WO2014184717A1 - Agencement pour l'amélioration de croissance - Google Patents

Agencement pour l'amélioration de croissance Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2014184717A1
WO2014184717A1 PCT/IB2014/061276 IB2014061276W WO2014184717A1 WO 2014184717 A1 WO2014184717 A1 WO 2014184717A1 IB 2014061276 W IB2014061276 W IB 2014061276W WO 2014184717 A1 WO2014184717 A1 WO 2014184717A1
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
light
photosynthetic
modulated
intensity
valve
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PCT/IB2014/061276
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English (en)
Inventor
Ari Ketola
Annkaisa ELO
Jukka ROPPONEN
Janne Aaltonen
Original Assignee
Ductor Oy
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Publication of WO2014184717A1 publication Critical patent/WO2014184717A1/fr

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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12M—APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
    • C12M41/00—Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation
    • C12M41/48—Automatic or computerized control
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G33/00—Cultivation of seaweed or algae
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12M—APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
    • C12M21/00—Bioreactors or fermenters specially adapted for specific uses
    • C12M21/02—Photobioreactors
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12M—APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
    • C12M31/00—Means for providing, directing, scattering or concentrating light
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12M—APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
    • C12M41/00—Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation
    • C12M41/06—Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation of illumination
    • C12M41/08—Means for changing the orientation
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N1/00—Microorganisms, e.g. protozoa; Compositions thereof; Processes of propagating, maintaining or preserving microorganisms or compositions thereof; Processes of preparing or isolating a composition containing a microorganism; Culture media therefor
    • C12N1/12—Unicellular algae; Culture media therefor
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N13/00—Treatment of microorganisms or enzymes with electrical or wave energy, e.g. magnetism, sonic waves
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12P—FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE
    • C12P7/00—Preparation of oxygen-containing organic compounds
    • C12P7/64—Fats; Fatty oils; Ester-type waxes; Higher fatty acids, i.e. having at least seven carbon atoms in an unbroken chain bound to a carboxyl group; Oxidised oils or fats
    • C12P7/6436—Fatty acid esters
    • C12P7/6445—Glycerides
    • C12P7/6463—Glycerides obtained from glyceride producing microorganisms, e.g. single cell oil

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to processes and systems for modulating illumination to provide improved growth rates for photosynthetic organisms.
  • the invention provides for illuminating photosynthetic organisms with discrete intervals of illumination.
  • the illumination is provided e.g., by sunlight, where the illumination is modulated by alternately turning the illumination on and off, with light/dark time intervals, and the ratio of light to dark durations, selected to accelerate growth of photosynthetic organisms that are cultivated in photobioreactors and greenhouses and the like.
  • Sunlight is the ultimate natural energy source for photosynthetic organisms.
  • Photosynthetic organisms are organisms containing chlorophyll that are capable of photosynthesis, i.e., forming longer carbon chains from carbon dioxide. Only limited wavelengths of solar radiation are useful in
  • the wavelengths that support photosynthesis are generally between
  • photosynthetic active radiation 400nm (nanometers) and 700nm and are referred to as "photosynthetic active radiation” and comprise, on an energy basis, 43% of solar radiation.
  • photosynthesis involves at least two different steps, a light reaction and a dark reaction.
  • first step or light reaction
  • light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll.
  • the light reaction transfers electrons from H 2 0 to ADP (adenosine diphosphate) to form ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate).
  • second step or dark reaction (the Calvin-Benson Cycle)
  • ATP and NADPH from the light cycle are used to fix carbon into sugars according to the following general equation.
  • the amount of available light energy often limits productivity of the photosynthetic process, but light should be used under conditions promoting the highest possible efficiency. For example, too little light results in slow growth of the illuminated photosynthetic organism, and in some situations, might even prohibit growth.
  • a considerable part of the incoming excitation energy cannot be utilized in the photosynthetic reaction centers in a cell because their capacity is limited.
  • only part of the excitation energy is utilized by photosynthetic apparatus of the organisms and a considerable amount of the incident light energy is dissipated as heat or fluorescence.
