Photo-bioreactor for mass production of photosynthetic organisms
First Claim
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1. A photo-bioreactor system for producing biomass comprisinga triangular prism-shaped growth chamber comprising:
- a plurality of elongated transparent panels arranged edgewise,wherein at least two angled sides of the elongated transparent pan intersect at an apex;
a flat bottom; and
two end panels affixed to the plurality of elongated transparent panels to enclose the triangular prism-shaped growth chamber,wherein the triangular prism-shaped growth chamber forms a continuous enclosed space;
a harvest manifold movable along the flat bottom of the triangular prism-shaped growth chamber,wherein the harvest manifold comprises a plurality of hollow fingers,wherein a vacuum from a vacuum pump is drawn through the hollow fingers; and
wherein the vacuum draws the biomass into the harvest manifold.
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Abstract
The apparatus herein relates to the large-scale production of photosynthetic microorganisms, especially algae. More particularly it relates to control of large size aqueous photosynthetic bioreactor systems to obtain such products from many microbial strains, which have heretofore only been cultured in laboratory environments in small containers.
5 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A photo-bioreactor system for producing biomass comprising
a triangular prism-shaped growth chamber comprising: -
a plurality of elongated transparent panels arranged edgewise, wherein at least two angled sides of the elongated transparent pan intersect at an apex; a flat bottom; and two end panels affixed to the plurality of elongated transparent panels to enclose the triangular prism-shaped growth chamber, wherein the triangular prism-shaped growth chamber forms a continuous enclosed space; a harvest manifold movable along the flat bottom of the triangular prism-shaped growth chamber, wherein the harvest manifold comprises a plurality of hollow fingers, wherein a vacuum from a vacuum pump is drawn through the hollow fingers; and wherein the vacuum draws the biomass into the harvest manifold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A photo-bioreactor system for producing biomass comprising
a triangular prism-shaped growth chamber comprising: -
a plurality of elongated transparent panels arranged edgewise, wherein at least two angled sides of the elongated transparent panels intersect an apex; a flat bottom; and two end panels affixed to the plurality of elongated transparent panels to enclose the triangular prism-shaped/prism shaped growth chamber, wherein the triangular prism-shaped growth chamber forms a continuous enclosed space; a harvest manifold movable along the flat bottom of the triangular prism-shaped growth chamber, wherein the harvest manifold comprises a plurality of hollow fingers, wherein a vacuum from a vacuum pump is drawn through the hollow fingers; and an air sparger extending along an intersection of one of the two angled sides and the flat bottom. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A photo-bioreactor system for producing biomass comprising
a triangular prism-shaped growth chamber comprising: -
a plurality of elongated transparent panels arranged edgewise, wherein at least two angled sides of the elongated transparent panels intersect at an apex; a flat bottom; and two end panels affixed to the plurality of elongated transparent panels to enclose the triangular prism-shaped growth chamber, wherein the triangular prism-shaped growth chamber forms a continuous enclosed space; at least one guide wire extending between the two end panels; a harvest manifold engaged to the guide wire and movable along the flat bottom of the triangular prism-shaped growth chamber, wherein the harvest manifold comprises a plurality of hollow fingers, wherein a vacuum from a vacuum pump is drawn through the hollow fingers; wherein the vacuum draws the biomass into the harvest manifold; and an air sparger extending along an intersection of one of the two angled sides and the flat bottom. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification