Hollow optical waveguide with openings, particularly for supplying a photobioreactor with light and nutrients
First Claim
1. A photobioreactor comprising:
- a container for accommodating organisms in a solution;
at least one optical waveguide having a transparent material and being configured to guide light, the at least one optical waveguide extending into the container and configured to supply the organisms in the container with light, wherein a hollow core is formed by the transparent material to supply the organisms in the container with nutrients, wherein the nutrients transferred in the hollow core exit the at least one optical waveguide outwards and into the solution surrounding the at least one optical waveguide in the container;
a light source, coupled to the at least one of the optical waveguides in such a manner that light from the light source is coupled into the transparent material of the optical waveguide and can be transferred via the optical waveguide into a solution, to which solution organisms have been added, anda nutrient source, which is connected to at least one of the optical waveguides in such a manner that nutrients from the nutrient source are introduced into the hollow core of the optical waveguide and can be transferred via the same into the solution, to which solution organisms have been added.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An elongated hollow optical waveguide (1) is described, as can be used in particular in a photobioreactor for supplying phototrophic organisms both with light and with nutrients. The optical waveguide (1) has a casing (3) made from transparent plastic, which surrounds a hollow core (5). The hollow core has a diameter of at least 1 mm, preferably at least 3 mm or at least 1 cm. A plurality of openings (7) with a diameter of at least 0.5 mm, preferably at least 1 mm, is constructed in the casing (3). Light can propagate through the transparent casing and preferably exit laterally (19) along the entire optical waveguide (1). Nutrients (15) can be conveyed through the hollow core (5) into the interior of the photobioreactor. Conversely, portions of the solution, to which organisms have been added, can also be sucked through the hollow core (5), for example in order to analyze the same.
35 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A photobioreactor comprising:
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a container for accommodating organisms in a solution; at least one optical waveguide having a transparent material and being configured to guide light, the at least one optical waveguide extending into the container and configured to supply the organisms in the container with light, wherein a hollow core is formed by the transparent material to supply the organisms in the container with nutrients, wherein the nutrients transferred in the hollow core exit the at least one optical waveguide outwards and into the solution surrounding the at least one optical waveguide in the container; a light source, coupled to the at least one of the optical waveguides in such a manner that light from the light source is coupled into the transparent material of the optical waveguide and can be transferred via the optical waveguide into a solution, to which solution organisms have been added, and a nutrient source, which is connected to at least one of the optical waveguides in such a manner that nutrients from the nutrient source are introduced into the hollow core of the optical waveguide and can be transferred via the same into the solution, to which solution organisms have been added. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for operating a photobioreactor comprising a container for accommodating organisms in a solution, and further comprising at least one optical waveguide having a transparent material and being configured to guide light, the at least one optical waveguide extending into the container and configured to supply the organisms in the container with light, wherein a hollow core is formed by the transparent material to supply the organisms in the container with nutrients, wherein the nutrients transferred in the hollow core exit the at least one optical waveguide outwards and into the solution surrounding the at least one optical waveguide in the container, the method comprising the steps of:
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introducing light via the at least one optical waveguide into the solution, to which solution organisms have been added, and introducing nutrients via the hollow core of the at least one optical waveguide into the solution, to which solution organisms have been added. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A photobioreactor comprising:
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a container for accommodating organisms in a solution; an optical waveguide having a transparent material, wherein a hollow core is formed by the transparent material; and a nutrient source connected to the optical waveguide such that nutrients from the nutrient source are introduced into the hollow core of the optical waveguide and can be transferred via the optical waveguide into the solution; the optical waveguide extending into the container and configured to guide light and to supply the organisms in the container with light, wherein the hollow core is formed to supply the organisms in the container with nutrients, wherein the nutrients transferred in the hollow core exit the optical waveguide outwards and into the solution surrounding the optical waveguide in the container.
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Specification