  • An overdose of excitation energy usually leads in to photo-inhibition and a decrease in the growth rate and thus productivity.
  • One way to provide additional illumination for photosynthetic organisms is to use artificial light.
  • the yield of algal oil from microalgal ponds illuminated by sunlight is 100-130 m 3 /hectare (hectare is abbreviated herein as "ha"), but the yield can reach 172 m 3 /ha with artificial lighting (Malcata, 2011 Trends in Biotechnology, 29(11):542-549).
  • the high cost of installing and operating artificial light sources remains a major drawback, even though the efficiency and quality of the light for photosynthetic organisms has been improved, e.g., by using light emitting diode (“LED”) lamps.
  • LED light emitting diode
  • the invention provide a method for cultivating photosynthetic organisms, the method comprising illuminating the photosynthetic organisms with modulated light, wherein the modulated light exhibits a pulsed ON/OFF cycle, and wherein the light comprises modulated sunlight.
  • the modulated light is pulsed, for example, at a frequency ranging from about 1 through about 10,000 Hz.
  • the modulated light can also be pulsed at a frequency ranging from about 10 through about 5,000 Hz, at a frequency ranging from about 20 through about 1,000 Hz, at a frequency ranging from about 20 through about 500 Hz, at a frequency ranging from about 40 through about 100 Hz, at a frequency ranging from about 10 through about 50 Hz, and/or at a frequency of from 1 to about 5 Hz.
  • the modulated light also has a duty cycle, that can be pulsed at a 1/2 duty cycle with a ratio of 1 time unit on and 1 time units off, a 1/3 duty cycle with a ratio of 1 time unit on and 2 time units off, or with a 1/10 duty cycle with a ratio of 1 time unit on and 9 time units off, and/or at other ratios that may be selected, e.g., duty cycles ranging from 20/1 to 1/20 or greater.
  • the light intensity reaching the plants ranges from about 4 ⁇ mol/m 2 /sec to about 2000 ⁇ 1/ ⁇ 2 /8 ⁇ , optional light intensity being from about 4 ⁇ mol/m 2 /sec to about 400 ⁇ 1/ ⁇ 2 /8 ⁇
  • the photosynthetic organisms are any organisms with chlorophyll, including, e.g., corn, beans, wheat, rice, vegetables, tomatoes, flowers, grass, salad, photosynthetic bacteria e.g. cyanobacteria, algae, e.g., microalgae.
  • the microalgae are Nannochloropsis salina or Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, although other art-known algae are readily cultivated according the invention.
  • the invention also provides a system for cultivating photosynthetic organisms with modulated light, wherein the system comprises a light valve for modulating illumination from a light source, a controller operatively connected to the light valve and at least one sensor operatively connected to the controller, wherein the light valve is located between the light source and the photosynthetic organisms to be illuminated with modulated light.
  • the system further comprises at least one sensor for measuring light from the light source and at least one sensor for measuring parameters selected from the group consisting of light intensity, ON/OFF frequency, duty cycle and combinations thereof of the intensity of the modulated light, and wherein the at least one sensor is operatively connected to the controller.
  • the light source preferably comprises sunlight, although supplemental artificial light is optionally provided.
  • the modulated light is provided, for example, by a liquid crystal valve under the control of the controller and a power source that powers the controller and a driver logic that drives the liquid crystal valve is also provided.
  • the light valve comprises, e.g., at least one mirror, at least one lens, at least one prism and combinations thereof, wherein the lens, prism or mirror can be rotated in a circular or reciprocal movement to alternately direct the light source towards and away from the photosynthetic organism(s).
  • the methods and systems of the invention provide for optimized growth of photosynthetic organisms, and in certain embodments, provides for optimized lipid production.
  • the invention further provides for a method of enhancing lipid production in cultivated photosynthetic organisms comprising cultivating the photosynthetic organisms with modulated light, wherein the modulated light exhibits a pulsed ON/OFF cycle, and wherein the light comprises modulated sunlight, wherein the cultivated photosynthetic organisms yield enhanced lipid content relative to the same photosynthetic organism cultivated under the same growth conditions, under equivalent intensity continuous illumination.
