Photosynthetic bioreactor for the conversion of electricity and fertilizer into biomass
AssigneeForeLight, Inc.
InventorsAdam Flynn, Julie Moffitt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A photobioreactor for cultivation and/or propagation of a photosynthetic organism and associated systems/methods are disclosed herewith. The photobioreactor includes (1) a substantially spherical vessel having a wall defining an interior vessel volume; (2) a water-submersible system for converting electrical energy into electromagnetic radiation; (3) a temperature management system for circulating heat dispersal fluid into and out of the water-submersible system; and (4) a photobioreactor control system comprising a processor and a controller.
Claims25
A photobioreactor for cultivation and/or propagation of a photosynthetic organism comprising:
- a. a substantially spherical vessel having a wall defining an interior vessel volume and configured to hold a working fluid including biomass;
- b. a water-submersible system for converting electrical energy into electromagnetic radiation, wherein the water-submersible system comprises a spherical or substantially spherical inner vessel having an inner wall defining an inner space;
- c. a temperature management system comprising one or more conduits and a first sensor at the inner wall within the inner space of the water-submersible system, the temperature management system being configured to circulate fluid into and out of the water-submersible system via the one or more conduits to provide forced cooling of the water-submersible system based at least in part on a first signal provided from the first sensor;
- d. a light source positioned to emit light toward the interior vessel volume;
- e. a second sensor within the wall defining the interior vessel volume and positioned to receive the emitted light from the light source, the second sensor being configured to generate a second signal corresponding to the received light and indicative of a status of growth of the biomass within the vessel;
- and
- f. a photobioreactor control system comprising a processor and a controller, the photobioreactor control system being operably coupled to the second sensor and the light source such that the photobioreactor control system is configured to adjust the light emitted via the light source based at least in part on the second signal.
A photobioreactor, comprising:
- a vessel having a wall defining an interior vessel volume and configured to contain a working fluid including biomass;
- a water-submersible system disposed within the interior vessel volume and having an inner wall defining an interior region;
- a temperature management system comprising one or more conduits fluidly coupled to the water-submersible system and a water-submersible first sensor at the inner wall of the water-submersible system within the interior vessel volume, wherein the temperature management system is configured to provide fluid to and/or from the water-submersible system based at least in part on a first signal provided from the water-submersible first sensor;
- a light source positioned to emit light toward the interior vessel volume;
- a power supply operably coupled to the light source;
- a second sensor positioned to receive the emitted light from the light source, the second sensor being configured to generate a second signal corresponding to the received light and indicative of a status of the biomass within the vessel;
- and
- a photobioreactor control system comprising a processor and a controller, wherein the control system is operably coupled to the second sensor and the light source such that the control system is configured to adjust the light emitted via the light source based at least in part on the second signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.