Apparatus and method for harvesting and dewatering of microalgae biomass

摘要

An apparatus and method for separating, harvesting and primary dewatering microalgae biomass from a microalgae solution by destabilization thereof with addition of kinetic energy thereto is disclosed. The method to overcome the energetic barrier preventing a fluid-solid separation comprises injecting the microalgae solution in an electrolytic system comprising an electrocoagulation reactor generally comprising an anode module and a cathode module, the anodes and the cathode(s) being adapted to be electrically connected to perform electrolysis, thus separating, harvesting and primary dewatering microalgae biomass. Such process is generally achieved by providing a DC electric current, between the anodes and the cathode(s), to perform the separation of the biomass in the solution, in preparation the following process steps of for liquid/solid separation and primary dewatering.

主权项

1. A method for separating, harvesting and primary dewatering microalgae biomass from a microalgae solution, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a vertical electrolysis reactor, said reactor comprising:
a vertical tubular housing having a bottom and a top, and defining an electrocoagulation chamber extending from the top of the housing and a flow dispersion chamber located below the electrocoagulation chamber;an inlet adjacent to the bottom of the housing for injecting into the flow dispersion chamber a microalgae solution to be treated; andan outlet adjacent to the top of the housing and connected to the electrocoagulation chamber for extracting the solution from the reactor;wherein the electrocoagulation chamber comprises at least one anode and at least one cathode electrically connected together to perform electrolysis of the microalgae solution inside the electrocoagulation chamber; andwherein the at least one anode and the at least one cathode are substantially concentric one about the other and substantially parallel to a flow of the microalgae solution; (b) pumping the microalgae solution into the reactor via the inlet to create a flow of the solution from the bottom to the top of the reactor where the solution exits the reactor via the outlet; (c) varying a rate of the flow rate when said microalgae solution is injected into the electrolysis reactor so as to create turbulences in the microalgae solution inside the electrolysis reactor; (d) routing the turbulently injected microalgae solution in the electrolysis reactor from the bottom of the electrolysis reactor to the top thereof; (e) applying an electric current between the at least one anode and the at least one cathode while the microalgae solution flows through the electrocoagulation chamber for aggregating microalgae components of the solution to form flocs in the microalgae solution; (f) re-injecting the solution that exits the reactor via the outlet at the top of the reactor into the same reactor via the inlet at the bottom of the reactor; and (g) repeating steps (c) to (f) for multiple passes through the reactor until treatment is completed.