Photobioreactors, Solar Energy Gathering Systems, And Thermal Control Methods
AssigneeJoule Unlimited Technologies, Inc.
InventorsFrederick M. Morgan, Stuart A. Jacobson, Johan van Walsem
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Abstract
The present invention provides photobioreactors, solar energy gathering systems, and methods for thermal control of a culture medium containing a prototrophic organism in a photobioreactor, that allow temperature control in a cost effective manner, reducing the energy required for temperature control of a culture medium containing phototrophic microorganisms in a photobioreactor.
Claims29
A photobioreactor comprising:
- (a) a reactor chamber for enclosing a phototrophic microorganism for the production of a fuel or carbon-based product and culture medium therefor;
- (b) a heat energy system;
- wherein at least part of the reactor chamber is transparent for light of a wavelength that is photosynthetically active in the phototrophic microorganism, and the reactor chamber and heat energy system are in controllable thermal contact;
- (c) thermal control layer, wherein the thermal control layer provides the controllable thermal contact;
- and wherein the thermal control layer comprises an enclosure for containing a fluid.
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15-45. (canceled)
A method for thermal control of a culture medium containing a phototrophic organism for the production of a fuel or carbon-based product in a photobioreactor comprising:
- (a) measuring the temperature of the culture medium contained in a reactor chamber of the photobioreactor, the reactor chamber being positioned substantially horizontally to provide a headspace above the liquid culture;
- wherein at least part of the reactor chamber is transparent for light of a wavelength that is photosynthetically active in the phototrophic microorganism;
- (b) measuring the temperature of a heat exchange liquid contained in a heat exchange chamber, the heat exchange chamber and the reactor chamber being structurally coupled to a thermal control layer, the thermal control layer being positioned between the heat exchange chamber and the reactor chamber;
- wherein the thermal control layer is adapted to contain a fluid;
- (c) determining if a change in thermal contact between the reactor chamber and the heat exchange chamber is desired;
- and
- (d) changing fluid presence in the thermal control layer if a change in thermal contact is desired;
- wherein changing the fluid presence comprises inflating the thermal control layer with a gas, if reduced thermal contact between the heat exchange chamber and the reactor chamber and, therefore, reduced heat exchange between the culture medium and the heat exchange liquid is desired.
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51-81. (canceled)
A photobioreactor comprising:
- (a) a reactor chamber for enclosing a phototrophic microorganism for the production of a fuel or carbon-based product and culture medium therefor;
- and
- (b) a heat energy system;
- wherein at least part of the reactor chamber is transparent for light of a wavelength that is photosynthetically active in the phototrophic microorganism, and the reactor chamber and heat energy system are in controllable thermal contact;
- wherein the controllable thermal contact is provided by an inflatable thermal control layer.
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94-96. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.