NO20140975A1 - Bioreactor and process for microalgae production - Google Patents

Description

Introduction and description.

This patent application is a further improved device for more efficient algae production than the design examples described in patent application 20140866 of 2014-07-08.

A number of systems and devices are known for the production of microalgae in reactors, such as raceway facilities where the actual algae production takes place as well as a separate device for harvesting the algae.

These systems require particularly large areas and are very expensive. Furthermore, they will be extremely expensive to keep in operation due to cleaning and maintenance.

They become very complicated in structure and not very effective.

In addition, it will be exposed to pollution and will, as a rule, be built in places with poor infrastructure and in connection with flue gas plants where C02 is taken out, which, in addition to light, is a condition for species of microstorage to grow in number.

With the present invention, the aim is to solve today's complicated and expensive devices and at the same time get a closed system where you use seawater effectively as a C02 source and where you also achieve a closed production and harvesting facility in one and the same unit.

The aim is to combine algae production and harvesting in one and the same unit.

In addition, the aim is to enclose the reactor with a closed space in the glass material or which penetrates light and at the same time avoids contamination from the outside and which has a compact volume with low construction dimensions.

This means that it will be possible to supply algae oils and the product to an expanded market such as for cosmetics, pre-production for farming and in the pharmaceutical industry.

In addition, the aim is to utilize waste from aquaculture facilities in a simple way and at the same time compressed oxygen can be extracted from algae production.

This can be solved by keeping the reactor leak tight, but making sure that the oxygen released from the batch production is utilized. This can happen because the housing or lid is connected to a fan with a closed pipe system instead of releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.

One can then bring in oxygen to e.g. a generator and/or compressor which compresses the oxygen gas directly and which makes it possible to store this continuously in bottles and as a complete oxygen storage battery, and which in turn can be an additional salable product for the farming industry and for other desired purposes linked to the oxygen in the fish tank.

This, in turn, makes the invention both a very efficient production and by obtaining an additional product in the form of oxygen ready-made and ready for delivery from the reactor units themselves.

This will be a strength and be a great resource that the farming industry uses in connection with de-lice, invasion of jellyfish in the farming community and as an addition and back up for closed and land-based farming facilities.

Furthermore, according to the invention, a higher temperature can be ensured in the algae reactor and in the algae production, such as basic algae culture tanks that can also be installed on the reactor unit and for heating the algae culture. This can be done by, for example, the heat developed from the compression of the oxygen gas being heat exchanged with the seawater that is taken into the reactor and which then also serves as cooling for the oxygen production itself.

The aim is a technical solution that provides good control, low investment costs and an efficient, compact and maintenance-friendly execution of algae production, as well as a method for algae production and harvesting that is more continuous, hygienic and efficient than what is known with today's solutions.

Furthermore, the solution according to the invention will ensure that all fire regulations can be easily satisfied at the same time as striving for an ergonomically functional solution for controlling the algae production itself and the process surrounding it.

Furthermore, according to the invention, it is a significant advantage that the harvesting chute is like a mulif at the udder edge where the algal biomass can slide outward peripherally and out of the reactor by the chute being slightly inclined and tapering inwards towards a corner or a drain in connection with dewatering units in the form of a decanter, centrifuge joint and possibly also a press to be able to further separate out pure algal oil which is saturated with omega 3 acid and which has a higher price than the algal biomass itself.

The algae biomass can further be used as jet fuel and animal feed.

Process for the production of microalgae.

A method for the production, harvesting and storage of the algal products produced in the reactor is shown.

Reference is made to the design example in relation to the attached figures.

These solutions originate from the patent application "Bioreaktor" filed patent application no. 210140866 of 2014-07-08.

A Bioreactor unit 1 is shown which floats with the help of a buoyancy body 2 with a quay 16 and which can be permanently anchored in the sea via anchoring lines 5. A floating body or buoyancy collar or buoyancy raft 2 is shown which keeps the entire algae production facility afloat and a closed house is shown 3 which lets light through into the atmosphere 58.1 in addition to the fact that artificial light can be added to the bottom and both sides 47a, 47b in the rector basin 1. There is also a number of mixing gates 45 and harvesting gates 48 which are stored in the center of the reactor 1 via a single warehouse 62 and an electric slip ring 95 which will transmit electric current to the gates 45,48 and that the closed bearing 62 distributes the water flow 33 composed of means 34,33. and 81 grants 45.48.

Footbridges 53 and control room 80a are shown, which ensure clear and ergonomic operation of the algae plant or bioreactor unit 1.