  • the lipid content is generally enhanced by about 20 to 200 percent, relative to the lipid content of the same photosynthetic organisms cultivated in equivalent continuous illumination.
  • the lipid content is enhanced by about 80 percent, relative to the lipid content of the same photosynthetic organism cultivated under the same growth conditions, under equivalent intensity continuous illumination.
  • the photosynthetic organism is an algae, and more preferably, a microalgae, such as, e.g., Nannochloropsis salina or Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
  • the pulse frequency ranges from 0.1 to 5 Hz, the duty cycle from 20/1 to 1/10, and the light intensity from 50 to 200 ⁇ m ' V 1 . More preferably, the pulse frequency is 1 Hz, the duty cycle is 1/2 and the light intensity is 150 ⁇ m ' V 1 .
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a system according to the invention wherein a light source illuminates a modulator or light valve. Illumination from the light source, modulated by the modulator or light valve, under the control of a controller and sensors falls on photosynthetic organism(s).
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a system according to the invention where the modulator is a liquid crystal valve under the control of controller wherein the modulated light illuminates photosynthetic organisms.
  • a power source powers the controller and driver logic which drives the liquid crystal valve. Parameters for the modulator are configured by user interface (5102)
  • FIG. 3 illustrates the intensity of light from the sun.
  • Graph (600) shows intensity of the light (604) as function of time.
  • Graph (602) shows intensity of modulated light as a function of time, providing a light intensity wave form.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a greenhouse with liquid crystal valve panels for light modulation in place of some or all of the windows.
  • FIG. 5A illustrates lenses that focus light onto the leftmost third of a sample of a photosynthetic organism(s).
  • FIG. 5B illustrates the lenses of FIG. 5 A, repositioned in order to focus light onto a middle third of a sample of photosynthetic organism(s).
  • FIG. 5C illustrates the lenses of FIG. 5 A, repositioned to focus light onto a rightmost third of a sample of photosynthetic organism(s).
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of the lenses of FIGs. 5A-5C.
  • the present invention provides improved methods and systems for growing photosynthetic organisms.
  • the inventive methods and systems provides for modulating a light source, e.g., sunlight, with a light valve or analogous light control means, to provide optimized, pulsed illumination with alternating light and dark cycles.
  • a light valve according to the invention includes, e.g., one or more electronically controlled liquid crystal light valves, reflectors with optional movable components, such as mirrors (including micromirrors), lens or prism systems with optional movable components and analogous optical hardware.
  • photosynthetic organism is intended to broadly encompass all organisms that contain chlorophyll or bacteriochlorophyll a or b and carry on photosynthesis in order to meet all or part of their nutritional requirements. These include, without limitation, photosynthetic bacteria, photosynthetic plants e.g., multicellular and unicellular plants and preferably photosynthetic plants of commercial, e.g., agricultural, interest, both terrestrial and aquatic in origin. In addition organisms might have other photosensitive components such as carotenoid pigments.
  • Example plants related to horticultural production in a greenhouse environment can include, for example and without limitation; vegetables (such as tomatoes, cucumber), potted vegetables (such as lettuce), berries, herbs, cut flowers, potted flowers, ornamental plants seedlings and cuttings.
  • vegetable products can include, e.g., vegetables (such as onion, carrot, cabbages, spinach), berries (strawberry, blueberries), fruits (apples, oranges), wine, nurseries, cut flowers and green cuttings.
  • the photosynthetic organisms employed in the practice of the invention are plants grown in greenhouse environment.
  • the photosynthetic organisms employed in the practice of the invention are algae.
  • algae refers to a large and diverse group of typically heterotrophic, eukaryotic organisms that can be found growing in fresh, salt or brackish water. While the group encompasses multicellular seaweeds, the algae referred to herein are preferred to belong to the unicellular variety, i.e., microalgae. Generally, the term "algae" as employed herein references microalgae, unless otherwise indicated.
  • the methods and systems of the invention provide for light control devices configured to provide a ON/OFF (i.e., light/dark) illumination cycle of "modulated light.”
