# US 2013/0239461 A1 · Environmental photobioreactor array (epbra) system and methods related thereto > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0239461 A1 - Document ID: US20130239461A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/988,893 - Filed: 2011-11-22 - Published: 2013-09-19 - Earliest claimed: 2010-11-22 - Assignees: Board of Trustees of Michigan State University - Inventors: David Kramer; Robert Zegarac; Ben F. Lucker; Christopher Hall; Casey Abernathy; Joel Carpenter; Jeffrey Cruz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130239461A1 ## CPC - C12N 1/12: Unicellular algae; Culture media therefor (as new plants A01H13/00) - C12M 21/02: {Photobioreactors (culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12)} - C12M 23/44: {Multiple separable units; Modules} - C12M 23/58: {Reaction vessels connected in series or in parallel (combinations of bioreactors with other apparatus, C12M43/00)} - C12M 41/48: {Automatic or computerized control (automatic analysis G01N35/00)} - C12P 7/64: Fats; Fatty oils; Ester-type waxes; Higher fatty acids, i.e. having at least seven carbon atoms in an unbroken chain bound to a carboxyl group; Oxidised oils or fats - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) - C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS} - C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)} ## Abstract A system is described herein that comprises one or more modular environmental photobioreactor arrays, each array containing two or more photobioreactors, wherein the system is adapted to monitor each of the photobioreactors and/or modulate the conditions with each of the photobioreactors. The photobioreactors are also adapted for measurement of multiple physiological parameters of a biomass contained therein. Various methods for selecting and characterizing biomass are also provided. In one embodiment, the biomass is algae. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising one or more environmental photobioreactor arrays, each array containing two or more modular photobioreactors, wherein the system is adapted: to monitor and modulate conditions within two or more modular of the photobioreactors; and/or to measure one or more physiological parameters of a biomass contained within two or more modular of the photobioreactors. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises a photosynthetic organism or a photosynthetic cell. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises a Protista or prokaryotic species. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises algae, complex algae, aquatic macroalgae, seaweed, plant cells, aquatic plants or a combination thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises algae. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the conditions comprise temperature, pH, gas concentration, cell density, nutrient concentration, waste concentration, product concentration or a combination thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the physiological parameters of the biomass comprise photosynthetic productivity, biofuel production, biomass density, biomass growth rate, production of a selected product, waste production, absorption of one or more nutrient(s), absorption, processing of a test agent or a combination thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the modular photobioreactors comprises a first modular unit comprising an inner vessel for holding the biomass. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the modular photobioreactors comprises a second modular unit comprising a sleeve that comprises a temperature control unit and one or more sensors. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein at least of the modular photobioreactors comprise components is selected from the group consisting of a vessel for biomass, a biomass agitator, a light source, a temperature control unit, one or more sensors, a liquid entry portal, a gas entry portal, a sampling station and a combination thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a processor that transmits instructions to one or more components of the modular photobioreactors. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a processor that transmits instructions to one or more components of the modular photobioreactors after processing information received from one or more sensors in the modular photobioreactors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more of the sensors is a detector adapted to detect temperature, pH, gas concentration, cell density, nutrient concentration, waste concentration, product concentration or a combination thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the biomass agitator comprises a magnetic stirrer, sparger or a combination thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the vessel is adapted to be removable from a photobioreactor, filled with media, autoclaved and replaced within a photobioreactor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the photobioreactor comprises a vessel with media adapted for growth, maintenance or testing of the biomass. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the photobioreactor comprises a vessel with a light source adapted to illuminate a column of water within the vessel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the column is adapted to mimic sunlight penetration on a natural body of water. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted for testing environmental conditions to optimize growth or photosynthetic activity of a selected biomass. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted for testing a series of biomass species or biomass strains under selected environmental conditions. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the conditions comprise temperature, pH, gas concentration, cell density, nutrient concentration, waste concentration, product concentration or a combination thereof. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted for testing absorption and/or processing of a drug, toxin, nutrient or waste material by the biomass. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted for testing absorption and/or processing of a gaseous manufacturing byproduct by the biomass. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein the gaseous manufacturing byproduct is carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide or a combination thereof. ### Claim 25 A method comprising testing and/or characterizing a biomass using a system comprising one or more environmental photobioreactor arrays, each array containing two or more modular photobioreactors, wherein the system is adapted: to monitor and modulate conditions within two or more modular of the photobioreactors; and/or to measure one or more physiological parameter of a biomass contained within two or more modular of the photobioreactors; wherein the biomass is tested and/or characterized. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the conditions comprise temperature, pH, gas concentration, cell density, nutrient concentration, waste concentration, product concentration or a combination thereof. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the physiological parameter of the biomass comprises photosynthetic productivity, biofuel production, biomass density, biomass growth rate, production of a selected product, waste production, absorption of one or more nutrient(s), absorption, processing of a test agent or a combination thereof. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein the test agent is a toxin, carbon dioxide, a pharmaceutical or a combination thereof. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, further comprising selecting environmental conditions for optimized growth or photosynthetic activity of a selected biomass. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, further comprising selecting a biomass species or biomass strain for growth under a selected environmental condition. ### Claim 31 A method comprising assessing production of a product from a biomass in a system comprising one or more environmental photobioreactor arrays, each array containing two or more modular photobioreactors, wherein the system is adapted: to monitor and modulate conditions within two or more modular photobioreactors to optimize production of the product; and to measure production of the product under conditions within two or more modular photobioreactors to thereby assess production of the product from a biomass is assessed. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, further comprising extracting the product from a biomass. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein the product is an edible material, pharmaceutical, nutriceutical, protein, amino acid, fat, vitamin, oil, fiber, mineral, sugar, carbohydrate, alcohol or a combination thereof from the biomass. ### Claim 34 A biofuel comprising a biomass selected using a system comprising one or more environmental photobioreactor arrays, each array containing two or more modular photobioreactors, wherein the system is adapted: to monitor and modulate conditions within two or more modular of the photobioreactors; and/or to measure one or more physiological parameter of a biomass contained within two or more modular of the photobioreactors. ### Claim 35 A method of extracting a biofuel from a biomass comprising: obtaining an aqueous suspension of biomass from a system comprising one or more environmental photobioreactor arrays, each array containing two or more modular photobioreactors, wherein the system is adapted: to monitor and modulate conditions within two or more modular of the photobioreactors; and/or to measure one or more physiological parameters of a biomass contained within two or more modular of the photobioreactors; adding to the aqueous suspension of biomass at least one organic solvent immiscible or substantially immiscible with water to generate an organic-aqueous mixture; and subjecting the organic-aqueous mixture to evaporation of water and biofuel extraction, to obtain: an organic phase comprising biofuels and the organic solvent; and a semi-solid phase comprising a residue of the biomass.