By the fact that the transparent roof 3 of the house is mounted as low as possible and preferably at a level below the footbridge 53 and control room 80a, this makes the solution according to the invention very low floating in the sea 61, which again is a purely aesthetic advantage as well as a significantly cheaper solution in addition to ensure that production takes place in an environmentally friendly and clean manner. Furthermore, less maintenance is required with this export example.

Furthermore, this design example or the reactor 1 is exposed to minor wind forces which can simplify the anchoring 5 of this and expand the area where production can take place.

A control room 80a and a machine room 80c are shown where control room 80a and grinders 45,48 are stored in the storage package 62. This makes the construction very easy to build in that the bearing package has a very small diameter and that the gates 45,48 are supported and are driven around at a controlled speed with the gear motors 55 placed on the reactor deck 16 well inside the house 3 walls.

The storage package is thus suspended in the footbridges 53 and which then becomes a very rigid and robust construction.

A number of algae mixing grates 45 and harvesting grates 48 can be rotated around the central bearing 62 and which are arranged to be able to be controlled in a direction for mixing, pumping in basic algae culture, additional lighting and where the mixing grates 45 can be stored above a harvesting grate 48 and that the gates 45,48, in addition to being able to be driven around in a ring with the help of the gear motors 55, can be tilted up when it is only being produced and added during maintenance. can be tilted up by the algae culture for maintenance and so that the mixing gates 45 can move under the harvesting gate 48 itself during algae production.

2 upward facing bottoms 92a, 92b are shown with a harvesting chute 42 at the top point in the surface zone which slopes or rather slightly outwards towards the periphery and the quay 2, 16.

In this way, a very flexible and efficient production and harvesting of the algae biomass can be achieved in one and the same unit. The harvesting is made even more efficient by the fact that the chute 42 is slightly inclined outwards and downwards in the pontoon 2 below the deck 16 and that the outer right of the chute is angled inwards towards the inlet side by additional means 38,86. In this way, the algal biomass can flow freely downwards from the center out and freely downwards into the conical collection tank 36 which is in turn connected to a pump and/or centrifuge and/or decanter 38, and/or a press 86 and which then further dewaters the algal biomass le and simultaneously separate out pure algal oil lf which can be stored in a submersible tank 18 and simultaneously produce algal residue biomass lg which can be transported to and stored in a tank 91b via a line 91a. This can in and of itself be a pump line for flow or be a transport screw. Surplus biomass can further be pumped back to the reactor 1 via the lines 39,89 to be used again in algae production.

In this way, a product can be produced in the form of algae treatment which is priced higher and where production is extremely efficient where no algae culture is wasted.

In this way, a continuous and flexible production and harvesting is achieved and which can be automated and controlled in a controlled and continuous manner in the form of a partially jerky movement or that the gates 45 can stand still for a certain time until the algae production is large enough for harvesting and where the harvesting then can also be automated in that both mixing grates 45 and harvesting grates 48 can also be controlled in one direction and tilted up from the reactor 1.

As needed, according to the invention, the harvesting gates can thus be tilted up and lowered as needed for further production at the same time as the chute is emptied of algae and at the same time as the algae production is intensive in that the mixing gates 45 are still in full function.

Furthermore, the harvest gates 48 are hinged so that the gates are dragged along the bottom 47a and walls 47b, which in turn cleans all surfaces with the help of the brooms 60 arranged at the outer edge of the gates 45 and/or 48 and thus constitute a more or less maintenance-free solution.

In this way, production can take place both day and night in a more or less fully automatic process and in that the reactor basin 1 itself does not need to be drained or cleaned manually.

From the algae production in the closed reactor 1 housing 3, oxygen gas 7a is released. In fig. In a.lb,lc,ld, 2 and 3, a fan 9 and a suction pipe system 7 are shown which suck secreted oxygen gas 7a from the room 58 the bioreactor 1. enclosed by the housing 3 into a compressor and possibly via an oxygen generator 8c and so compresses the free oxygen 87 to high pressure and which can be stored in a pressure tank 87b for later filling in gas cylinders 85 which can again be used for oxygen for e.g. breeding facilities along the coast. The compressor 87a can be enclosed by a cooler 4b whose cooling water is connected to the seawater intake line 4 and which thus ensures that the seawater that is pumped into the reactor 1 is never subcooled, which in turn can damage the value of algae production by causing the oil 1f to go rancid or deteriorate in value .

In this way, one can achieve both a production and storage of compressed oxygen and heat the seawater, which prevents the algal biomass 1f, the oil 17 or the biomass 91 from deteriorating in value due to subcooling.

This ensures quality-safe algae products, which thus get a wide range of use and a large market, and where the quality of the products means that you can charge a higher price on the market.

