Tube-in-tube bubble column photobioreactor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9790458-B2
Application number	US-201615138447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2016
Priority date	May 4, 2015
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for growing algae and/or other microorganisms in a controlled environment while reducing or minimizing the amount of energy required for maintaining desired conditions in the growth medium. The systems can be based on a photobioreactor having a “tube-in-tube structure”, where an outer cylindrical tube contains a heat regulation fluid that surrounds one or more inner cylinders that contain microorganisms in growth media. The heat regulation fluid in the outer cylinder, as well as the outer cylinder itself, can assist with regulating the temperature of the growth media in the inner cylinder(s).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for growing micro-organisms, comprising:
a) providing a first cylinder having a first volume containing a heat regulation fluid, a diameter of the first cylinder being 15 cm to about 120 cm, the first cylinder having a surface comprising a coating, the coated surface having an average transmittance for wavelengths between about 400 nm and about 700 nm of at least about 0.6 and an average transmittance for wavelengths between about 950 nm and about 1100 nm of about 0.5 or less;
b) providing a second cylinder having a second volume containing a growth media comprising micro-organisms, the second cylinder being contained within the first cylinder, a longest axis of the second cylinder being substantially parallel to a longest axis of the first cylinder, a diameter of the second cylinder being about 3 cm to about 25 cm, a ratio of a surface area of the first cylinder to a surface area of the second cylinder being at least 4;
c) exposing the cylinder to a light source comprising visible radiation and infrared radiation to grow the micro-organisms; and
d) maintaining an average temperature of the growth medium within the second cylinder of about 0° C. to about 60° C. during a pre-selected time period.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-selected time period is about 10 hours to about 100 hours.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the average transmittance for wavelengths between about 400 nm and about 700 nm is at least 0.7, and/or wherein the average transmittance for wavelengths between about 950 nm and about 1100 nm is 0.4 or less.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the diameter of the First cylinder to the diameter of the second cylinder is at least 2.0.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the average temperature of the growth medium in the second cylinder during the pre-selected time period is maintained using passive temperature regulation.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein maintaining the average temperature of the growth medium in the second cylinder during the pre-selected time period using passive temperature regulation comprises maintaining the average temperature without circulation of the heat regulation medium based on an illumination schedule associated with the light source.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the growth medium in the second cylinder is exposed to the light source while the second cylinder is oriented in a substantially vertical direction.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a second cylinder temperature tolerance relative to the average temperature of the growth medium in the second cylinder during the pre-selected time period is 5° C. or less.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein an outer cylinder temperature tolerance relative to an average temperature of the heat regulation fluid in the first cylinder during the pre-selected time period is 5 or less.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises providing a plurality of second cylinders having a plurality of second volumes containing a growth medium comprising micro-organisms.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein a ratio of the diameter of the first cylinder to a combined effective diameter of the plurality of second cylinders is at least 2.0, and/or wherein a ratio of the diameter of the first cylinder to a diameter of each of the plurality of second cylinders is at least 2.0.

Assignees

• Exxonmobil Res & Eng Co

Inventors

• Podsiadlo Paul

Classifications

• C12M23/22

  Transparent or translucent parts (glassware for laboratory use B01L3/00) · CPC title

• C12M23/06

  Tubular (C12M23/08, C12M23/16 take precedence) · CPC title

• A01G7/02

  Treatment of plants with carbon dioxide · CPC title

• C12M23/20

  Material Coatings (immunocoatings C12M25/00) · CPC title

• C12M25/00

  Means for supporting, enclosing or fixing the microorganisms, e.g. immunocoatings · CPC title