IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0282785
(2005-11-18)
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등록번호 |
US-7635587
(2010-01-08)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Pearce, III, Robert Clarence
- Kiplinger, Dale V.
- Evaro, Jose E.
- Pruitt, Judith Gayle
- Colarusso, Joseph Thomas
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell, LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
6 인용 특허 :
12 |
초록
▼
A biomass generator useful for continuously growing and withdrawing bacteria to be used in a desired beneficial application, the generator having a bacteria growth chamber; water and nutrient inlet ports; upper and lower outlet ports; a recirculating pump withdrawing and reintroducing fluid to estab
A biomass generator useful for continuously growing and withdrawing bacteria to be used in a desired beneficial application, the generator having a bacteria growth chamber; water and nutrient inlet ports; upper and lower outlet ports; a recirculating pump withdrawing and reintroducing fluid to establish a vortex in the growth chamber while controlling foaming and pump cavitation; a low pressure air inlet line discharging air inside the growth chamber above the vortex; a fluid discharge line receiving bacteria-containing fluid from the upper outlet port of the growth chamber; a flush line discharging wash water into the fluid discharge line; and an electrical controller cooperating with solenoid-operated valves and a feeder mechanism to periodically introduce water and nutrients into the chamber, thereby simultaneously causing bacteria-containing fluid to be discharged from the growth chamber through the upper outlet port. A method for growing bacteria using the subject apparatus is also disclosed.
대표청구항
▼
The invention claimed is: 1. Apparatus for growing bacteria continuously, comprising: a bacteria growth chamber having a cylindrical side wall, conical bottom and open top with a removable cover; a fluid recirculation pump having an intake side in fluid communication with the conical bottom and a d
The invention claimed is: 1. Apparatus for growing bacteria continuously, comprising: a bacteria growth chamber having a cylindrical side wall, conical bottom and open top with a removable cover; a fluid recirculation pump having an intake side in fluid communication with the conical bottom and a discharge side having a fluid recirculation line in fluid communication with a tangentially directed outlet port disposed in the side wall; a fill water supply line in fluid communication with the bacteria growth chamber through the cover; a first solenoid valve disposed in the fill water supply line to periodically introduce fill water into the growth chamber at a first predetermined interval for a first predetermined duration; a bacteria harvesting line in fluid communication with a bacteria discharge port disposed in the sidewall near the top; a flush water supply line disposed above the bacteria discharge port and the bacteria harvesting line, in fluid communication with the bacteria harvesting line; a second solenoid valve disposed in the flush water supply line to periodically introduce flush water into the bacteria harvesting line at a second predetermined interval for a second predetermined duration; a nutrient feed metering device disposed above the bacteria growth chamber to permit the introduction of nutrient into the bacteria growth chamber through the cover at a third predetermined interval; an air pump having an outlet line communicating with the bacteria growth chamber through the cover; an electrical controller preprogrammed to continuously operate the fluid recirculation pump and the air pump, to actuate the nutrient feed metering device at the third predetermined interval, to actuate the first solenoid valve at the first predetermined interval for the first predetermined duration and to actuate the second solenoid valve at the second predetermined interval for the second predetermined duration; wherein actuating the first solenoid valve to permit the flow of fill water into the bacteria growth chamber causes a portion of the fluid in the bacterial growth chamber to flow into the bacterial harvesting line and actuating the second solenoid valve to permit the flow of flush water into the bacteria harvesting line causes fluid received from the bacterial growth chamber to flow through the bacterial harvesting line; and an electrical power supply providing low voltage electrical current to the fluid recirculation pump, first and second solenoid valves, nutrient feed metering device and air pump. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cleanout line providing fluid communication between the fluid recirculation line and the bacteria harvesting line. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a valve disposed in the cleanout line. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an air discharge line disposed between the air pump and the feed metering device. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a feed hopper disposed above the feed metering device. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bacteria growth chamber, recirculation pump, first and second solenoid valves, feed metering device, air pump and electrical controller are all disposed inside a cabinet. 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the cabinet comprises a watertight bottom and a float switch disposed in fluid communication with the watertight bottom. 8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising thermal insulation partitioning the cabinet into a first interior section containing the growth chamber and a second interior section containing the recirculation pump. 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second interior section of the cabinet is vented through at least one of a cabinet wall or a cabinet door. 10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a temperature controller communicating with the first interior section of the cabinet. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fill water supply line discharges water into the bacteria growth chamber across an air gap. 12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flush water supply line discharges water into the bacteria harvesting line across an air gap. 13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second solenoid valves bifurcate a single flow of water into a first stream of fill water and a second stream of flush water. 