Method for improving the performance of a photobioreactor
First Claim
1. A method for improving a rate of growth of phototropic microorganisms in a culture in suspension in a liquid reaction medium circulating in a chamber of a photobioreactor, said chamber having a transparent wall through which pass radiation for activating the photosynthesis reaction of the phototropic microorganisms, the method comprising:
- adding transparent or reflecting particles to the reaction medium in order to adjust radiation absorbance of the culture, the density of said particles being substantially equal to the density of the medium; and
the volume percentage of said particles in the reaction medium being a function of the species of microorganism in the culture, the thickness of the chamber that corresponds to an optical path of the radiation, and the desired final concentration of the culture in the reaction medium.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a method of improving the yield of a photobioreactor of the continuously operating recirculation type as a function of the species of micro-organism being cultured, of the thickness d of the chambers (10) of the reactor, and of the final concentration desired for the culture. In the method, transparent or respecting particles (15) are introduced into the reaction medium (11), which particles are of a density that is substantially equal to that of the reaction medium, thereby adjusting absorbance of the microorganism culture to optimum levels. The invention is mainly applicable to culturing phototropic micro-organisms.
49 Citations
5 Claims
-
1. A method for improving a rate of growth of phototropic microorganisms in a culture in suspension in a liquid reaction medium circulating in a chamber of a photobioreactor, said chamber having a transparent wall through which pass radiation for activating the photosynthesis reaction of the phototropic microorganisms, the method comprising:
adding transparent or reflecting particles to the reaction medium in order to adjust radiation absorbance of the culture, the density of said particles being substantially equal to the density of the medium; and
the volume percentage of said particles in the reaction medium being a function of the species of microorganism in the culture, the thickness of the chamber that corresponds to an optical path of the radiation, and the desired final concentration of the culture in the reaction medium.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
Specification