Microalgae culture system under external conditions

• US 10,072,238 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2012
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acciona Energia, S.A. (Corporación Acciona Energias Renovables SA)
• Original Assignee: Acciona Energia, S.A. (Corporación Acciona Energias Renovables SA)
• Inventors: Arbona Celaya, Andres, De La Parra Abad, Miguel, Ripa Ngkaion, Ivan, Sojo Armentia, Mikel
• Primary Examiner(s): Hobbs, Michael L
• Application Number:
  US14/411,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20150184118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,261 Days
• Field of Search: 4352921, 47 14
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/02 Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/04 Flat or tray type, drawers C12M23/10, C12M23/12, C12M23/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/18 Open ponds; Greenhouse type or underground installations
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 27/02 Stirrer or mobile mixing elements
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 27/06 with horizontal or inclined stirrer shaft or axis
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/06 Nozzles; Sprayers; Spargers; Diffusers per se B01F23/231, B01J19/26
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 39/00 Means for cleaning the apparatus or avoiding unwanted deposits of microorganisms apparatus for cleaning laboratory receptacles or instruments B01L13/02; cleaning in general B08B

Abstract

The present invention relates to a microalgae culture system under external conditions that comprises a shallow-depth culture container, a rotation system for the generation of light-darkness cycles and re-suspension, which maximises the photosynthetic efficiency of the microalgae and homogenises the nutrients supplied such that the microalgae may adequately grow in all the areas of the photobioreactor, a gas exchange and temperature control system, which makes it possible to control and maintain the culture parameters under the optimal microalgae growth conditions, a filtration and self-cleaning system, an energy control and saving system, which makes it possible to maintain the desired conditions with the lowest energy expenditure, and a cover system, which filters ultraviolet and/or infrared radiation and makes it possible to control contaminations, the temperature and the evaporation.

Claims

1. A microalgae culture system under external conditions comprising:

a shallow-depth culture medium container comprising a base featuring a surface area (A) and

a culture medium disposed in the surface area of the base of the shallow-depth culture medium container up to a height (h) less than a height of the side walls of the container, wherein there is a ratio between the height (h), in meters, and the surface area (A), in square meters that meets the condition that

2. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a set of blades that generate light-darkness cycles in the culture medium.

3. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a set of deflector blades or blades equipped with deflection means.

4. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 1, wherein the gas injection system is located inside the area delimited by the culture medium container, extends from the centre to the periphery thereof along the entire radius and has the shape of a pit.

5. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 1, wherein the gas injection system is located inside the area delimited by the culture medium container and has the shape of a pit.

6. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 1, wherein the gas injection system is located outside the area delimited by the culture medium container, in the shape of a pit below the base of the container.

7. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 1, wherein the gas injection system is located outside the area delimited by the culture medium container and is placed at the level of the base of the container.

8. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 6, wherein it comprises a pump that allows for the exit of the culture from the container towards the gas injection system, and the return thereto.

9. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 4, wherein the gas injection system further comprises thermostatting means.

10. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 1, wherein the set of blades that generate the light-darkness cycles in the culture medium have a fin-shaped profile.

11. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 10, characterised in that the fin-shaped profile of the set of blades that generate the light-darkness cycles in the culture medium is such that the attack edge of the profile of the blades is closer to the bottom of the container than the outlet edge of said blades.

12. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 11, wherein the attack edge is not on the same vertical line as the outlet edge.

13. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 1, wherein the culture medium container has a circular base.

14. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 1, wherein it further comprises brushes in contact with the walls of the container for carrying the contaminations accumulated in the walls of the container.

15. The microalgae culture system under external conditions according to claim 1, wherein it further comprises a surface filtration system.