Algae production and harvesting apparatus

• US 7,997,025 B1
• Filed: 05/14/2009
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trinitas, LLC
• Original Assignee: Trinitas, LLC
• Inventors: Masse, Arthur W. P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Palo; Francis T
• Application Number:
  US12/466,008
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 47/14
• US Class Current: 47/1.4
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/02 Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/06 Tubular C12M23/08, C12M23/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/44 Multiple separable units; Modules
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 31/02 located outside the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/06 of illumination

Abstract

A photo-bioreactor module adapted for stacking a plurality of such modules for producing algal bioproducts includes at least an upper and a lower light-transmitting member each having a plurality of openings. The upper and lower light-transmitting members are spaced apart from one another and at least one of the upper and lower light-transmitting members includes at least one light connection terminal for coupling in light from a light source and transmitting the light laterally. A plurality of photobioreactor conduits each extending from respective openings in the upper and lower light-transmitting member define algae containment interior spaces, wherein the plurality of photobioreactor conduits contact the upper and a lower light-transmitting members along areas of contact. The light transmitted laterally by the upper and lower light-transmitting members couples into the plurality of photobioreactor conduits along the areas of contact.

Claims

1. A photo-bioreactor module for producing algal bioproducts, comprising:

at least an upper and a lower light-transmitting member each having a plurality of openings, wherein said upper and said lower light-transmitting members are spaced apart from one another and at least one of said upper and said lower light-transmitting members includes at least one light connection terminal for coupling in light from a light source and transmitting said light laterally, and

a plurality of photobioreactor conduits each extending from respective openings in said upper and said lower light-transmitting member and defining an algae containment interior space, wherein said plurality of photobioreactor conduits contact said upper and a lower light-transmitting members along areas of contact,

wherein said light transmitted laterally by said upper and said lower light-transmitting members couples into said plurality of photobioreactor conduits along said areas of contact.

2. The photo-bioreactor module of claim 1, further comprising at least one solid support extending from between respective ones of said plurality of openings in said upper and a lower light-transmitting member for structural reinforcement.

3. The photo-bioreactor module of claim 1, wherein said plurality of photobioreactor conduits share sidewalls.

4. The photo-bioreactor module of claim 3, wherein said photo-bioreactor module is a one piece (unitary) structure.

5. The photo-bioreactor module of claim 1, wherein said plurality of photobioreactor conduits each have their own sidewalls, wherein adjacent surfaces of said sidewalls are in physical contact.

6. The photo-bioreactor module of claim 1, wherein said light connection terminal is configured for receiving a light transmission cable.

7. The photo-bioreactor module of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a gas sensor, a fluid sensor, a temperature sensor and a light sensor in at least one of said photobioreactor conduits.

8. The photo-bioreactor module of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional light-transmitting member interposed between said an upper and said lower light-transmitting member.

9. The photo-bioreactor module of claim 1, wherein said lower and said upper light-transmitting member and said plurality of photobioreactor conduits both comprise polycarbonate.

10. A vertically stacked modular apparatus for algae production and harvesting, comprising:

a plurality of photo-bioreactor modules stacked on top of each other for producing algal bioproducts, said photo-bioreactor modules each comprising;

at least an upper and a lower light-transmitting member each having a plurality of openings, wherein said upper and said lower light-transmitting members are spaced apart from one another and at least one of said upper and said lower light-transmitting members includes at least one light connection terminal for coupling in light from a light source and transmitting said light laterally, and

a plurality of photobioreactor conduits each extending from respective openings in said upper and said lower light-transmitting member and defining an algae containment interior space, wherein said plurality of photobioreactor conduits contact said upper and a lower light-transmitting members along areas of contact,

wherein said light transmitted laterally by said upper and said lower light-transmitting members couples into said plurality of photobioreactor conduits along said areas of contact, and

a gasket comprising a plurality of conduit openings interposed between adjacent ones of said plurality of photo-bioreactor modules for providing a fluid-tight seal for module-to module fluid communication between respective ones of said plurality of photobioreactor conduits that are stacked on top of one another.

11. The vertically stacked modular apparatus of claim 10, wherein said plurality of photo-bioreactor modules further comprise threaded receptacles disposed on corners on one side said plurality of said photo-bioreactor modules and threaded module feet on corners of the other side of said plurality of photo-bioreactor modules, and wherein said threaded module feet from an upper one of said plurality of photo-bioreactor modules is threadably inserted into said threaded receptacles of a lower one of said plurality of photo-bioreactor modules.

12. The vertically stacked modular apparatus of claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of photo-bioreactor modules further comprise at least one solid support extending from between respective openings in said upper and a lower light-transmitting member for structural reinforcement.

13. The vertically stacked modular apparatus of claim 10, wherein said plurality of photobioreactor conduits in each of said plurality of photo-bioreactor modules share sidewalls.

14. The vertically stacked modular apparatus of claim 13, wherein said plurality of photo-bioreactor modules are each one piece (unitary) structures.

15. The vertically stacked modular apparatus of claim 10, wherein said plurality of photobioreactor conduits in each of said plurality of photo-bioreactor modules each have their own sidewalls, wherein adjacent surfaces of said sidewalls are in physical contact.

16. The vertically stacked modular apparatus of claim 10, wherein said light connection terminals in each of said plurality of photo-bioreactor modules are configured for receiving a light transmission cable.

17. The vertically stacked modular apparatus of claim 10, further comprising fiber optic light transmission cables coupled to said light connection terminals for transmitting said light from said light source into each of said upper and said lower light-transmitting members.

18. The vertically stacked modular apparatus of claim 10, further comprising at least one additional light-transmitting member interposed between said upper and said lower light-transmitting member.

19. A method for producing algal bioproducts, comprising:

providing algae in at least one bioreactor module comprising a plurality of photobioreactor conduits that each define an algae containment interior space each extending from respective openings in an upper and a lower light-transmitting member, wherein said plurality of photobioreactor conduits contact said upper and said lower light-transmitting members along areas of contact,

laterally transmitting light that is received by said upper and said lower light-transmitting member to said plurality of photobioreactor conduits, and

coupling in said light along said areas of contact within said plurality of photobioreactor conduits to reach said algae.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said at least one bioreactor module comprises a plurality of photo-bioreactor modules stacked on top of each other.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said plurality of photo-bioreactor modules provide module-to-module fluid communication between respective ones of said plurality of photobioreactor conduits that are stacked on top of one another.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said coupling in comprises fiber optic coupling.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising controlling at least one of a gas concentration, a fluid flow, a temperature and a light level within said algae containment interior spaces.