Claims
- 1. A method of improving the yield of a biological reactor comprising at least one annular biological reaction chamber (10) defined by two coaxial cylindrical walls (11, 12), at least one of which (11) is an exchange wall allowing gaseous or liquid matter to be transferred or allowing light to pass, and in which there flows axially a liquid reaction medium (14) containing a culture of microorganisms or of isolated cells of vegetable or animal microorganisms in suspension, in which method the culture is subjected to a biosynthesis reaction activated by the matter or the light passing through said exchange wall (11),the method being characterized by the fact that the reaction medium (14) flowing in said biological reaction chamber (10) is subjected to a primary turbulent flow (19) that is helical about the axis (17) of the chamber (10), which flow under the action of centrifugal force generates rotary secondary vortices (20), thereby encouraging the culture to be renewed in the vicinity of the exchange wall (11).
- 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the reaction medium (14) is subjected to a helical turbulent primary flow by introducing the reaction medium at one of the ends of the biological reaction chamber (10) in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the axis (17) of the chamber and that is offset away from said axis (17).
- 3. A method according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the reaction medium (14) is introduced into the biological reaction chamber (10) by means of a duct (15) having an axis (16) that is substantially perpendicular to the axis (17) of the chamber (10), and that is connected tangentially to the outer wall (12) of said chamber (10).
- 4. A method according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that the internal transverse dimension (d) of the duct (15) in the direction perpendicular to the axis (17) of the biological reaction chamber (10) is no greater than the radial thickness (e) of said chamber (10).
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
00 08587 |
Jul 2000 |
FR |
|
PRIORITY CLAIM
This is a U.S. national stage of application No. PCT/FR01/02123, filed on 03 Jul. 2001. Priority is claimed on that application and on the following application(s): Country: France, Application No.: 00/08587, Filed: 03 Jul. 2000.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/FR01/02123 |
|
WO |
00 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO02/02734 |
1/10/2002 |
WO |
A |
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5939313 |
Cheng |
Aug 1999 |
A |
5958761 |
Yogev et al. |
Sep 1999 |
A |
6509188 |
Trosch et al. |
Jan 2003 |
B1 |
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0900766 |
Mar 1999 |
EP |
2762326 |
Oct 1988 |
FR |
1509630 |
May 1978 |
GB |
WO9603494 |
Feb 1996 |
WO |