Method for water purification by culturing and harvesting attached algal communities

The method for the purification of water by natural means, comprising the steps of:

• establishing a floway for water that had originated in a nearby waterway, the sides of said floway being bounded by a pair of curbs disposed in a spaced apart, parallel relationship,
• said floway having an inlet end and an outlet end, with the outlet end being at a lower elevation than said inlet end, thus to assure the flow of water along said floway under the influence of gravity;
• disposing a wheeled harvester in a position spanning between said curbs, such that said harvester can travel along said floway while being supported by said curbs;
• establishing a growing surface for algae between said curbs, upon which algae can grow and form an algal turf;
• causing a periodic surge of water to flow along at least a portion of said floway, so as to allow bioassimilation of nutrients and pollutants by the algal turf, as well as bringing about the trapping of particulates contained in the water;
• harvesting the algal turf after maturation by the use of said harvester;
• and
• disposing of the harvested algal turf without permitting the algal turf to reenter the waterway.

The method for the purification of water by natural means, said method comprising the steps of:

• establishing a floway for water that had originated in a nearby waterway, the sides of said floway being bounded by a pair of curbs disposed in a spaced apart, parallel relationship,
• said floway having an inlet end and an outlet end, with the outlet end being at a lower elevation than said inlet end, thus to assure the flow of water along said floway under the influence of gravity, said floway being regarded as divided longitudinally into a plurality of separate sectors;
• disposing a wheeled harvester in a position spanning between said curbs, said harvester being powered such that it can travel in either direction along said floway, while being supported by said curbs;
• mounting at least one intake plenum on the underside of said harvester, said intake plenum being connected to a source of vacuum;
• establishing a growing surface of suitable texture for optimal algal turf production between said curbs, upon which algae can grow and form an algal turf;
• causing a periodic surge of water to flow along at least part of said floway, so as to increase algal metabolism, production, and species diversity, such that nutrients and pollutants contained in the water will be taken up by the algal turf, and particulates contained in the water trapped;
• harvesting the algal turf after the algal turf has grown to maturity, by the use of said intake plenum;
• said intake plenum removing algal turf as said harvester travels along said curbs;
• and
• disposing of the harvested algal turf without permitting the algal turf to enter the waterway.