 | 1975-08-30 | 1976-02-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-02-28 | 1979-08-30 | 1980-02-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-02-28 | 1983-08-30 | 1984-02-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |