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Apparatus for the determination of biomass in a suspension and its use in a fermentation apparatus. The apparatus includes electrodes to be placed in the suspension and the following other components: circuit for applying an alternating voltage between the electrodes; circuit for providing a current

Apparatus for the determination of biomass in a suspension and its use in a fermentation apparatus. The apparatus includes electrodes to be placed in the suspension and the following other components: circuit for applying an alternating voltage between the electrodes; circuit for providing a current signal indicative of the current in the current electrode circuit; circuit for providing a voltage signal indicative of the voltage between the ratio between the value of the voltage signal and the value of a quadrature component of the current signal, or vice versa, to provide a capacitance dependent signal.

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Apparatus for determining biomass in a medium comprising a suspending fluid and cells, the apparatus comprising: mutually spaced electrodes for placing in the medium in electrical contact therewith; and means for generating a signal dependent on the capacitance between the electrodes, at a predeterm

Apparatus for determining biomass in a medium comprising a suspending fluid and cells, the apparatus comprising: mutually spaced electrodes for placing in the medium in electrical contact therewith; and means for generating a signal dependent on the capacitance between the electrodes, at a predetermined frequency or over a predetermined range of frequencies between 0.1 MHz and 10 MHz, said electrodes including a pair of voltage sensing electrodes between a pair of current electrodes, and the means for generating the capacitance dependent signal, comprising: means for applying an alternating voltage, at the predetermined frequency, between the current electrodes; means for providing a current signal indicative of the instantaneous current in the current electrode circuit; means for providing a voltage signal indicative of the instantaneous voltage between the voltage electrodes; and means for determining the ratio between the value of the voltage signal and the value of a quadrature component of the current signal, or vice versa, to provide the capaitance dependent signal. Apparatus for performing a fermentation utilising a culture comprising a suspending liquid and cells, the apparatus comprising: a fermenter for containing the culture, electrodes mutually spaced in the fermenter so as to be in contact with the culture in use, including a pair of voltage sensing electrodes between a pair of current electrodes, and means for generating a signal dependent on the capacitance between the electrodes, at a predetermined frequency, wherein the means for generating the capacitance dependent signal, comprises: means for applying an alternating voltage, at the predetermined frequency, between the current electrodes; means for providing a current signal indicative of the instantaneous current in the current electrode circuit; means for providing a voltage signal indicative of the instantaneous voltage between the voltage electrodes; and means for determining the ratio between the value of the voltage signal and the value of a quadrature component of the current signal, or vice versa, to provide the capacitance dependent signal.