Photobioreactor systems and methods for treating CO 2 -enriched gas and producing biomass

• US 8,507,264 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Algae Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Algae Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Lewnard, John J., Wu, Xiaoxi
• Primary Examiner(s): Beisner, William H
• Application Number:
  US13/312,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20120100603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 435/292.1, 435/293.1, 47/14
• US Class Current: 435/292.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/95 Specific microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/84 Biological processes
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/18 from the purification of gaseous effluents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/32 characterised by the animals or plants used, e.g. algae
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/02 Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/56 Floating elements
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 43/04 Bioreactors or fermenters combined with combustion devices or plants, e.g. for carbon dioxide removal C12M43/06 takes precedence; recovery of carbon dioxide C12F3/02
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/12 Unicellular algae; Culture media therefor as new plants A01H13/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/59 Biological synthesis; Biological purification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/20 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

Certain embodiments and aspects of the invention relate to a photobioreactor including covered photobioreactor units through which a liquid medium stream and a gas stream flow. The liquid medium comprises at least one species of phototrophic organism therein. Certain methods of using the photobioreactor system as part of fuel generation system and/or a gas-treatment process or system at least partially remove certain undesirable pollutants from a gas stream. In certain embodiments, a portion of the liquid medium is diverted from a photobioreactor unit and reintroduced upstream of the diversion position. In certain embodiments, the disclosed photobioreactor system, methods of using such systems, and/or gas treatment apparatus and methods provided herein can be used as part of an integrated combustion method and system, wherein photosynthetic organisms used within the photobioreactor are harvested from the photobioreactor, processed, and used as a fuel source for a combustion system like an electric power plant.

Claims

1. A photobioreactor system comprising:

a plurality of interconnectable photobioreactor sections which, when connected together, form at least one longitudinally-oriented photobioreactor unit of the photobioreactor system, the photobioreactor sections each comprising a liquid flow channel defined within a base and a light-transparent cover that forms a gas headspace between the cover and the liquid flow channel;

wherein

the cover is constructed and arranged to cover at least a substantial portion of the liquid flow channel and is configured to be separable from the base and capable of providing the gas headspace even when a gas pressure within the photobioreactor unit is less than the atmospheric pressure surrounding the photobioreactor section.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein a first subset of the plurality of interconnectable photobioreactor sections comprises a different functionality than a second subset of the plurality of interconnectable photobioreactor sections.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein the photobioreactor system comprises a plurality of photobioreactor units.

4. A system as in claim 3, wherein the plurality of photobioreactor units are arranged in parallel.

5. A system as in claim 4, wherein the plurality of photobioreactor units each include the same number of sections.

6. A system as in claim 1, wherein the liquid flow channel contain a liquid medium comprising phototrophic organisms.

7. A system as in claim 6, wherein the phototrophic organisms comprise algae.

8. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a gas inlet in fluid communication with the gas headspace, wherein the gas inlet is connected to a source of waste gas having an elevated concentration of CO₂.

9. A system as in claim 8, wherein the waste gas comprises a flue gas.

10. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a dewatering system in fluid communication with an output of the at least one longitudinally-oriented photobioreactor unit.

11. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a mister disposed within a photobioreactor section of the plurality of photobioreactor sections and configured to spray a liquid within the gas headspace.

12. A system as in claim 11, wherein the mister is configured to spray the liquid downwardly towards the liquid flow channel.

13. A system as in claim 1, wherein the cover is supported by ribs attached to the base.

14. A system as in claim 1 further comprising two pontoon floats that extend longitudinally along a length of the photobioreactor unit and configured to support the photobioreactor unit on a body of water.

15. A system as in claim 1 wherein the base comprises a gravel bed.