Fermenter

Claim 1

An improved fermenter for cultivating of microorganisms in a substrate of the type in which a container bounds an inner chamber in which microorganisms are accommodated and cultivated, said improvement comprising substrate inlet means, discharge means and product collecting means for the container, a double circumferential wall for the container having inlet and outlet conduits for supplying and withdrawing of heating or cooling medium through the interior of said double circumferential wall; a guiding pipe located centrally of said container in said inner chamber and having a conical bottom portion; at least one diaphragm filter unit arranged in the interior of said guiding pipe and operative for continuously separating and withdrawing the products of metabolism of the microorganisms, simultaneously with cultivating of the latter directly in the fermenter; a main aerating pipe running from the top of said container through the central region of said guiding pipe and extending into said conical bottom portion of said guiding pipe, said main aerating pipe terminating in a distributing member in said conical bottom portion of said guiding pipe; a rotary turbine beneath said distributing member; and driving means for said rotary turbine, whereby the aspirating action of said rotary turbine provides a moderate pressure overcoming the pressure in the interior of the fermenter and whereby air is entrained by the substrate solution in the process of downward movement and whereby air bubbles of said entrained air are comminuted by said rotary turbine, thereby ensuring sufficient air supply for the microorganisms.