Photobioreactor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A photobioreactor comprising:
- a container for containing a liquid culture medium for cultivating photosynthetic organisms, a plurality of parallel light-emitting tubes mounted within the container and extending in a first direction, each light-emitting tube having an outer surface;
cleaning means mounted within the container for cleaning the outer surface of the light-emitting tubes; and
actuating means for actuating the cleaning means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A photobioreactor is disclosed for cultivating a photosynthetic organism. This photobioreactor provides innovative features that allow an easy cleaning of the light source. The photobioreactor has a container for containing a liquid culture medium for cultivating photosynthetic organisms, light-emitting tubes mounted within the container. The photobioreactor also has cleaning devices mounted within the container for cleaning the outer surface of the light-emitting tubes and actuators for actuating the cleaning devices.
99 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A photobioreactor comprising:
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a container for containing a liquid culture medium for cultivating photosynthetic organisms, a plurality of parallel light-emitting tubes mounted within the container and extending in a first direction, each light-emitting tube having an outer surface;
cleaning means mounted within the container for cleaning the outer surface of the light-emitting tubes; and
actuating means for actuating the cleaning means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
the container has a rectangular configuration with a first and a second pair of opposite sidewalls, the light-emitting tubes extending between said first pair of sidewalls; the support frame comprises a bottom side, and a top side with two end portions, and the hanging means comprises;
a pair of support members provided respectively on each one of said sidewalls of the second pair of sidewalls; and
a pair of resting members, a first one provided on one of said end portion of the top side of the support frame and a second one provided on the other end portion of the top side of the support frame, each of said resting members being respectively adapted to rest on one of said support members and being further movable along the support members.
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8. A photobioreactor as claimed in claim 7, wherein said pair of support members comprises a rail mounted on each one of said sidewalls.
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9. A photobioreactor as claimed in claim 8, wherein said pair of resting members comprises a roller for rolling on the rail.
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10. A photobioreactor as claimed in claim 3, wherein said at least one plate of the support frame is provided with a plurality of through-holes allowing free passage of the culture medium through the plate.
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11. A photobioreactor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a gas dispenser for dispensing CO2 enriched air into the culture medium.
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12. A photobioreactor as claimed in claim 11, wherein the gas dispenser comprises at least one dispensing tube spanning generally parallel to the light-emitting tubes underneath the support frame, the dispensing tube comprising a gas inlet for receiving the CO2 enriched air and a plurality of gas outlet for dispensing the CO2 enriched air into the container.
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13. A photobioreactor as claimed in claim 12, wherein the support frame comprises a bottom edge comprising brushing means for brushing an outer surface of said at least one dispensing tube.
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14. A photobioreactor as claimed in claim 13, wherein the brushing means comprises a plurality of bristles.
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15. A photobioreactor as claimed in claim 2, wherein the actuating means comprises a driving endless screw operatively connected to the support frame and a power means for inducing a rotation movement to said endless screw, said rotation movement causing the support frame to move in said first direction.
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16. A photobioreactor as claimed in claim 15, wherein said power means is a reversible electric motor or a manual driving handle for imparting the rotation movement to said endless screw.
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17. A culture unit for cultivating photosynthetic organisms, comprising:
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a photobloreactor as defined in claim 1;
a bioreactor for producing bicarbonate ions and hydrogen ions from a CO2-containing gas, the bioreactor comprising;
a reaction chamber containing immobilized carbonic anhydrase or analog thereof capable of catalyzing the hydration of dissolved CO2 into said bicarbonate ions and hydrogen ions, a liquid inlet in fluid communication with the reaction chamber, for receiving a liquid, a gas inlet in fluid communication with the reaction chamber, for receiving a CO2-containing gas; and
a liquid outlet in fluid communication with the reaction chamber, for dispensing a solution containing said bicarbonate ions and hydrogen ions and means for transferring said solution of bicarbonate ions and hydrogen ions dispensed from said liquid outlet to the photobloreactor.
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18. A culture unit as claimed in claim 17, comprising
means for removing a portion of the liquid culture medium from the photobioreactor and means for separating said portion of the liquid culture medium into a solid phase containing the organisms and into a liquid phase. -
19. A culture unit as claimed in claim 18, comprising:
means for transferring the liquid phase obtained in the separating means into the liquid inlet of the bioreactor.
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20. A culture unit as claimed in claim 19, comprising:
means for adding to said solution of bicarbonate ions and hydrogen ions a concentrate of liquid culture medium.
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21. A culture unit as claimed in claim 20, comprising:
a mixing unit for mixing said concentrate of liquid culture medium with the solution of bicarbonate ions and hydrogen ions so as to obtain a liquid solution.
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22. A culture unit as claimed in claim 21, comprising
means for recovering heat from the liquid solution and cooling the same. -
23. A culture unit as claimed in claim 22, comprising:
means for transferring said liquid solution to the photobioreactor.
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24. A process for producing photosynthetic organisms, the process comprising the steps of:
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a) cultivating a photosynthetic organism in a photobioreactor as defined in claim 1, and thereby obtaining a liquid culture medium containing photosynthetic organisms;
b) removing from said photobioreactor a portion of said liquid culture medium; and
c) separating the liquid culture medium of step b) into a solid phase containing the photosynthetic organisms and a liquid phase.
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25. A process as claimed in claim 24, further comprising the steps of):
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producing a solution of bicarbonate ions and hydrogen ions in a bioreactor comprising a reaction chamber containing immobilized carbonic anhydrase or analog thereof capable of catalyzing the hydration of dissolved CO2 into bicarbonates ions and hydrogen ions; and
feeding the photobioreactor with the solution of bicarbonates ions and hydrogen ions produced in the bioreactor.
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26. A process as claimed in claim 25, comprising the step of:
feeding the bioreactor with the liquid phase obtained in step c).
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27. A process as claimed in claim 26, wherein step c) of separating comprises a process selected from the group consisting of filtration, flocculation, sedimentation and centrifugation.
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28. A process as claimed in claim 27, comprising, prior to the step of feeding the photobioreactor the step of:
adding to said solution of bicarbonates ions and hydrogen ions a concentrate liquid culture medium, and thereby forming a liquid solution.
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29. A process as claimed in claim 28, comprising the step of feeding said liquid solution into a heat exchanger for recovering heat from the liquid solution and cooling the same.
Specification