Back to results
US 10,865,371 B2Granted
Large scale mixotrophic production systems
AssigneeHeliae Development, LLC
InventorsEneko Ganuza Taberna, Thomas Adame, Anna Lee Tonkovich, Adriano Galvez, Timothy Sullivan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Bioreactor systems for culturing mixotrophic microorganisms in open cultures on a large scale are disclosed herein. Embodiments of the system comprise organic carbon delivery systems and submersible thrusters suspended on adjustable support structures.
Claims17
A mixotrophic bioreactor system, comprising:
- a. An open raceway pond comprising:
- i. An inner volume;
- ii. Two straight away portions separated by a center wall and bounded by straight outer walls and a floor;
- and
- iii. Two U-bend portions connecting the two straight away portions to form a continuous looped flow path, and bounded by a curved outer wall and a floor;
- iv. Wherein the inner volume has a consistent depth along the entire looped flow path;
- b. At least one submersible thruster disposed within the inner volume a distance from the floor, wherein the at least one thruster is positioned at a U-bend exit and configured to maximize thrust in a straight line flow of an aqueous liquid culture through the straight away portions and add momentum to the aqueous liquid culture along the looped flow path as it exits the U-bend portions of the looped flow path where some velocity of the aqueous liquid culture may be lost due to change in flow direction;
- c. At least one support structure coupled to at least one of the center wall and an outer wall, the support structure suspending the at least one submersible thruster from above at a position within the inner volume of the open raceway pond, wherein the at least one support structure is configured to allow adjustment of the position of the at least one submersible thruster vertically, horizontally, or both;
- and comprising a distance from the floor to the at least one submersible thruster of 10-50% of a height of an aqueous liquid culture volume in the inner volume of the open raceway pond;
- and
- d. At least one organic carbon delivery device comprising a pH auxostat system with an outlet positioned to deliver an organic carbon source to the inner volume of the open raceway pond.
8 more elements
A mixotrophic bioreactor system, comprising:
- a. An open raceway pond comprising:
- i. A floor;
- ii. Two straight away portions separated by a center wall and bounded by straight outer walls and the floor;
- and
- iii. Two U-bend portions connecting the two straight away portions to form a continuous looped flow path, and bounded by a curved outer wall and the floor;
- iv. Wherein the floor is flat to create an inner volume that has a consistent depth along the entire looped flow path;
- b. At least one submersible thruster disposed within the inner volume a distance from the floor, wherein the at least one thruster is positioned at a U-bend exit and configured to maximize thrust in a straight line flow of an aqueous liquid culture through the straight away portions and add momentum to the aqueous liquid culture along the looped flow path as it exits the U-bend portions of the looped flow path where some velocity of the aqueous liquid culture may be lost due to change in flow direction;
- c. At least one support structure coupled to at least one of the center wall and an outer wall, the support structure suspending the at least one submersible thruster from above at a position within the inner volume of the open raceway pond wherein the at least one support structure is configured to allow adjustment of the position of the at least one submersible thruster vertically, horizontally, or both;
- and comprising a distance from the floor to the at least one submersible thruster of 10-50% of a height of an aqueous liquid culture volume in the inner volume of the open raceway pond;
- and
- d. At least one organic carbon delivery device comprising a pH auxostat system with an outlet positioned to deliver an organic carbon source to the inner volume of the open raceway pond.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.