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US 11,767,501 B2Granted
Biological and algae harvesting and cultivation systems and methods
AssigneeGlobal Algae Technology, LLC
InventorsDavid A. Hazlebeck, William Rickman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Algae harvesting and cultivating systems and methods for producing high concentrations of algae product with minimal energy. In an embodiment, a dead-end filtration system and method includes at least one tank and a plurality hollow fiber membranes positioned in the at least one tank. An algae medium is pulled through the hollow fiber membranes such that a retentate and a permeate are produced.
Claims30
An algae harvesting system comprising:
- at least one treatment tank;
- at least one membrane filtration module positioned inside the at least one treatment tank, the at least one membrane filtration module including a plurality of hollow fiber membranes defining lumens;
- a permeate outlet in fluid connection with an inside of the lumens;
- a permeate suction source and a backwash pressure source in fluid connection with the permeate outlet;
- a permeate valve that can isolate the permeate suction source from the permeate outlet;
- a backwash valve that can isolate the backwash pressure source from the permeate outlet;
- a retentate of algae slurry in the at least one treatment tank on an outside of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
- the permeate suction source comprising:
- a siphon tank containing permeate at a level that is lower in elevation than a level of retentate in the at least one treatment tank;
- a siphon conduit in fluid connection with the permeate valve and the siphon tank that has at least one siphon high elevation point between the permeate outlet and the permeate valve to collect gases that come out of the permeate liquid;
- a purge conduit in fluid connection with the at least one siphon high elevation point and a purge discharge tank;
- and
- a purge valve configured to isolate the at least one siphon high elevation point from the purge discharge tank;
- wherein the system is configured to:
- (a) perform filtration of an algae slurry contained in the at least one treatment tank by pulling a substantially algae-free permeate through pores of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes to produce a retentate of the algae slurry outside the lumens of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and
- (b) perform a backwash sequence in which a backwash fluid flows inside the lumens of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes and is pushed through the pores of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and during at least a portion of the backwash sequence, the backwash pressure source is used to push gas accumulated at the siphon high elevation point through the purge conduit to the purge discharge tank.
13 more elements
An algae harvesting system comprising:
- at least one treatment tank;
- at least one membrane filtration module positioned inside the at least one treatment tank, the at least one membrane filtration module including a plurality of hollow fiber membranes defining lumens;
- a permeate outlet in fluid connection with an inside of the lumens;
- a permeate suction source and a backwash pressure source in fluid connection with the permeate outlet;
- a permeate valve that can isolate the permeate suction source from the permeate outlet;
- a backwash valve that can isolate the backwash pressure source from the permeate outlet;
- and
- a controller,
- wherein the permeate suction source comprises a permeate pump having an inlet in fluid connection with the permeate valve,
- wherein the controller is configured to control the system so that the permeate pump maintains suction pressure when the permeate valve is closed, and
- wherein the system is configured to:
- (a) perform filtration of an algae slurry contained in the at least one treatment tank by pulling a substantially algae-free permeate through pores of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes and a retentate of algae slurry is produced outside the lumens of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and
- (b) perform a backwash sequence in which a backwash fluid flows inside the lumens of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes and is pushed through the pores of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and the suction pressure on the permeate valve is maintained during the backwash sequence.
10 more elements
An algae harvesting system comprising:
- at least one treatment tank;
- at least one membrane filtration module positioned inside the at least one treatment tank, the at least one membrane filtration module including a plurality of hollow fiber membranes defining lumens;
- a permeate outlet in fluid connection with an inside of the lumens;
- a permeate suction source and a backwash pressure source in fluid connection with the permeate outlet;
- a permeate valve that can isolate the permeate suction source from the permeate outlet;
- a backwash valve that can isolate the backwash pressure source from the permeate outlet;
- and
- a controller,
- wherein the backwash pressure source comprises a backwash pump having an inlet in fluid connection with the backwash valve,
- wherein the controller is configured to control the system so that the backwash pump generates backwash pressure while the backwash valve is closed, and
- wherein the system is configured to:
- (a) perform filtration of an algae slurry contained in the at least one treatment tank by pulling a substantially algae-free permeate through pores of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes and a retentate of algae slurry is produced outside the lumens of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and
- (b) perform a backwash sequence in which a backwash fluid flows inside the lumens of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes and is pushed through the pores of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and a suction pressure on the permeate valve is maintained during the backwash sequence.
10 more elements
An algae harvesting system comprising:
- at least one treatment tank;
- at least one membrane filtration module positioned inside the at least one treatment tank, the at least one membrane filtration module including a plurality of hollow fiber membranes defining lumens;
- a permeate outlet in fluid connection with an inside of the lumens;
- a permeate suction source and a backwash pressure source in fluid connection with the permeate outlet;
- a permeate valve that can isolate the permeate suction source from the permeate outlet;
- a backwash valve that can isolate the backwash pressure source from the permeate outlet, wherein the backwash pressure source is a bladder tank having an inlet in fluid connection with the backwash valve;
- a permeate tank;
- a backwash pump with a backwash pump outlet in fluid connection with the bladder tank and a backwash pump inlet in fluid connection with the permeate tank;
- and
- a controller,
- wherein the controller is configured to control the system so that the bladder tank maintains backwash pressure while the backwash valve is closed, and
- wherein the system is configured to:
- (a) perform filtration of an algae slurry contained in the at least one treatment tank by pulling a substantially algae-free permeate through pores of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes and a retentate of algae slurry is produced outside the lumens of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and
- (b) perform a backwash sequence in which a backwash fluid flows inside the lumens of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes and is pushed through the pores of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and suction pressure on the permeate valve is maintained during the backwash sequence.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.