Photobioreactor System with High Specific Growth Rate and Low Dilution Rate

• US 20130295649A1
• Filed: 07/11/2013
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Original Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Inventors: Rittmann, Bruce, Zhou, Chao, Vannela, Raveender
• Application Number:
  US13/939,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20130295649A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/257.1
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/02 Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/02 Percolation
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 31/04 Mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 33/14 with filters, sieves or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/08 Means for changing the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/12 Unicellular algae; Culture media therefor as new plants A01H13/00

Abstract

Systems and methods for growing photosynthetic cells that may be used to produce a biomass. The systems and methods recycle liquid and can produce a high cell concentration harvested biomass.

Claims

1. A method of concentrating a biomass of photosynthetic cells, the method comprising:

supplying a liquid slurry containing photosynthetic cells into a membrane separation device;

contacting liquid slurry with a membrane filtration system;

generating a biomass concentrate;

generating filtered permeate;

removing the biomass concentrate from the membrane separation device; and

recycling the filtered permeate back to the source of the photosynthetic biomass.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

generating a discharge permeate; and

removing the discharge permeate from the membrane separation device.

3. A membrane separation device (MSD) for simultaneously removing biomass and recycling the liquid medium permeate within a photobioreactor system for growing photosynthetic cells, comprising:

a housing;

a liquid slurry inflow line comprising a conduit for conducting liquid slurry, further comprising;

an inner volume;

a first end; and

a second end;

said inflow line connected at the first end to said photobioreactor and at the second and to said housing, and containing within inner volume liquid slurry;

a recycle filtered permeate outflow line comprising a conduit for conducting recycle filtered permeate, further comprising;

an inner volume;

a first end; and

a second end;

said outflow line connected at the first end to said photobioreactor and at the second end to said housing, and containing within inner volume recycle filtered permeate;

a biomass concentrate exit port in said housing, comprising a portal for conducting biomass concentrate from said housing; and

a membrane filtration system disposed within housing, configured to filter the liquid slurry and separate a harvested biomass concentrate and recycle filtered permeate.

4. The membrane separation device of claim 3, further comprising:

a discharge permeate port in said housing, comprising;

a portal for conducting discharge permeate from housing.