ALGAE PHOTOBIOREACTOR

• US 20100255569A1
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chingoo Research Partnership, Marcus Maranhao
• Original Assignee: Marcus Maranhao
• Inventors: Camarate de Albuquerque Maranhao, Andre
• Granted Patent: US 8,852,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/292.100
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/02 Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/22 Transparent or translucent parts glassware for laboratory use B01L3/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/38 Caps; Covers; Plugs; Pouring means
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 27/22 Perforated plates, discs or walls
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/00 Means for introduction, extraction or recirculation of materials, e.g. pumps pumps per se F04B
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/18 External loop; Means for reintroduction of fermented biomass or liquid percolate loop type reactors for chemical or physical processes B01J19/2435

Abstract

A closed transparent photobioreactor having a dome and a staged column wherein the dome is used as a growth chamber to provide a large culture volume to land area used and a flow pattern inside the dome allows for the uniform distribution of light energy, thereby negating growth rate inhibiting ‘dark zones’. A pump delivers culture from the bottom of the column to a lower portion of the dome and drives circulation between the two components and an increase in mass in the dome results in a spillover from the top of the dome into the column. Once in the column, algaculture will be aerated at each stage before returning to the dome. The staged column also provides for semi-continuous harvest of algae through the application of froth flotation and various other separation processes.

Claims

1. A photobioreactor comprising:

a growth chamber for containing a liquid culture for cultivating photosynthetic organisms;

a trayed column for aerating and separating the photosynthetic organisms; and

means for transferring the photosynthetic organism from the growth chamber to the trayed column.

2. The photobioreactor of claim 1, wherein the growth chamber is comprised of a transparent and hollow hemi-ellipsoid dome attached to a rigid base with a liquid input port above the base.

3. The photobioreactor of claim 1, wherein the column includes one or more trays for mass transfer of introduced gas to the liquid culture.

4. The photobioreactor of claim 2, wherein the hemi-ellipsoid dome permits photosynthetic growth with an illuminated fraction less than or equal to one.

5. The photobioreactor of claim 2, wherein the means for transferring includes a submergible pump positioned above the base to move the liquid culture vertically up the dome.

6. The photobioreactor of claim 5, wherein the growth chamber further includes a circular disk which divides the growth chamber into an upper volume and a lower volume.

7. The photobioreactor of claim 6, wherein the circular disk has a central hole to accommodate flow generated by discharge of the submersible pump.

8. The photobioreactor of claim 7, wherein the circular disk will direct flow from the upper volume into the lower volume toward the submersible pump.

9. The photobioreactor of claim 2, wherein the means for transferring further includes an apex in the dome having a spillover port to allow flow from the growth chamber to the trayed column.

10. The photobioreactor of claim 9, wherein the spillover port has means to remove any accumulated gas from the growth chamber.

11. The photobioreactor of claim 9, wherein the means for transferring further includes a spillover tube that carries flow from the spillover port to the trayed column.

12. The photobioreactor of claim 1, wherein the trayed column has a transparent hollow shell open at a top portion.

13. The photobioreactor of claim 12, wherein the trayed column further has a detachable lid positioned over the top portion of the hollow shell.

14. The photobioreactor of claim 13, wherein the trayed column has a gas intake port, a gas exhaust port and a liquid output port in the hollow shell and a liquid intake port in the lid.

15. The photobioreactor of claim 14, wherein the liquid intake port accepts flow from a spillover tube.

16. The photobioreactor of claim 15, wherein the liquid culture from the liquid intake port enters the trayed column at a first stage.

17. The photobioreactor of claim 16, wherein the first stage includes a plate that extends from the trayed column shell to a downcomer.

18. The photobioreactor of claim 17, wherein the plate includes perforations that allow flow of introduced gas derived from the gas intake port.

19. The photobioreactor of claim 17, wherein the first stage further includes a weir adjacent the plate, allowing for the retention of a certain volume of liquid culture in the first stage.

20. The photobioreactor of claim 17, wherein the downcomer will extend downwardly towards a second stage.

21. The photobioreactor of claim 18, wherein the gas will be introduced through the gas intake port by an external air pump.

22. The photobioreactor of claim 14, wherein the liquid culture will be pumped through the liquid output port of the trayed column to a recirculation tube by an external hydraulic pump.

23. The photobioreactor of claim 22, wherein the liquid culture in the recirculation tube will be pumped into a liquid input port of the growth chamber by the external hydraulic pump.