System and method for culturing algae

• US 6,156,561 A
• Filed: 07/17/1998
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spirulina Bio-Lab Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Spirulina Bio-Lab Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kodo, Yasumasa, Kodo, Keiun
• Primary Examiner(s): Naff, David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ware, Deborah K.
• Application Number:
  US09/118,062
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 435/257.1, 435/946, 435/289.1, 435/292.1
• 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 23/18 Open ponds; Greenhouse type or underground installations
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/58 Reaction vessels connected in series or in parallel combinations of bioreactors with other apparatus, C12M43/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/02 Percolation
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 31/08 by conducting or reflecting elements located inside the reactor or in its structure
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 31/10 by light emitting elements located inside the reactor, e.g. LED or OLED
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 33/14 with filters, sieves or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/20 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/946 using algae

Abstract

A system and method for its use for efficiently culturing algae such as Spirulina are provided. The system comprises a culture pool for exposing a culture fluid containing the algae to sunlight, a culture tank having a larger depth than the culture pool, which is disposed adjacent to the culture pool, a supply unit for supplying the culture fluid from the culture pool to the culture tank, and at least one filter for removing grown algae from the culture fluid overflowing from the culture tank to the culture pool, while allowing to return a filtrate containing immature algae to the culture pool. It is preferred that this system further comprises a unit for mixing a gas containing carbon dioxide in the culture fluid to be supplied in the culture tank, and a lighting unit disposed in the culture tank to provide an artificial light to the culture fluid. In this case, it is possible to carry out the photosynthesis of the algae night and day.

Claims

1. A system for culturing algae comprising:

a culture pool for exposing a culture fluid containing said algae to sunlight;

a culture tank having a larger depth than said pool, which is disposed adjacent to said pool;

a supply means for supplying said culture fluid from said pool to said tank; and

at least one filter means disposed outside of said culture tank and above said culture pool such that said at least one filter means receives said culture fluid overflowed from said culture tank for removing grown algae from said culture fluid and a filtrate containing immature algae passing through said at least one filter means is returned to said pool.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a means for mixing a gas containing carbon dioxide in said culture fluid to be supplied in said tank, and a lighting means disposed in said tank to provide an artificial light to said culture fluid.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said supply means comprises a supply pipe extending from said pool to a bottom of said tank, and a pump attached to said supply pipe.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tank comprises a lighting means for radiating an artificial light to said culture fluid.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein a volume of said tank is at least 0.5 times larger than that of said pool.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said filter means is composed of a plurality of filters having different meshes.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tank comprises an optical fiber bundle for introducing sunlight into said tank and a means for traveling said bundle along a predetermined route in said tank.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said culture pool has a depth of 0.2 m to 0.25 m, and said culture tank has a depth of 1 m to 3 m.

9. A method of culturing algae using the system set forth in claim 1, said method comprising the steps of:

supplying a culture fluid containing said algae from said culture pool to said culture tank;

removing grown algae from said culture fluid overflowed from said tank by said filter means; and

returning a filtrate containing immature algae to said culture pool.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising the step of radiating an artificial light to said algae in said tank.

11. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein a volume of said tank is at least 0.5 times larger than that of said pool.

12. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said removing step is performed by using a plurality of filters having different meshes.

13. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising the step of radiating sunlight provided through an optical fiber bundle to said algae in said tank while traveling said bundle along a predetermined route in said tank.

14. A system for culturing algae comprising:

a culture pool for exposing a culture fluid containing said algae to sunlight;

a culture tank having a larger depth than said pool, which is disposed adjacent to said pool;

a supply means for supplying said culture fluid from said pool to said tank;

at least one filter means disposed at the outside of said culture tank and above said culture pool such that said at least one filter means receives said culture fluid overflowed from said culture tank to remove grown algae from said culture fluid and the filtrate containing immature algae passing through said at least one filter means is returned to said culture pool; and

an optical fiber bundle disposed in said culture tank to radiate a light to said culture fluid in said culture tank, said bundle comprising optical fibers having different lengths such that light-radiation ends of said optical fibers are uniformly distributed with respect to a depth direction of said culture tank.

15. The system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said optical fiber bundle radiates sunlight to said culture fluid in said culture tank.