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US 8,003,379 B2Granted
High density bioreactor system, devices, and methods
AssigneeBrightSource Energy, Inc.
InventorsArnold J. Goldman, Michael Kagan, Yuri Kokotov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bioreactor and bioreactor system are suitable for the growth of materials from algae. More specifically, the system preferred embodiments use concentrated sunlight in a solo- or co-generation system to produce algae and products therefrom as well as solar thermal energy.
Claims19
A photobioreactor system, comprising:
- a receiver, a solar concentrator, the receiver being positioned to receive concentrated sunlight from the concentrator;
- an array of flat members with respective first surfaces, the flat members forming a cascade with each being positioned and oriented to receive substantially one sun or less of solar flux level or less than 1000 Watts per square meter;
- a fluid conveyance configured such that, by gravity, a fluid received by a first of the flat members runs down the first flat member first surface and is conveyed to a second of the flat members and runs down the second flat member first surface,
- wherein the solar concentrator includes an array of heliostats surrounding the receiver.
1 more element
A photobioreactor system, comprising:
- a receiver, a solar concentrator, the receiver being positioned to receive concentrated sunlight from the concentrator;
- an array of flat members with respective first surfaces, the flat members forming a cascade with each being positioned and oriented to receive substantially one sun or less of solar flux level or less than 1000 Watts per square meter;
- a fluid conveyance configured such that, by gravity, a fluid received by a first of the flat members runs down the first flat member first surface and is conveyed to a second of the flat members and runs down the second flat member first surface;
- and
- a control system configured to control the solar concentrator to regulate an intensity of flux falling on the flat member first surfaces over the course of time to maintain at least one target flux level,
- wherein the solar concentrator includes a ring of heliostats in the shape of a rhombus surrounding the receiver.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.