  • the modulated light can be provided in a range of frequencies, including, for example, from about 1 through about 10,000Hz, from about 10 through about 5,000 Hz, from about 20 through about 1,000 Hz, from about 20 through about 500 Hz, from about 40 through about 100 Hz, from about 10 through about 50 Hz and from about 20 to about 40 Hz. In one embodiment, 30 Hz is employed.
  • the modulated light can be provided in a range of duty cycles.
  • a duty cycle identifies the ratio of ON (light) verses OFF (dark) phases of the modulated light.
  • the modulated light can be controlled to have, for example, light ON for 1 unit and light OFF for 19 units i.e. 1/20 as a duty cycle.
  • Using a 1/2 ratio as a duty cycle results in 1/2 of the sunlight reaching the illuminated photosynthetic organisms in a given time period, relative to unmodulated, continuous light illumination.
  • Using a 1/3 ratio as a duty cycle results in 1/3 of the sunlight reaching the illuminated
  • Continuous light illumination can be converted to modulated light, for example, by means of a liquid crystal based light valve based on nematic liquid crystals.
  • Light valves and display devices and nematic liquid crystal compounds useful therein are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,322,485 by Williams, incorporated by reference herein.
  • Such light valves are controlled by an electric field and operate when the liquid crystal material is in its mesomorphic state.
  • the material is slightly turbid in appearance and scatters light to some extent.
  • a thin layer of such a material is relatively transparent to light incident thereon.
  • the direction of alignment of the liquid crystal molecules (which in the absence of an electric field exist in randomly oriented domains), in an electric field depends upon the direction of the dipole moment of the molecule with respect to its molecular axis.
  • the aligned crystals can be configured to operate as a polarization filter, thus forming the basis for a functioning, electrically controlled light shutter when combined with a parallel polarization filters patterned at right angles to the aligned crystals of liquid crystal panel when the electric field is applied.
  • Such light valves or shutters are commercially available.
  • MagicFoilTM from MediaVision in Germany (www dot media-vision dot de) that is a liquid crystal based material that is transparent when the current is flowing, and opaque in the absence of current.
  • the manufacturer BMG MIS from Germany, Ulm also sells liquid crystal based products such as a liquid crystal based wall (a large liquid crystal element) and related control electronics that can be adapted to the purposes of the present invention.
  • active liquid crystal light valves with typically thin film transistor embedded in the structure are preferably employed.
  • Such active liquid crystal light valves are art known, e.g., as described by U.S. Patent Nos. 5,245,455 and 6,133,897.
  • Modulated light can also be obtained from continuous light by employing other light control devices, such as, for example, mirrors, lenses and/or prisms that can be rotated in a circular or reciprocal movement to alternately direct the light source, e.g., sunlight, towards and away from the photosynthetic organism(s) that are under cultivation.
  • other light control devices such as, for example, mirrors, lenses and/or prisms that can be rotated in a circular or reciprocal movement to alternately direct the light source, e.g., sunlight, towards and away from the photosynthetic organism(s) that are under cultivation.
  • example system (100) includes a light source (102) that radiates light (1020).
  • the light source (102) is the sun.
  • light source (102) can be one or more artificial lights or can include a portion of artificial light in combination with, or alternating with, sunlight.
  • the spectrum of light (1020) can include visible and non- visible light.
  • light energy from the sun corresponds to about 1000 Watts/square meter (m 2 ).
  • An alternative way to measure energy from the sun is with units of ⁇ / ⁇ 2 / sec i.e., how many photons arrive per square meter per second.
  • ⁇ / ⁇ 2 / sec i.e., how many photons arrive per square meter per second.
  • the amount of light arriving at the Earth's surface is typically far more than is needed for growth, leading to photoinhibition.
  • Photosynthetic organism(s) (106) use the energy from the sun to grow (as in the photosynthesis reactions).
  • photosynthetic organisms include, without limitation, algae, corn, beans, wheat, rice, vegetables, tomatoes, flowers, grass, salad, and any other art-known useful crop.
  • the photosynthetic organisms (106) can grow in soil, in water, in air, etc. as appropriate.
  • the photosynthetic organisms are fed with fertilizers, water, nutrients from time to time, using, for example, automatic systems (116).
