EP3221443A1

EP3221443A1 - Solar bioreactor

Info

Publication number: EP3221443A1
Application number: EP15817613.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ibrahim ISILDAK; Didem OZCIMEN; Benan INAN; Gulsum KILIC
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-11-17
Filing date: 2015-11-05
Publication date: 2017-09-27
Also published as: WO2016080932A1

Abstract

This system, that is developed to transfer light to the regions that it cannot reach in the open and/or closed type alga and/or microalga growing units; consists of heliostats that reflect the sun light to the concave mirror, fresnel lenses which provides that light goes from concave mirror to fiber optical wires focusedly without loss and, fiber optical wires and/or plates that pass through the middle of the column of closed column photobioreactor or pond photobioreactro. The light is reflected from heliostats and is directed onto the concave mirror and the light coming from the concave mirror is transported to the fiber optical wires via fresnel lenses in the designed system. Open and/or closed pond type microalga growing medium that is deeper than 30 cm can be illuminated homogeneously with the system. In addition, it is provided that energy cost is decreased by illuminating from inside with sun light without requirement of fluorescent light in the daytime in the closed type photobioreactor.

Description

DESCRIPTION

SOLAR BIOREACTOR

Related Technical Field The invention is related to a solar bioreactor which illuminates by distributing the energy that it takes from the sun to its location, thus provides that photo synthetic organisms is grown and the medium is heated.

Prior Art

Photosynthetic organisms are all of living beings that produce nutrients through producing organic compounds by using light energy in the living beings carrying chlorophyll. Most of the photosynthetic organisms consist of plants, algae and cyanobacteria.

Algae (microalga and/or macroalga) are living beings which have a significant importance in the energy, food and medicine sectors. Their efficiency is more than other raw materials. They also play a major role with omega-3 fats in their structure for the production of products in the food and health industries. Carrageenan which is used as stabilizer in emulsions and suspensions in the food, textile, pharmaceutical industries and/or agar which is used as a medium wherein organisms like bacteria and fungi that are used in biotechnological studies grow are made of red algae. Also, alginates which are produced in amount of approximately 40000 tons in a year and used in the food industry are made of brown algae species. Special materials in algae structures are benefited in also cosmetics industry and treatments of alzheimer, cardiovascular diseases, and skin diseases.

Algae are utilized as human and animal food as well. Especially, they are consumed as nutrition source in the developing countries. As another alternative, algae are used as organic fertilizer in cultivated areas. Unicellular microalgae have a commercial importance. They are valuable nutrients that are used in feeding of rotifers and many water creatures, especially fishes, in the larval stage. Microalgae continue being important source of biotechnology in the future. In addition to this, algae that are acknowledged as biofuel raw material are used in the production of biofuels like biodiesel, bioethanol, biomethane, biohydrogen and biobutanol. All the world tends to bio based fuels as a result of important factors such as being consumed of fossil fuels quickly, increasing petroleum prices due to political and economical crisis and global warming. Algae are third generation raw materials used in the biofuel production and they have a significant importance in terms of production simplicity and efficiency in comparison to first and second generation raw materials. Considering these matters; selection of a safe, appropriate production system is required in the alga and/or microalga production. Basic requirements for alga and/or microalga production are light or solar energy, water, carbon dioxide and inorganic enriching materials.

Algae and/or microalgae need light because of being photo synthetic living beings and they can be grown in two different ways as open and closed pond systems. Due to the organisms like alga or microalga can need sun light for 8-12 hours, this light need cannot be provided completely in the existing systems.

Inside of the bioreactor is illuminated optically also in the closed bioreactors in the form of pond-column (photobioreactors) in the similar way with bioreactors in the form of open pond. Because organisms like alga can need sun light more than 12 hours in a day, this light need cannot be provided completely in the existing systems and brings extra costs. Alga species like Dunaliella salina, Chlorella and Spirulina are produced in open, quite wide ponds with less depth. This open pond type systems where the algae production is made are generally between 1-4000 m² and their depths are between 5-30 cm to benefit from light. This situation causes being used production areas that cover wide place with less depth and difficulties about production area and limits effective usage of production areas.

