Light transformation particle and photobioreactor

• US 8,709,795 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2010
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Lu, Wen-Chang, Han, Chung-Cheng, Lin, Yun-Huin, Lee, Hom-Ti
• Primary Examiner(s): Beisner, William H
• Application Number:
  US12/700,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20110111490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 435/257.1, 435/292.1, 47/14
• US Class Current: 435/292.1
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/02 Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 31/08 by conducting or reflecting elements located inside the reactor or in its structure
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 39/00 Means for cleaning the apparatus or avoiding unwanted deposits of microorganisms apparatus for cleaning laboratory receptacles or instruments B01L13/02; cleaning in general B08B

Abstract

A light transformation particle is provided. The light transformation particle of the invention includes a light-shifting layer containing at least one light-emitting material, wherein the light-emitting layer transforms ultraviolet light, yellow-green light, or infrared light to red-orange light or blue-violet light. The light transformation particle further includes a core layer and/or a shell layer. The present invention further provides a photobioreactor containing the light transformation particle of the invention.

Claims

1. A light transformation particle, comprising:

a light-shifting layer containing at least one light-emitting material; and

a core layer,

wherein the light-shifting layer is formed on the core layer, and the core layer comprises a montmorillonite clay, a quartz, a kaolin, a pyrophyllite, a diatomite, or combinations thereof.

2. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light transformation particle has a diameter of 0.3 to 10 mm.

3. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light-emitting material comprises a fluorescent material, a phosphorescent material, a wavelength conversion material, or a long afterglow material.

4. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 1, wherein an energy gap of the light-emitting material is less than 1.9 ev, or more than 3.1 ev.

5. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the montmorillonite clay comprises a pure montmorillonite clay, a sodium or calcium montmorillonite clay, an organic or inorganic intercalated montmorillonite clay, or a crosslinked montmorillonite clay.

6. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a shell layer coated on the light-shifting layer.

7. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the shell comprises a poly(methyl methacrylate), a metal oxide, a silicon dioxide, a titanium dioxide, a glass, or combinations thereof.

8. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the glass comprises a borosilicate glass, a phosphosilicate glass, or a alkali glass.

9. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the shell layer further comprises a compound for increasing the energy gap of the shell layer.

10. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the compound comprises a magnesium oxide, a magnesium sulfide, a zinc oxide, a strontium oxide or a aluminum oxide.

11. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the energy gap of the shell layer is larger than the energy gap of the light-shifting layer.

12. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light-emitting material layer transforms ultraviolet light, yellow-green light, or infrared light to red-orange light or blue-violet light.

13. A photobioreactor, comprising:

a fluid;

a photosynthetic organism;

a carbon source;

a light source, and

a plurality of light transformation particles as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid, photosynthetic organism, carbon source, and light transformation particles are placed in a reactor.

14. The photobioreactor as claimed in claim 13, wherein the photosynthetic organism is an alga.

15. The photobioreactor as claimed in claim 13, wherein the carbon source is carbon dioxide.

16. The photobioreactor as claimed in claim 13, wherein the light source is sunlight.

17. The photobioreactor as claimed in claim 13, wherein the light transformation particles are separated in the reactor.

18. A light transformation particle, comprising:

a core layer, wherein the core layer comprises a montmorillonite clay, quartz, kaolin, pyrophyllite, diatomite, or combinations thereof;

a light-shifting layer coated on the core layer, wherein the light-shifting layer contains at least one light-emitting material; and

a shell layer coated on the light-shifting layer.

19. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the light transformation particle has a diameter of 0.3 to 10 mm.

20. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the light-emitting material comprises a fluorescent material, a phosphorescent material, a wavelength conversion material, or a long afterglow material.

21. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 18, wherein an energy gap of the light-emitting material is less than 1.9 ev, or more than 3.1 ev.

22. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the montmorillonite clay comprises a pure montmorillonite clay, a sodium or calcium montmorillonite clay, an organic or inorganic intercalated montmorillonite clay, or a crosslinked montmorillonite clay.

23. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the shell layer further comprises a compound for increasing the energy gap of the shell layer.

24. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 23, wherein the compound comprises a magnesium oxide, a magnesium sulfide ,a zinc oxide, a strontium oxide or a aluminum oxide.

25. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 23, wherein the energy gap of the shell layer is larger than the energy gap of the light-shifting layer.

26. The light transformation particle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the light-emitting material layer transforms ultraviolet light, yellow-green light, or infrared light to red-orange light or blue-violet light.