US 2014/0208640 A1 · LIGHT ROD FOR ACCELERATING ALGAE GROWTH

Abstract

A light pipe for use in aqueous environments comprising an optical rod capable of total internal reflection, and disposed in the optical path of a light source such as a light emitting diode or other source. The optical rod has frosted and unfrosted portions, such that the light is propagated distally along the rod at the unfrosted portions, but a portion of the light is coupled out of the rod into the aqueous environment at each of the frosted portions. The relative sizes of the frosted portions are arranged so that substantially the same light power is coupled out of the rod at each frosted section, thus facilitating rapid and uniform growth of algae in the aqueous environment.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A photobioreactor for growing algae, comprising:

a tank to contain algae and growth medium for the algae;
at least one light pipe to provide light in the tank for accelerating algae growth in the tank, the light pipe comprising a light source located outside of the tank for generating and emitting light, and a light rod having a distal longitudinal end disposed inside the tank and a proximal longitudinal end disposed to receive light emitted from the light source to be delivered from the light rod into the tank to provide light for accelerating algae growth in the tank;
the light rod having alternating frosted and unfrosted portions located in the tank and spaced along a longitudinal length of the light rod between the proximal end and the distal end, the unfrosted portions having a transverse cross-section that permits total internal reflection of light in the unfrosted portions wherein light in the light rod from the light source is transmitted along the unfrosted portions by total internal reflection and in the frosted sections a portion of the light from the light source is emitted from the light rod in the tank.

The bioremediation system recited in claim 92 comprising a nutrient system, the nutrient system comprising:

a mixing tank;
a recirculation line having an input fluidically coupled with the mixing tank and having an output fluidically coupled with the mixing tank;
an output line having an input fluidically coupled with the mixing tank and having an output fluidically coupled with the photobioreactor;
a plurality of reservoirs, each reservoir containing a volume of a nutrient constituent appropriate for growth of a specific strain of algae;
a plurality of metering pumps, respective ones of the plurality of metering pumps fluidically coupled with the mixing tank and with respective ones of the plurality of reservoirs;
and
a computer control having:
instructions to introduce a plurality of distinct nutrient constituents from the reservoirs into a volume of water in the mixing tank in relative volumes appropriate for growth of the specific strain of algae;
instructions to recirculate contents of the mixing tank by flowing the contents through the recirculation line to mix the distinct nutrient constituents until a mixture of the water and the nutrients is substantially uniformly distributed;
and
instructions to supply the mixture to the photobioreactor by flowing the mixture over the output line.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Light rod for accelerating algae growth

Life of this patent

Light rod for accelerating algae growth

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29