Algae high density bioreactor

• US 8,713,850 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2009
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seebo H. Freeman
• Original Assignee: Seebo H. Freeman
• Inventors: Seebo, H. Freeman
• Primary Examiner(s): Parsley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): CLERKLEY, DANIELLE A
• Application Number:
  US12/650,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20100162621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 47/14, 435/291.4, 435/294.1, 435/297.5, 435/292.1
• 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 23/04 Flat or tray type, drawers C12M23/10, C12M23/12, C12M23/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/24 Gas permeable parts
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 31/10 by light emitting elements located inside the reactor, e.g. LED or OLED

Abstract

The invention disclosed herein relates to an ultra high intensity micro algal bioreactor designed to minimize the area foot print while completely controlling and optimizing the conditions for growing one or more specific strains of micro algae at maximum efficiency and minimum cost. The innovative bioreactor is in the form of an algae growing assembly that comprises a plurality of growing trays vertically stacked together and retained within a transparent housing. Each growing tray is configured to flowingly transport nutrient enriched water to the growing tray positioned immediately beneath it. Each growing tray is composed of a stiff transparent plastic sheet having a pliable transparent gas permeable membrane affixed thereon. A carbon dioxide gas infusion system is fluidicly connected to each of the plurality of growing trays such that carbon dioxide gas is able to (1) inflate respective carbon dioxide gas chambers, and (2) diffuse into the nutrient enriched water.

Claims

1. An algae growing assembly for growing and cultivating algae, the algae growing assembly comprising:

a plurality of growing trays vertically stacked together and removably retained within a transparent housing, wherein each growing tray is configured to flowingly transport nutrient enriched water to one of the plurality of growing trays positioned immediately beneath it;

a plurality of lights positioned in between the plurality of growing trays and within the transparent housing;

a carbon dioxide gas infusion system for adding carbon dioxide gas to the nutrient enriched water contained within each of the plurality of growing trays;

characterized in that each of the plurality of growing trays is composed of a substantially planar rigid transparent plastic sheet having a substantially planar pliable transparent gas permeable membrane affixed on a top surface of the transparent plastic sheet, wherein the rigid transparent plastic sheet and the pliable transparent gas permeable membrane affixed thereon define, in the space between them, an inflatable carbon dioxide gas chamber that is configured to expand from essentially no volume to a substantially an expanded volume during gas inflation, and wherein the carbon dioxide gas infusion system is fluidicly connected to each of the plurality of growing trays such that carbon dioxide gas is able to (1) inflate substantially and expand the volume of the carbon dioxide gas chamber of each of the plurality of growing trays, and (2) diffuse into the nutrient enriched water contained within each of the plurality of growing trays;

wherein each of the plurality of growing trays further comprises a spillway at one end, and wherein the plurality of growing trays are vertically stacked together such that the spillway of one of the plurality of growing trays is positioned opposite from the spillway of the one of the plurality of growing trays positioned immediately beneath it, thereby enabling the transport of the nutrient enriched water across the inflatable carbon dioxide gas chambers of each of the plurality of growing trays in a zigzag manner within the transparent housing.

2. The algae growing assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of growing trays further comprises one or more glue lines positioned along at least the outer edges of the pliable transparent gas permeable membrane and between the rigid transparent plastic sheet and the pliable transparent gas permeable membrane.

3. The algae growing assembly of claim 2 wherein the one or more glue lines define a serpentine path within the inflatable carbon dioxide gas chamber.