Temperature, pH, nutrition control is provided easily and contamination risk is decreased in the photobioreactors in closed places. However; because benefiting from sun light is not a matter in the existing closed type growing units (photobioreactor), artificial illumination sources are used and they are generally designed as being produced with artificial light support in limited space. Increasing process cost because of energy consumption and also selection of flat typed photobioreactors with much surface area but less depth causes space occupation. There are disadvantages of closed type bioreactors designed for usage mostly in outer spaces like limited benefiting from sun light.

Patent document with CN2346794 application number consists of an artificial illumination that is designed to grow microalgae when the sun light is not enough and microalga growing unit covered with transparent film. In the patent document with number of WO 2012067995 A2, photosynthetic microorganisms and microalgae benefit from light by using optical wave guides via fiber optics in the photobioreactor.

In the patent document with number of US 20090203116 Al, the invention is related to microalga production in photobioreactor in order to obtain biodiesel from microalgae and the necessary light for growing microalgae is provided by illuminating with fiber optics.

In the patent document with number of WO 2007134141 A2, the invention is a bioreactor that has side walls, bottom and ceiling and provides growing photosynthetic microorganism. Light which is collected via a light collector is transferred to the bioreactor with fiber optics and provides microorganisms to photosynthesize.

In the patent document with number of WO2011069372 Al, the invention is a photobioreactor system constructed on the purpose of providing chance of high density microalga culture photosynthesis is provided by bringing light collected with solar collector to photobioreactor via fiber optics.

In the patent document with number of 2010/00941, a similar patent with contemplated fiber optical plate is found. The invention comprises illumination via fiber optics placed into nontransparent material in the plate forming step. As different from mentioned patent systems above, this invention is based on the principles of reflection of sun light on concave mirror by biaxial structured heliostats and then felling down it onto the fresnel lenses and transportation of light to the fiber optical wires more strongly and efficiently. In addition; in comparison with the mentioned patents, this invention provides possibility for increasing of depth in the open pond type systems due to providing increased light intensity and increases microalga production efficiency. The bottom parts where light cannot reach are illuminated by placement of fiber optical wires around the pond and onto the ground of the pond and so they provide necessary light for algae and/or microalgae and increase production efficiency.

Brief Description of the Invention

The invention disclosed in this patent covers that sun lights are transported to inside of open pond type bioreactors where sun light permeability decreases by using optical and fiber optical systems and/or sun lights are also transported into the closed photobioreactor via optical and/or fiber optical systems in contrast to artificial light and it is illuminated. In the disclosed system in this patent, photobioreactor is illuminated with artificial light from outside at night as well. In the disclosed system in this patent which is designed to collect coming sun rays and/or artificial rays and transfer them to the bioreactor; coming sun rays and/or artificial rays are made focus on fiber optical wires with heliostats, concave mirrors and fresnel lenses. Due to the system, sun rays and/or artificial rays coming from environment are transported to the fiber optical wires effectively with increased intensity. The disclosed system covers that alga and/or microalgae are grown effectively by transporting rays that can be transported to different mediums by fiber optical wires to the bioreactor medium. Also, the invention covers that fiber optical wire outlets are laid as fiber optical plates into the photobioreactor on the purpose of providing that alga and/or microalgae benefit from sun light better. Fiber optical plates are suitable to be placed three dimensionally onto the side surfaces, bottom and/or inside of bioreactor. The disclosed system in this patent covers its usage not only in closed bioreactors but also in open tank type photobioreactor systems, open pond type systems and/or plug flow type photobioreactor systems that are used for growing alga and/or microalga.

