RU2759450C1 - Photobioreactor for cultivation of microalgae - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: biotechnology.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the field of biotechnology. A photobioreactor for the cultivation of microalgae is proposed. The photobioreactor contains a cylindrical container thermally insulated on the outside with loading and drain pipes, a lid with holes and a gas bubbler with a discharge pipe located at the bottom. A vertical transparent pipe is inserted through the lid into the container, and the specified pipe is plugged from below and above, and its upper part protruding from the container is provided with a suction pipe connected to the compressor inlet. The discharge pipe is brought out through the lid of the tank, connected by a pipeline to the compressor outlet. A smaller diameter pipe is coaxially placed inside the transparent pipe, and the protruding end of the smaller diameter pipe is open to the atmosphere, and red, blue and white LED strips are evenly fixed on its outer walls. A compressor, LED strips and a temperature sensor are connected to the control unit.

EFFECT: invention provides an increase in the rate of growth and division of microalgae.

4 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the microbiological industry, namely to devices for working with plant cells, and can be used for growing unicellular algae, mainly planktonic.

A device for the cultivation of microalgae is known [RU 2315805 C2, IPC C12M3 / 02 (2006.01 ) , C12N1 / 12 (2006.01), publ. 01/27/2008], which contains a housing with a lid, the side walls of which have reflective surfaces, and located in the housing containers for the cultivation of microalgae, mounted on the grate and connected to each other incandescent lamps. The device is equipped with a heating means located under the grate, sensors for the concentration of the suspension, its temperature and illumination, and a pipeline for supplying carbon dioxide to containers and removing oxygen from them.

Known device for the cultivation of chlorella [RU 2477040 C2, IPC A01G 33/00 (2006.01), publ. 03/10/2013], which contains a container made of translucent material. The container is hermetically sealed with a lid and divided into two sections by a vertical partition that does not reach the bottom and lid of the container. The cover is equipped with a union and a gas valve for venting excess gas. The carbon dioxide supply system contains a gas cylinder, which is equipped with a reducing pressure reducer and is connected to the container through a hose connected to the container lid fitting. At the ends of the sections, water pumps are installed, equipped with a suction of a mixture of gases, and in opposite sides of the sections there are external light sources connected to a time timer, and the container with the light sources is covered with a casing made of reflective material.

Known installation for growing microalgae, mainly chlorella [RU 2268923 RU C1, IPC C12M3 / 02 (2006.01), A01G33 / 00 (2006.01), C12N1 / 12 (2006.01), publ. 27.01.2006], selected as a prototype, containing a frame, mounted on it a container for a suspension of microalgae. Cylindrical glass shells are vertically installed in the container, in which lamps are permanently placed. The tank is equipped with fans installed under the shells and serving to supply air to them when the temperature of the suspension exceeds the optimum cultivation temperature. The slurry temperature sensor is located inside the container. The sensors are connected to a thermostat connected to the fans.

The known devices do not provide mixing of the suspension of microalgae, which affects the uniformity of irradiation of cells with light, and, consequently, their growth and division.

The technical result of the proposed invention is to create a photobioreactor for the cultivation of microalgae, providing an increase in the rate of growth and division of microalgae.

The photobioreactor for cultivating microalgae, as in the prototype, contains a container for a suspension of microalgae, in which a temperature sensor is installed and a vertical transparent pipe, in which the light sources are stationary.

According to the invention, the container is cylindrical, thermally insulated from the outside and equipped with loading and drain pipes and a lid with holes. A transparent pipe is inserted through the lid into the container, which is plugged from below and from above. The upper part of the transparent pipe is equipped with a suction pipe, which is connected with a pipeline to the compressor inlet. At the bottom of the tank there is a bubbler with a discharge pipe led out through the cover of the tank, which is connected by a pipeline to the outlet of the compressor. Inside the transparent pipe, a pipe of a smaller diameter is coaxially placed, the protruding end of which is open to the atmosphere. Red, blue and white LED strips are evenly fixed on the outer walls of the smaller diameter pipe. A compressor, LED strips and a temperature sensor are connected to the control unit.

