Photobioreactor System and Method For the Growth of Algae for Biofuels and Related Products

A photobioreactor comprising:

• An upper layer and a lower layer of transparent film wherein the upper layer and lower layer are attached to each other along the perimeter to form a sealed structure, the upper and lower layer also attached to form pathways comprising independent parallel channels;
• a first manifold and second manifold on opposite ends of the parallel channels within the sealed structure, wherein the first manifold is in fluid communication with an inlet of each of the channels and wherein the second manifold is in fluid communications with an outlet of each of the channels;
• plumbing apparatus comprising a degas vessel in fluid communication with the second manifold;
• and
• wherein the structure is substantially horizontal in operation.

A photobioreactor comprising:

• a plurality of scalable units, each scalable unit comprising:
• an upper layer of transparent film and a lower layer of film wherein the upper layer and lower layer are attached to each other along the perimeter to form a sealed structure, the upper layer and lower layer also attached to form pathways comprising independent channels within the confines of the outer perimeter;
• and a first manifold and second manifold on opposite ends of the parallel channels within the sealed structure wherein the first manifold is in fluid communication with each of an inlet of the channels and the second manifold is in fluid communication with each of an outlet of the channels;
• and wherein the scalable units are attached to form the photobioreactor;
• wherein the second manifold of one scalable unit is configured to be in fluid communications with the first manifold of another scalable unit;
• a degassing vessel in fluid communication with the photobioreactor unit such vessel exhibiting a diameter less than or equal to 12 feet in diameter;
• the photobioreactor having a total field length less than the degassing requirement of the algae and a total field area being restricted to by the degassing vessel size.

A method for the cost-effective production of algae for use in biofuel production using a bioreactor, comprising;

• Filling a photobioreactor having a plurality of parallel channels with an algae broth, the photobioreactor being positioned in a horizontal plane;
• Exposing the photobioreactor to light photons in the photosynthetically active wavelength region;
• Pumping the algae broth through the parallel channels at a flow rate.
• Operating a degas vessel which removes oxygen and algae and adds carbon dioxide to the photobioreactor.