This invention covers collection of coming sun light and/or artificial lights via heliostats, concave mirrors and fresnel lenses, and transfer of the collected lights into a high depth and width cylinder or cube type photobioreactor system by fiber optical wires. With the invention, light scattering to every part of inside of the high depth bioreactor and illumination are carried out and it is provided that photosynthetic organisms like algae and/or microalgae are grown effectively in a larger unit area differently from the existing systems in the world. The disclosed system in the patent can also be used in inner areas where light scattering is required, in greenhouse illumination and in water heating systems. Due to the system disclosed in the patent, daylight and/or sun light can be transported through fiber optical wires much more effectively than the existing systems up to 25 meters and natural illumination can be provided in closed inner areas and greenhouses. The bioreactor (photobioreactor) mentioned in the invention has a homogeneous solar illumination system. In comparison with existing bioreactors that have artificial illuminations, by placing fiber optical plate illuminators three dimensionally into the bottom and side parts of the bioreactor disclosed in the project, it is provided that alga and/or microalgae benefit from light homogeneously and intensity of light which comes inner parts of bioreactor is increased. In this system, fiber optical plates are placed onto the bottom of the bioreactor and around the bioreactor in the form of plaque and it allows the production of deeper bioreactors. The disclosed solar bioreactor system in the patent also can provide a significant increase in production activity and efficiency in an open pond type alga and/or microalga production system that cannot get the sun by placing illuminating plates of the invented system underneath the open pond. With the invention, it is provided that sun and artificial lights are transported to the every point in the pond and/or bioreactor effectively with the help of fiber optical wires in all high depth closed and/or open pond and/or bioreactor systems. In the system of the invention, a coordinated optical system is used in order to benefit from sun rays at maximum level. Sun rays are transported to the new type photobioreactor where alga and/or microalgae are found homogeneously via concave mirror, heliostat and fresnel lenses in different number and sizes through fiber optical wires and cell reproduction is provided by meeting the light need required for microalgae photosynthesis. In the invention; shape of plates and fiber optical wires, mirror and fresnel lenses can be made different. Number of optical parts and wires in the system can be increased according to the number of bioreactors that will be used and alga and/or microalga efficiency that is desired to be obtained. It can be provided that amount of the benefited light is adjusted by changing number and sizes of the mirror, heliostat and fresnel lenses, therefore providing an important increase in alga and/or microalga efficiency can be realize.

The existing systems where alga and/or microalga production is made are generally open pond type systems by considering process cost. Producers will be able to provide production of photosynthetic living beings like algae and/or microalgae economically with the disclosed solar bioreactor system of the patent which takes up less space without wasting rich and valuable soils via wide ponds. The disclosed solar bioreactor system of the patent also transports rays coming from artificial light sources effectively when there is not any sun light. When sun light cannot be benefited from, the light obtained from street lamps that are found in outer environments can reach the system and growth of alga and/or microalga can be maintained.

The disclosed solar bioreactor system of the patent disappears the size difficulty because it transports sun light to the medium and it shows flexibility, effectivity and a significant economical gain in sizes and geometrical structure of the bioreactor.

Due to the disclosed solar bioreactor system of the patent, it is expected that an important contribution will be provided for meeting energy demand by producing biofuel from photosynthetic organisms (for example microalgae) produced with a high efficiency. In addition, a significant contribution will be obtained in the various biotechnological areas by providing material production for medicine, health, fertilizer purposes from products obtained via the disclosed solar bioreactor system in the patent. The disclosed special illumination system in the patent will be able to be used on the purposes like growing of plants or organisms that are structurally superior than alga and/or microalgae, in chemical reactions of materials that react with the light effect, indoor and greenhouse illumination, in medium heating as well as in the area of growing alga and/or microalga. It is possible that the invented system can also be applied in the water heating systems as heat transfer medium by transferring solar energy to heat conveying liquid circulated.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Description of the figures

Figure 1: Schematic view of the working system of the invention Figure 2: Front view of the solar bioreactor

Figure 3: Perspective view (binary) of the open pond type solar bioreactor Figure 4: Perspective view (binary) of the column type solar bioreactor Figure 5: Perspective view of the open pond type solar bioreactor Figure 6: Perspective view of the column type solar bioreactor Figure 7: Detailed view of the transporter tower