A roof 3 or lid in glass 3 in transparent material is shown and which can be equipped with

ventilation hatches 3b in the event that the extraction fans stop or the oxygen level is too high in relation to the authorities' requirements. Then these hatches can be hinged and can be opened automatically by a turning motor which opens the windows 3b automatically in case of too high oxygen levels. This ensures an explosion-free reactor which can thus receive a general approval in terms of explosion safety. The fan 9 can be electrically driven by a motor 9a which is in the open atmosphere via a shaft. This further secures the reactor 1 against the risk of explosion.

Furthermore, further features are shown in fig. 4a,4b,5a,5b,6,7a,7b and 8a,8b where the gins 45,48 can be connected with a pipe or framework 99, where artificial light is attached, e.g. in the form of a rod or pipe light 98 which can be suspended in the framework 99 at appropriate distances from each other and which can then be rotated with the mixing gins 45 and ensure further boosting and streamlining of algae production lf.

There is also shown a number of propeller pumps or mixers 82 which can be mounted in the gates 45, which can further ensure a flow in the reactor 1 and which can increase the efficiency of algae production.

This can then happen in addition to the aforementioned different agents 11,12,13 and 81 being cleaned and dosed in an appropriate mixing ratio and artificial light will then be able to be installed in the bottom 47a and on the walls 47b in addition to air that can be injected into the bottom 47a and in walls 47b in a controlled manner and overall then constitute an optimized process which is self-cleaning and which can both produce, harvest, dewater and process the algal biomass lf into several desired products within the fuel industry, the cosmetics industry, the pharmaceutical industry and which can also serve as a buffer for the breeding facility by a separate oxygen production and by the fact that waste from breeding facilities can be used in its entirety in reactor 1 algae production.

This provides a recycled, environmentally friendly and efficient utilization of all resources in the sea area without the input factor leading to any significant costs.

Overall, this will also make the farming industry more efficient and be an alternative to fish oil in pre-production, which in turn provides opportunities for growth in the farming industry.

Claims (1)

Patent claim 1. Device for the production, harvesting and dewatering of microalgae lf where C02 is supplied with water and means needed for a photosynthesis in and a splitting of algae cells into an increased biomass characterized by a reactor 1 having one or more movable mixers 45 and harvesting grates 48 which rotates around a central bearing package 62 and which can be controlled individually in the horizontal plane and which can be tilted or twisted up and down around a boom or alksling 35 in and just above the reactor basin 1 and which enables the production and harvesting of algae on a controlled, flexible and efficient way in a continuous process without necessarily draining the algal biomass lf in the pool 1. Patent claim 2. Photobioreactor in the following claim 1. Characterized in that the mentioned mixing and harvesting grates can be moved in 2 height levels so that algae production and harvesting can take place on a continuous and flexible way. Patent claim 3. Photobioreactor in the following claim 1 Characterized in that the reactor 1 has a harvesting chute 42 sloping outwards and downwards from the center and that the chute 42 is connected to a bottom 47 which forms an uphill and downhill slope 92,93 and which can thus cause the chute to get a slight slope which in turn means that the algae biomass that is harvested in the chute 42 flows under its own weight outwards and downwards towards a drain connected to a further dewatering process 38,86,91. Patent claim 4. Photobioreactor in the following claim 3. Characterized in that the chute 42 has a downward and outward sloping bottom which ends in a collection tank 36 connected to means 38,86 for dewatering and pressing the algal biomass into a desired end product. Patent claim 5. Bioreactor in following claim 1 Characterized in that the gates are flexibly suspended in a boom 35 stored in a closed water-filled warehouse 62 and where the gates 45,48 are towed along the bottom 47 after the boom 35 in that it is stored in the periphery and on the reactor 1.2 tire 16 and which can thus be rotated in a controlled manner. Patent claim 6. Bioreactor in the following claim 1 Characterized in that the reactor has a centrally oriented control and machine room 80a at a level above the reactor 1 light-transmitting housing 3. Patent claim 7. Bioreactor in the following claim 1 Characterized in that the closed housing 3 is connected to a fan 9, a suction line 7 and a compressor pack 87,87a,87b for collecting and compressing oxygen waste gas 8 and which, for example, can be stored in pressure bottles 35 on the platform 2. Patent claim 8. Bioreactor in following claim 1 Characterized in that the air compressor housing and/or the compressor 87 is enclosed by the seawater line 4 through a heat exchanger 4b to cool down the oxygen 87 and heat the seawater 4 which is sealed off the pump 6 and the filter system 10. Patent claim 9. Bioreactor in following claim 8 Characterized by the fact that the gates 45 are connected rigidly or flexibly to each other via pipes, wires, ropes or chains 98 and which, in addition to stiffening the gates 45, 48, can constitute a suspension for artificial light 99 which can be hung vertically into the reactor 1.