The slurry container can be made of polyethylene.

The transparent pipe can be made of polycarbonate or polymethyl methacrylate, or quartz.

The bubbler can be made in the form of an annular tube with perforations.

The proposed design of the photobioreactor provides mixing of the suspension of microalgae and its saturation with air carbon dioxide by means of bubbling.

Due to the favorable emission spectrum of the red, white and blue LED strips, more efficient cultivation of microalgae occurs. The use of such LED strips provides heating only when the lighting inside the container is on, simulating the natural natural daily fluctuations in temperature, as well as the ratio of the duration of the light and dark phases, favorable for separating the periods of growth and division of microalgae cells. The photobioreactor allows you to adjust the duration of illumination and its spectral composition, determined by the range of operating temperatures, taking into account the degree of heat transfer from the photobioreactor to the environment and various phases of microalgae life (growth, division), which occur more efficiently when illuminated by certain parts of the spectrum or in the dark phase.

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a photobioreactor for cultivating microalgae

Photobioreactor for cultivation of microalgae contains a polyethylene cylindrical container 1, which is equipped with a lid, loading and drainage pipes. The lid of the container 1 is made with through holes. Outside, container 1 is thermally insulated with mineral wool. A transparent pipe 2, for example, made of polycarbonate or polymethyl methacrylate or quartz, is inserted through the lid into the container 1, which is plugged at the top and bottom. The upper part of the transparent pipe 2, protruding from the container 1, is equipped with a suction pipe, which is connected by a pipeline to the inlet of the compressor 3. At the bottom of the container 1, there is a bubbler 4 in the form of an annular pipe with perforations and with a discharge pipe 5 led out through the cover of the container 1. The delivery pipe 5 is connected by a pipeline to the outlet of the compressor 3. Inside the transparent pipe 2, a pipe 6 of a smaller diameter is placed coaxially, on the outer surface of which LED strips 7 of red, blue and white are evenly fixed. The end of the pipe 6 protruding from the transparent pipe 2 is open to the atmosphere. A compressor 3, LED strips 7 and a temperature sensor located inside the container (not shown in Fig. 1) are connected to the control unit 8 (CU).

A seed suspension of microalgae and a nutrient medium are loaded into container 1 in such a ratio that the concentration of cells in the resulting mixture is at least 10 million cells / ml. In accordance with the cultivation plan, the control unit 8 (BU) includes LED strips 7 of the required color group and a given intensity and compressor 3. Air from the atmosphere is sucked inside the pipe 6, which cools the LED strips 7 and enters the compressor through the suction pipe in the transparent pipe 2, with the help of which it is fed through the injection nozzle 5 into the bubbler 6, and from it into the tank 1, stirring and heating the mixture and exits through the holes in the lid of the tank 1. Using a temperature sensor, the cultivation process is monitored, a sample is periodically taken to analyze the number of cells ... The cultivation is considered complete if there is no further increase in the number of cells.

Claims (4)

1. Photobioreactor for cultivation of microalgae, containing a container for a suspension of microalgae, in which a temperature sensor is installed, characterized in that the container is cylindrical, thermally insulated from the outside and equipped with loading, drain pipes and a lid with holes, a vertical transparent pipe is inserted through the lid into the container, which plugged from below and from above, the upper part of the transparent pipe protruding from the container is equipped with a suction pipe, which is connected by a pipeline to the compressor inlet, at the bottom of the container there is a bubbler with a discharge pipe led out through the container lid, which is connected by a pipeline to the compressor outlet, while inside a transparent pipe is coaxially placed a pipe of a smaller diameter, the protruding end of which is open to the atmosphere, LED strips of red, blue and white are evenly fixed on the outer walls of the pipe of a smaller diameter, a compressor, LED strips and a sensor are connected to the control unit temperature. 2. Photobioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that the container for the suspension is made of polyethylene. 3. Photobioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that the transparent tube is made of either polycarbonate, or polymethyl methacrylate, or quartz. 4. Photobioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that the bubbler is made in the form of an annular tube with perforations.

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