  • an example of an automated system When the photosynthetic organisms are plants growing in soil, or in a hydroponic apparatus or systems, an example of an automated system will also include an automated watering system. When the photosynthetic organisms are algae, an example of an automated system will also include an automated CO 2 feeding system to provide CO 2 for photosynthesis.
  • the automated systems (116) can be connected to controller (110).
  • the controller (110) can receive sensor data from sensor (112) to measure the effect of direct sunlight (1020) without modulation / modification and from sensor (114) to measure modulated light (1022).
  • the system of FIG. 1 also includes a modulator (104) (light valve) to modulate radiated light (1020) to modulated light (1022).
  • the modulator is optionally controlled by controller (110). Parameters to control include the frequency and duty cycle.
  • Example duty cycles include those where the modulator is at the "ON"-stage (i.e., allows light to pass through) for 1 unit of time and is at the "OFF"-stage (i.e. blocking the light) for 2 units of time i.e., having 1/3 as duty cycle (for ON time).
  • Alternative duty cycle can be for example having light ON for 1 unit and OFF for 9 units i.e. 1/10 as duty cycle. Using 1/3 as duty cycle results in 1/3 of the sun light to reach the material 106. Using 1/10 as duty cycle results in 1/10 of the sun light to reach the material 106.
  • the modulator is a liquid crystal light valve (512).
  • the modulator is used to modulate incoming light (502) to modulated light (504).
  • the modulated light (504) is used by plants (or other organisms needing light) (522).
  • the liquid crystal light valve is controlled by a controller (500).
  • Controller (500) has power source (5100) to provide electricity for the driver logic (5104) which drives the liquid crystal light valve (512).
  • Power source (5100) can be battery or it can be transformer receiving power from power outlet.
  • driver logic (5104) provides alternative voltage via control wires (510) to liquid crystal light valve transparent electrodes that are in the top part (506) and bottom part (508) of the liquid crystal light valve.
  • the top part and bottom part have polarization filters.
  • the filters are aligned at 90 degree angle to each others.
  • no voltage is applied to the transparent electrodes light passes via the light valve, since the liquid crystal material rotatates light 90 degrees.
  • the resulting electric field aligns liquid crystal molecules in such a orientation that the light is not rotated, thus blocking the light from passing through the valve (OFF stage).
  • controller (500) optionally includes an user interface (5102) to enable a user to program / configure parameters (duty cycle and frequency) of the controller as well as display status / settings for the users.
  • the frequency can vary from 0 Hz (ON or OFF all the time) to several 100 's of Hz with liquid crystal light valves, or higher (1000's) depending on implementation. Typically, lower frequencies can be achieved with cost efficient passive liquid crystal light valves. For higher frequencies it might be beneficial to use active liquid crystal light valves with typically thin film transistor embedded in the structure. Thus, for example, the frequency ranges from about 10 through 5,000 Hz, more particularly from about 20 through about 1,000 Hz, from about 20 through about 500 Hz, from about 40 through about 100 Hz, and from about 10 through about 50 Hz.
  • the duty cycle can be used to modify the total amount of light (as integrated over time) (504) for the plants (522).
  • intensity of incoming light (502) from the sun during the midday can be in range of 2000 ⁇ 1/ ⁇ 2 /8 ⁇ (designated as I sun ).
  • Intensity value during the ON time is I SU n and during OFF time intensity value is 0 (depending on the transmission characteristics of the light valve).
  • the plants (522) do not get any or limited amount of light.
  • light intensity (504) is set to 1/10 or less of the normal midday sun in equator using duty cycle of 1/10 to 1/20.
  • the duty cycle migh be varied to take in account lower incoming intensity of light (502).
  • I SU n cloudy can be 20% of I SU n (normal day) i.e., about 400 ⁇ / ⁇ 2 /8 ⁇ .
  • Adjusting the duty cycle to 1/2 would lead to an integrated amount of light of 200 ⁇ 1/ ⁇ 2 /8 ⁇ i.e., giving same total amount of light for the plants as during a sunny day.