Description of the References in the Figures

1. Solar bioreactor

1.1. Heliostat

1.1.1. Heliostat leg

1.2. Transporter tower

1.2.1. Concave mirror 1.2.2. Mirror stabilizer

1.2.3. Fiber optical slot

1.2.3.1. Fresnel lenses

1.2.3.2. Fiber optical wire

1.3. Open pond type bioreactor

1.3.1. Plates

1.3.1.1. Fiber optical wires in the plate

1.4. Column type bioreactor

1.4.1. Fiber optical wires in the column type bioreactor

In the optical system, there are concave mirrors( 1.2.1), heliostats(l.l) and fresnel lenses(1.2.3.1) in different numbers and sizes. Heliostats(l.l) that have a biaxial structure catch the sun light well and send it to the concave mirror( 1.2.1) - fresnel lens(1.2.3.1) system which is integrated as transporter tower(1.2). Here, it is provided that concave mirror( 1.2.1) is stabilized with the mirror stabilize^ 1.2.2) according to the light. Rays coming via heliostats(l. l) fall onto the concave mirror(1.2.1) firstly and then focus on the fresnel lenses(1.2.3.1) found in the focus of the concave mirror( 1.2.1). Because fresnel lenses(1.2.3.1) are the last part that send coming light, they can also collect daylight themselves well and send it to the fiber optical wires(1.2.3.2) independently from rays coming from concave mirror(1.2.1). Namely, it contributes to growth of microalga additionally without other optical parts. Sun rays are transported homogeneously to the solar bioreactor(l) where alga and/or microalgae are found via fiber optical wires(1.2.3.2) and plates by linking each of fresnel lens(1.2.3.1) to a fiber optical wires(1.2.3.2). Therefore, the light need that microalgae require for photosynthesis is met and reproduction of organisms is provided.

An original illumination is formed by placing fiber optical wires(1.2.3.2) into the pond type growing system as plate, design etc. It provides that production areas are used more efficiently in terms of square meter by providing chance for increasing depth in the pond type growing systems. The other properties that provide capacity of the production system to be able to widen are that shapes of concave mirror( 1.2.1), fresnel lens(1.2.3.1) and fiber optical wires(1.2.3.2) which are used in the invention can be made different, numbers of fresnel lens(1.2.3.1), concave mirror( 1.2.1) and heliostats(l.l) can be increased. Numbers of helio stats are between 4 and 1000 depending on the size of used area. Their sizes change between 5 x 5 cm and 100 x 100 cm. The diameters of concave mirrors that are used as connected to heliostats are between 10 cm and 200 cm and their numbers are between 1-10. The numbers of fiber optical wires are between 1 and 100 depending on the numbers of concave mirrors. Sizes and numbers of the reactor units can be increased depending on sizes and numbers of mechanisms used in the optical system and obtained light intensity.

Light with increased intensity is sent to the bioreactor system with the design part of the disclosed sun and/or artificial light collection system of the invention. It is provided that alga and/or microalgae benefit from the light in all points of inside of the solar bioreactor(l) by increasing the surface area because of configuring fiber optical wires(1.2.3.2) into plate inside of the bioreactor and by covering all inner surface of open top or closed top solar bioreactor(l) with these plates (all of the layer system that consists of 7 horizontal fiber optical wires(1.3.1.1) formed by coiling from side surface of reactor to the bottom). Almost 680 lm (approximately 6 watt) light quantity of radiation can be obtained by using 7 fresnel lenses (1.2.3.1) with 6.5 cm diameter and 8 heliostats (1.1) with 0.5 m x 0.5 m size (numbers and diameters of fresnel lenses and heliostats (1.2.3.1) can be changed in proportion with other optical parts according to the amount/efficiency of microalga that is desired to be obtained). Heliostats(l.l) are placed onto the ground(land) by using stands around the transporter tower(1.2). Transporter tower(1.2) in the middle comprises concave mirror( 1.2.1), fiber optical slot(1.2.3) and frensel lenses(1.2.3.1) in it and fiber optical wires(1.2.3.2). Concave mirror(1.2.1) is on the top of the transporter tower(1.2). Concave mirror is placed in the manner that it focuses the rays that it collects onto the fresnel lenses (1.2.3.1). Fresnel lenses(1.2.3.1) that are found in the focus of the concave mirror( 1.2.1) are direct connected parts that transport the light via fiber optical wires(1.2.3.2). With this system, sun which is a renewable energy source is used and system cost is decreased by decreasing energy consumption in the bioreactor.

