Methods and systems for conveying and treating a harvested microcrop

A method for conveying a harvested biomass comprising a floating aquatic plant species from a harvest apparatus to a second location, the method comprising:

• conveying the harvested biomass to a first position of a harvest canal, the harvest canal comprising:
• a trough comprising at least two peripheral walls joined to generate a bottom surface and an open top surface and configured to contain the harvested biomass in a volume of a first medium;
• a canopy secured over the open top surface of the trough to generate a shaded interior having at least a 60% reduction in solar radiation compared to an external surface of the canopy;
• and
• a propulsion mechanism configured to impart a motion on the first medium such that the harvested biomass is transported from the first position to the second position.
• activating the propulsion mechanism to impart the motion on the first medium and propel the harvested biomass from the first position to the second position.

The method of continuously supplying a harvested biomass comprising a floating aquatic plant species to a processing facility, the method comprising:

• (a) cultivating a microcrop comprising the floating aquatic plant species in a bioreactor system;
• (b) harvesting the microcrop to generate the harvested biomass;
• (c) conveying the harvested biomass to a first position of a harvest canal to form a conveyed biomass, wherein the harvest canal comprises:
• (i) a trough comprising at least two peripheral walls joined to generate a bottom surface and an open top surface and configured to contain the conveyed biomass in a volume of a medium, and
• (ii) a propulsion mechanism configured to impart a motion on the first medium such that the harvested biomass is transported from the first position to the second position within the harvest canal;
• wherein the harvest canal is positioned adjacent to an outer perimeter of bioreactor system and forms an infinity loop;
• (b) activating the propulsion mechanism to impart the motion on the first medium and propel the harvested biomass from the first position to the second position;
• and
• (c) transferring at least a portion of the propelled biomass from the second position of the harvest canal to a processing facility to form a transferred biomass.