  • duty cycles are selected to be from 1/2 to 1/9 to compensate for a lower incoming radiation intensity.
  • the duty cycle can be modified based on intensity of incoming light.
  • the controller can also optionally include a set of pre-programmed parameters and programs for different types of environments and photosynthetic organisms.
  • the pre-programmed parameters can be also be dynamic and change as function of time and environment. Change of the parameters can be deterministic (change of duty cycle as function of growing time, first week for example 1/10, second week 1/9, third week 1/8 etc. Change of parameters can also be done automatically based on environment such as weather and stage of the growth.
  • the controller (500) can also include communication interface to connect to external computing device (520) over communication network such as Internet over communication module (5106).
  • the connection can be wired or wireless.
  • the external computing device (520) can be for example server or servers. Said servers can be used to remotely configure controller (500) in dynamic manner. Remote configurability enables to update controller with frequency and duty cycles if needed. In some embodiments duty cycles and frequencies can be tuned based on type of organism / plant to be grown. In further embodiments control parameters might be modified based on weather, time of the year, time of the day, type/maturity /age of the plant, desired end product composition (such as size, amount of nutrients, amount of sugar).
  • FIG. 3 An example of modulation according to the invention is illustrated by FIG. 3.
  • the graph (600) shows the intensity of the light (604) as function of time. As the light is modulated, a light intensity wave form as shown in (602) is presented. There is ON time (606) and OFF time (608) of the light, depending on the parameters.
  • FIG. 4 there is provided a greenhouse (400) built using liquid crystal light valve modulators / light valve foil (402).
  • the windows in the greenhouse are replaced (all or some) or covered with liquid crystal light valve glass (or folio) (402) in the roof and/or ceilings (404).
  • windows (406) which can be opened, can include an liquid crystal light valve modulator.
  • the glass is used to modulate the light to produce the flashing / modulated light effect for the plants which are grown in the green house.
  • a light modulating material in a fourth embodiment, as with above described greenhouse an, open pond algae growth facility can be covered with a light modulating material.
  • algae growth facilities implemented using transparent pipes for pumping an aqueous algae growth medium under sunlight can be covered with a light modulating layer, e.g., a liquid crystal light valve panel.
  • the layer can be set above the pipes or it can optionally be an integral part of the pipes.
  • the systems as illustrated by FIGs. 1 and 2, discussed above optionally further include artificial lights, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), installed close to the photosynthetic organism(s).
  • the LEDs can be used to simulate modulated light during the night time, and other times when the sun is not available.
  • there can be a set of LEDs which are providing light in dedicated wave lengths and are modulated (duty cycle and frequency) to correspond to similar environment as modulated from the sun.
  • the light provided by the LEDs is modulated in different manner than with a modulating layer.
  • the LEDs are used together with sunlight to further enhance the growth of the photosynthetic organism(s).
  • Figure 5A illustrates an arrangement with three lenses (200), (202) and (204).
  • the lenses can be rotated around axis (206).
  • the incoming light (2000) consists of parallel light.
  • Lenses are used to direct light towards the photosynthetic organisms in a way that provides on/off illumination as a function of the direction of light focused by each respective lens to a first third of the growing area, to a second third of the growing area, and to the last third of the growing area, with repetitions, as in Figure 5A.
  • the system provides on/off illumination as a function of the direction of light focused by each respective lens to a first third of the growing area, to a second third of the growing area, and to the last third of the growing area, with repetition.
  • Figure 5B illustrates a situation where the lenses of Figure 5 A have been rotated counter clockwise and light is directed to the middle portion of the growing area of the photosynthetic organisms (210).
  • Figure 5C illustrates the light rays (2010) directed to the photosynthetic organisms to the rightmost portion of the growing area of the photosynthetic organisms.
  • a duty cycle of 1/3 is achieved.
  • the total amount of light provided to the photosynthetic organisms is the same as with direct illumination, since the light is not blocked. In essence, light is concentrated to one part of the material at a time and tracked across the surface of the photosynthetic organisms to be grown, resulting in an on off illumination cycle.
  • FIG. 5A, 5B and 5C are shown from the top (i.e., from the direction of light source) in Figure 6 in order to provide an overview.