Biaxial heliostats (1.1) with changing sizes are found in the disclosed invention. This biaxial heliostats (1.1) that are found on the transporter featured heliostat leg ( 1.1.1 ) in the solar bioreactor ( 1 ) transfer the light that falls on them to the concave mirrors. The rays that are made fall onto the concave mirror (1.2.1) in the solar bioreactor (1) focus on the fresnel lenses. It is provided that the ray focuses on the end of the fiber optical wires by used fresnel lenses (1.2.3.1). The rays coming to the fresnel lenses (1.2.3.1) are transported to the fiber optical wires (1.2.3.2) due to the fresnel lenses' property of ability of collecting the light at one point. The light is transferred to open pond type (1.3) and/or column type bioreactors (1.4) with a very little loss via fiber optical wires (1.2.3.2) connected to the fresnel lenses (1.2.3.1). The system covers different microalga growing units like open pond type bioreactor (1.3) and column type bioreactor (1.4). The rays are provided to this open and closed type solar bioreactors (1.3) with changing diameters between 0.5 m - 3 m and heights between 0.5 m and 2 m via fiber optical wires(1.3.1.1) with lengths between 1 and 25 m. A part of fiber optical wires are fixed onto the side surface of the bioreactor(1.3) and the other part is fixed onto the bottom of the bioreactor in the form of plate( 1.3.1). In the invention, rays are gained from a wide area via the sun and/or artificial light collecting part and transferring to a growing medium. It is provided that surface area is increased by configuring fiber optical wires(1.2.3.2) into plates( 1.3.1 ) in the bioreactor and it is also provided that alga and/or microalgae benefit from light in all points of the bioreactor(1.3) homogeneously by covering all inner surface of the bioreactor(1.3) system with these plates(1.3.1). The required light of microalgae whose reproduction slows down after a certain depth is provided to them in open and closed pond type bioreactors(l .3) by the designed system. Fiber optical wires (1.4.1) in the circular plate forms that will provide illumination through the column are placed into a closed column type bioreactor(1.4). It decreases energy consumption by providing an inner and homogeneous illumination in comparison with outer illumination with fluorescent lamps. On the other hand; when there is no sun light, continuity of growing microalga is provided by benefiting from other illumination systems, for example street lamps, without requiring additional mechanism.

Industrial Applicability of the Invention

This invention that presents solution and improvement for problems mentioned above is a system that can be established like other illumination systems.

Claims

1. A solar bioreactor(l) characterized in this disclosure that is configured such that; heliostats (1.1) which can collect the sun light well and focus it surface of a concave mirror to transport the light to inner places of column type bioreactor (photobioreactor) (1.4) and open pond type bioreactor (1.3) that can provide specific growth conditions for the production of photosynthetic organisms, and illumination/heating system, concave mirrors( 1.2.1) that are placed onto a transporter tower (1.2) where heliostats (1.1) reflect the sun rays that they take on, and fresnel lenses (1.2.3.1) that are found in the transporter tower which focuses the rays coming from concave mirror( 1.2.1) on itself and provides transporting the focused light to the fiber optical wires, and fiber optical wires (1.2.3.2) that provide transporting sun rays coming from fresnel lenses (1.2.3.1) to plates, and plates where the fiber optics are inserted that illuminate through the open and/or closed pond type bioreactors (1.3) and column type bioreactors(1.4).

A system (1) according to any of the claims above characterized in that it comprises fiber optical plates(1.3.1) and fiber optical plate wires(1.3.1.1) configured such that they surround all side surfaces and inner parts in the open pond type bioreactor(1.3) for reflecting light into the whole inner area.

A system (1) according to any of the claims above characterized in that it comprises fiber optical wires (1.4.1) that are placed in the column type bioreactor(1.4) vertically which scatters light into all area.

A system (1) according to any of the claims above characterized in that it comprises the heliostat leg(l. l.l) that provides positioning heliostats(l.l) so that they reflect the day light.

A system (1) according to any of the claims above characterized in that it comprises a mirror stabilize^ 1.2.2) provides stabilizing concave mirrors so that concave mirrors reflect the rays coming to them( 1.2.1) on the transporter tower (1.2).

A system (1) according to any of the claims above characterized in that it comprises a fiber optical slot in which keeps fiber optical wires(1.2.3.2) in the transporter tower(1.2).