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Method, apparatus and system for biodiesel production from algae

A device and algae technology, applied in biochemical equipment and methods, biological material sampling methods, botanical equipment and methods, etc., can solve problems such as low oil prices, difficult competition, and limited commercialization potential of algae cultivation

Inactive Publication Date: 2009-01-07
SOLIX BIOSYSTEMS INC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, three fundamental issues limit the commercial potential of algae farming
[0003] The three problems mentioned are: [1] The low oil price in 1996 made it difficult to compete with it
[2] Difficult to protect the oil-rich algae from consumption and replacement by submerged organisms when grown in open-environment ponds
[3] Algae produce oil best in a narrow temperature band, while nighttime sky radiation and low and high temperature days and excess solar IR radiation interfered with NREL's pond experiments by drastically changing the culture temperature

Method used

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  • Method, apparatus and system for biodiesel production from algae
  • Method, apparatus and system for biodiesel production from algae
  • Method, apparatus and system for biodiesel production from algae

Examples

Experimental program
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Effect test

Embodiment 1

Example 1. Bioreactor system

[0068] figure 1 A schematic of an exemplary system is depicted. Elements of this exemplary system include bioreaction technology, harvesting technology, sterilization technology, CO 2 Injection technology, extraction technology, remote-driven bioreactor technology. Such as figure 1 As described, algae farming operations can obtain nutrients from animal feeding operations, such as swine manure. After treatment and sterilization, such organic nutrients can be preserved and / or added to the culture medium to support algae growth. As photosynthetic algae "fix" CO 2 to convert to organic carbon compounds, CO 2 Sources such as power plant exhaust can be utilized to convert dissolved CO 2 added to the medium. CO 2 And nutrients can be utilized by algae to make oil and other biological products. The algae are harvested and oils, proteins, greases, sugars and other components can be extracted. Organic components not used in biodiesel manufactur...

Embodiment 2

Embodiment 2. bioreactor cultivation

[0070]Certain exemplary embodiments are depicted in Figure 2, which shows an aerial view of a closed bioreactor system for algae cultivation. In this exemplary depiction, algae crops are grown in substantially horizontal clear plastic tubes lying flat on the ground through which sufficient growth medium flows to keep the algae in suspension. (Basic level means that the slope of the ground surface under a single bioreactor is within approximately 1 inch of horizontal, so effects such as mixing, water flow, and plastic pipe pressure are generally constant throughout the pipe. However, skilled artisans will recognize In other embodiments, a terraced approach can also be employed to achieve large arrays of independent bioreactors, where fluid is pumped from lower to upper parts of the overall system). In a preferred embodiment, the pipe is thin walled for economy and is constrained by the side walls to spread over the ground until it is fille...

Embodiment 3

Example 3. Closed system bioreactor setup

[0072] Figures 3A-D show a non-limiting example of a closed system bioreactor setup. The aqueous culture medium is contained in a substantially transparent tube (bag), discussed in more detail below. The liquid contents of the bag are circulated by movable rollers that roll across the face of the bag pushing the liquid in front of it. In this non-limiting example, the rollers travel along a roller support track and are pulled by cables connected to a carriage that rolls on top of the track. The roller drive system depicted in Figure 25 provides the driving force for the movement of the rollers. In an alternative embodiment not shown here, when the rollers reach the end of the bag, they may rotate or lift upwards, following a continuous elliptical path back to the starting point. However, in the preferred embodiment shown, two-way rollers are employed which travel from one end of the bag to the other and then reverse back to the sta...

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Abstract

The present disclosure concerns methods, apparatus, compositions and systems relating to closed bioreactors for algal culture and harvesting. In certain embodiments, the system may comprise bags with various layers, including a thermal barrier layer, that may be used to contain the algal culture and / or to thermally regulate the temperature of the algal culture. The system may comprise various mechanisms for moving fluid within the sytem, such as a roller type mechanism, and may provide temperature regulation by compartmentalization of the fluid to regulate absorption of solar radiation and / or conductive or emissive heat loss and gain. Various mechanisms may be used to harvest and process the algae and / or to convert algal oil into biodiesel and other products.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to methods, compositions, devices and systems for growing and harvesting algae and / or other aquatic organisms. Certain embodiments relate to methods, combinations, devices and systems for producing useful products such as biofuels (eg, biodiesel, methanol, ethanol), biopolymers, chemical precursors, and / or animal or human food from algae. Other embodiments relate to utilizing such systems to remove carbon dioxide from sources such as power plant emissions. Background technique [0002] In 1996, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado was forced to abandon its 10-year, $25 million aquatic species project, which focused on Biodiesel is extracted from productive algae species vulgaris. Before losing project funding, government scientists had demonstrated oil production rates 200 times higher per acre than could be achieved from soybean plantations for fuel production. However, three fundamental ...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): C12M1/00C12N3/00A01H13/00A01G7/00C12P7/649
CPCC12M33/10C12M33/18Y02E50/13Y02E50/343C12M21/12C12M21/02C12M23/20C12M43/02C10G2300/1011C12M29/22C12M43/04C12M23/06C12P1/00C12P5/00C12M41/24C12N1/12C12P7/649C12M23/26C12M37/00Y02P30/20Y02E50/10Y02E50/30
Inventor J·T·西尔斯
Owner SOLIX BIOSYSTEMS INC
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