  • Prisms/lenses (300) are arranged in groups of 3 (for 1/3 duty cycle) designated with A, B, C. Each of the prisms (300) are rotated by motor(s) (302). The motor(s) (302) are controlled by controller (304).
  • each A prism or lens is in same angle as other A prism or lens
  • each B prism or lens is in the same angle as other B prisms/lens
  • each C prism/lens is in the same angle as other C prism/lens.
  • each prism/lens is controlled separately. Based on one embodiment, and to simplify, the prisms are preferably directed in a North - South direction.
  • High power, wide spectrum Cool white LED lamps are used to mimic sunlight in these experiments.
  • the lamps are configured to provide light intensities which are relative to light intensity from the sun.
  • Higher light intensity of about 2000 ⁇ m "2 s "1 is used to simulate high light conditions of midday (midday test) and lower light intensity of about 300 ⁇ m "2 s "1 is used to simulate lower light conditions such as during cloudy day or at dawn / dusk (cloudy day test).
  • a liquid crystal light valve panel (LCLV) based modulator panel is installed between the light source and the photobioreactor.
  • Light is modulated with a variety of frequencies and duty cycles with the LCLV.
  • Growth is measured by daily changes in optical density of the microalgae suspension in the growth medium at OD 750.
  • the specific growth rate is calculated by the slope of the logarithmic phase for number of cells.
  • microalgae species in this example are the art-known, good lipid producer
  • Light intensity has been suggested to have an influence in algal lipid production, with strong illumination inducing lipid accumulation. By switching the light conditions during cultivation it is possible to change the production from biomass growth towards lipid production.
  • the light was provided by 120W LedGrow Warm white panels consisting of 55x2W light emitting diodes (Epistar Bridgelux) and provided by LEDFinland.
  • the light valve with trade name " 'MagicFoil” was provided by MediaVision
  • Pulse frequency in the test 1 Hz.
  • the algae were grown in 400 ml volume in aerated photobioreactors with CO2 addition.
  • the algae Nannochloropsis salina Tests I, II and III was maintained in sea water supplemented with Guillard's ill nutrients (Sigma Chemicals) as described by Sforza et al. 2012, Id, The growth medium was supplemented with 5 mM ⁇ : !( ' () : as CO2 source and 1.5 g/l a O to prevent nitrogen starvation. For each test group condition three or four individual replicates were grown and analyzed
  • Test I algae grown under the modulator panel in "open" non-pulsing mode; control.
  • Test II algae grown under the modulator panel in pulsed mode (1 Hz, DT 1 ⁇ 2).
  • Test III algae grown in direct light without panel; control.
  • lipid content in cells showed significant differences between different experimental conditions. Based on Nile Red fluorescence at 580 nm, lipid content per cell was highest in Test II, where algae were grown under pulsed light (Table 1). Even considering variation between individual replicates, the data suggests pulsed light has an increasing effect on lipid production. Individual replicates, e.g. IIA and IID show even higher cellular lipid content so that the difference between the highest (IID) and lowest (IIIB) recorded intensity is almost 80%. This confirms that modulated light has a high potential to improve algae lipid production and boost e.g. biofuel production.

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Abstract

La présente invention concerne des procédés et systèmes pour la culture d'organismes photosynthétiques par l'éclairage des organismes photosynthétiques avec une lumière modulée, la lumière modulée présentant un cycle marche/arrêt pulsé, et la lumière comportant la lumière solaire modulée, avec une lumière artificielle supplémentaire facultative.
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CN105087352A (zh) * 2015-06-12 2015-11-25 浙江海洋学院 一种新型微藻培养的设备及方法
CN105123490A (zh) * 2015-06-12 2015-12-09 浙江海洋学院 一种新型海洋微藻异养培养的设备及方法

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105087352A (zh) * 2015-06-12 2015-11-25 浙江海洋学院 一种新型微藻培养的设备及方法
CN105123490A (zh) * 2015-06-12 2015-12-09 浙江海洋学院 一种新型海洋微藻异养培养的设备及方法

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