MICROALGAE PRODUCTION PROCESS AND EQUIPMENT

摘要

Microalgae cultivation equipment for the cultivation of microalgae is provided in which a raceway is modified so as to contain multiple generally upright photobioreactor columns spaced apart along its length so as to increase the total surface area of liquid growth medium directly exposed to light and to improve the transfer of CO2 from the gas-phase to the liquid-phase by providing adequate height inside the vertical photobioreactor columns. The lowermost ends of the photobioreactor columns are immersed inside the liquid growth medium in the raceway component and are fed with liquid growth medium by a circulation promoting facility circulating the liquid growth medium from the raceway through the photobioreactor columns to become discharged back into the raceway. Gas inlets provide CO2 containing gas bubbles passing upwards in each of the photobioreactor columns. One or more paddle wheels or jet pumps induce a flow of liquid growth medium within the raceway.