Enhanced Photobioreactor System

摘要

A space efficient photo-bioreactor. The bioreactor grows microalgae in a tall array of transparent flooded tubes. A nutrient media is circulated through the tubes. The array is configured to maximize the amount of sunlight falling upon each tube so that growth of the microalgae is as uniform as possible. A vertically-oriented gasser tube is provided. Gas is injected into this gasser tube along with the liquid nutrient medium. A bubble-size limiter is employed in the gas injector. The flow rates are configured so that the liquid nutrient medium and injected gas remain within the vertical gasser tube for 30 seconds or more.

主权项

1. A method for growing biomass within a liquid nutrient medium, comprising:
a. providing a support frame, having a top and a bottom; b. providing a plurality of separate flow paths supported by said support frame, each of said separate flow paths including a plurality of connected transparent tubes; c. providing a liquid pump, having an intake side and a discharge side, said liquid pump being located proximate said bottom of said support frame; d. providing a gasser tube connected to said plurality of separate flow paths, said gasser tube being vertically oriented and having a lower portion and an upper portion; e. said liquid pump being configured to move said liquid nutrient medium through said separate flow paths and said gasser tube; f. providing a gas injector configured to inject a gas into said lower portion of said gasser tube, thereby creating a mixture of said liquid nutrient medium and said gas in said gasser tube; g. said gas injector including a bubble size limiter configured to limit an average size of a gas bubble introduced by said gas injector into said liquid nutrient medium to below 2 millimeters; h. operating said liquid pump at a rate configured to produce a flow rate of said liquid nutrient medium in said gasser tube between 0.1 meters per second and 0.5 meters per second; and i. said gasser tube being tall enough to produce a dwell time of said liquid nutrient medium in said gasser tube of at least 20 seconds.