14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first solenoid valve controls both the amount and pressure of water introduced into the growth chamber. 15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the feed metering device comprises a feed cup that is rotatable between an upright feed-receiving position and an inverted feed discharge position. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the feed metering device comprises a feed cup that is rotatable to a standby position disposed between the feed-receiving position and the feed discharge position. 17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nutrient feed metering device is controllable to discharge nutrient feed into the growth chamber once every six hours. 18. Apparatus for growing bacteria continuously and for harvesting bacteria at predetermined intervals, the apparatus comprising: a bacteria growth chamber having a substantially cylindrical side wall; a conical bottom; an open top with a removable cover; fill water, nutrient feed and air inlet ports disposed in the cover; a fluid outlet port disposed in the conical bottom; and a bacteria harvesting port disposed in the side wall near the top; a recirculating pump continuously withdrawing bacteria-containing liquid through an outlet port in the bottom wall of the growth chamber, pressurizing the liquid and reintroducing the pressurized liquid into the growth chamber tangentially through the side wall, thereby establishing a liquid vortex inside the growth chamber; an automated nutrient feed metering device communicating with the nutrient feed inlet port to periodically introduce a predetermined quantity of nutrient through the nutrient feed inlet port into the growth chamber at a first predetermined interval; an air pump communicating with the growth chamber through an air supply line and the air inlet port to continuously introduce pressurized air into the growth chamber above the vortex; a first automated flow control device communicating with the fill water inlet port to periodically introduce fill water into the growth chamber through the fill water inlet port at a second predetermined interval for a first predetermined duration; a bacteria harvesting line communicating with and receiving bacteria from the bacteria harvesting port, and a second automated flow control device communicating with the bacteria harvesting line to periodically introduce flush water into the bacteria harvesting line at a third predetermined interval for a second predetermined duration to flush bacteria received from the bacteria harvesting port down the bacteria harvesting line; and an electrical controller preprogrammed to continuously operate the recirculating pump and air pump during use of the apparatus; to actuate the nutrient feed metering device at the first predetermined interval; to actuate the first flow control device at the second predetermined interval for the first predetermined duration; and to actuate the second flow control device at the third predetermined interval for the second predetermined duration, wherein actuating the first automated control device to introduce fill water into the growth chamber causes a portion of the fluid in the growth chamber to flow into the bacterial harvesting line and actuating the second automated control device to introduce flush water into the bacterial harvesting line causes fluid received from the bacterial growth chamber to flow through the bacterial harvesting line; and a low voltage electrical power supply delivering electricity to the recirculating pump, the air pump, the nutrient feed metering device and the first and second flow control devices. 19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first and second automated flow control devices are solenoid actuated valves. 20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a cabinet in which the bacteria growth chamber, recirculating pump, air pump, nutrient feed metering device and first and second automated flow control devices are disposed. 21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the cabinet has a watertight bottom and a float switch is disposed in the watertight bottom. 22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the float switch interrupts power to the first and second automated flow control devices whenever water is present in the watertight bottom. 23. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising thermal insulation partitioning the cabinet into a first interior section containing the growth chamber and a second interior section containing the recirculation pump. 24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the second interior section of the cabinet is vented through at least one of a cabinet wall or a cabinet door. 25. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a temperature controller communicating with the first interior section of the cabinet. 26. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a cleanout line disposed between the recirculating pump and the bacteria harvesting line, and a valve disposed in the cleanout line to divert liquid discharged by the recirculating pump into the bacteria harvesting line below the bacteria harvesting port. 27. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a nutrient feed hopper supplying nutrient feed to the nutrient feed metering device. 28. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising an air line disposed between the air pump and nutrient feed metering device. 29. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first and second automated flow control devices bifurcate a single flow of water into a first stream of fill water and a second stream of flush water. 30. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first automated flow control device controls both the amount and pressure of water introduced into the growth chamber. 31. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the feed metering device comprises a feed cup that is rotatable between an upright feed-receiving position and an inverted feed discharge position. 32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the feed metering device comprises a feed cup that is rotatable to a standby position disposed between the feed-receiving position and the feed discharge position. 33. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the nutrient feed metering device is controllable to discharge nutrient feed into the growth chamber once every six hours.
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