WO2022172300A1 - Apparatus and method for producing algal biomass - Google Patents
Apparatus and method for producing algal biomass Download PDFInfo
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- WO2022172300A1 WO2022172300A1 PCT/IT2021/050324 IT2021050324W WO2022172300A1 WO 2022172300 A1 WO2022172300 A1 WO 2022172300A1 IT 2021050324 W IT2021050324 W IT 2021050324W WO 2022172300 A1 WO2022172300 A1 WO 2022172300A1
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- algal
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- algal biomass
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Classifications
-
- 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
- C12M23/00—Constructional details, e.g. recesses, hinges
- C12M23/58—Reaction vessels connected in series or in parallel
-
- 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
- C12M47/00—Means for after-treatment of the produced biomass or of the fermentation or metabolic products, e.g. storage of biomass
- C12M47/14—Drying
Definitions
- the present invention refers to an apparatus and method for the production of algal biomass with the aid of industrial and/or urban waste as a means of growth.
- Algae are photosynthetic organisms with no leaves, stems, roots or vascular systems that are typical of the structure of higher plants. This type of plant body is called a thallus and is composed of filaments, cells or unicellular forms with more complex leafy or branched structures.
- the term algae refers to microscopic species whose diameter can be less than 1 pm, and macroscopic species commonly called marine algae whose plant body can reach dimensions up to 60 m in length as in the case of giant algae.
- Algae are organisms with a plant structure; photoautotrophic, heterotrophic or mixotrophic; unicellular or multicellular living in seas, rivers and lakes; which can proliferate in fresh, sea or brackish water and which produce chemical energy by photosynthesis using solar energy in order to generate oxygen and synthesize sugars and the energy necessary for their survival.
- production plants related to their large-scale cultivation whose use concerns multiple applications, such as:
- Microalgae therefore represent a resource to be exploited to the maximum in developing countries where the energy source represented by solar energy is constant and there is a significant need for foods with high nutritional and restorative power; such intensive cultivation can take place in a sustainable manner, not by subtracting resources from agriculture but by allowing the recycling of water and the abatement of polluting atmospheric gases.
- these cultivation systems in unprotected open tanks do not guarantee monospecific productions (axenic crops) and/or a high quality of the biomass produced, and are mainly used for a limited number of so-called "extremophilic" species such as Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina platensis) and Dunaliella salina, which grow in extreme selective conditions, respectively of high pH (generally over 9) and high salinity (over 40 per thousand), in order to avoid as much as possible problems of contamination from other algal species or from other microorganisms.
- extremeophilic species such as Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina platensis) and Dunaliella salina, which grow in extreme selective conditions, respectively of high pH (generally over 9) and high salinity (over 40 per thousand), in order to avoid as much as possible problems of contamination from other algal species or from other microorganisms.
- the initial concentration of axenic cultures is crucial to prevent contamination of other microalgal species; the "open ponds" can be protected from rain and other contaminants, such as wind and/or birds (insects and birds), by means of transparent plastic sheets (or fine mesh nets) or by greenhouses.
- a waterproof plastic sheet covering is often used in the bottom of the earth basins in order to optimize the control of the biotic parameters and to reduce or eliminate possible percolations; however, the use of sheets entails a significant increase in installation costs compared to clay or rammed earth solutions.
- microalgae on a medium-small scale is instead carried out with the aid of closed systems, photo-bioreactors or optimal cultivation systems for the growth of photosynthetic microorganisms such as microalgae (including cyanobacteria) and photosynthetic bacteria, which require advanced technologies above all for the control of all process parameters such as pH, temperature, hydrodynamics, cell concentration, nutrient supply etc., and whose basic function is to guarantee a controlled process in which it is possible to produce microbial biomass and/or metabolites.
- photosynthetic microorganisms such as microalgae (including cyanobacteria) and photosynthetic bacteria
- Microalgae cultivation can start in very small volumes such as Petri dishes or Erlen-meyer flasks (50ml to 2L).
- FBRs photo-bioreactors
- Large-scale industrial growing systems can be built in "open ponds"
- Open ponds are classified into two types: artificial ponds and natural waters such as lakes, lagoons or ponds, moreover for marine microalgae species sea water can be used as raw material. Ponds are usually referred to as “raceway ponds” and can be used with specific growth conditions depending on the microalgae species such as Arthrospira sp. which requires a high concentration of sodium bicarbonate or Dunaliella salina which requires extremely salty water. The crucial advantage of open ponds lies in their simple, low- cost operating systems and low production costs. Raceway ponds are the most common type of open system cultivation where algae, water and nutrients circulate around a track.
- the flow of algae in the aqueous solution is ensured by paddle wheels which prevent the sedimentation of algal cells and guide their homogenization in the algal cultivation system.
- the water depth is commonly shallow depending on the sunlight needs of the algal cells. Sunlight can penetrate to a limited depth through microalgae cultivation systems.
- the system works with a continuous cultivation of microalgae where the fresh feed can be obtained from different sources of wastewater involving nutrients and is added where the paddle wheels are attached in the system to provide distribution and circulation of the raw material.
- this solution is very economical, it has limitations in controlling the growth parameters, in controlling the right lighting.
- the closed system photo-bioreactors can be of different types such as vertical tubular ("airlift bubble column”), flat screen, horizontal tubular, helical type, agitated tank or hybrid.
- Column photo-bioreactors these are generally cylindrical structures of variable volume, which are filled with the growth medium and microalgae, whose lighting can be both natural and artificial, in particular some systems are equipped with concentrating solar panels and optical fibers to convey the sunlight and direct it inside the cylinders, with very high production and maintenance costs of the system.
- Artificial lighting systems generally make use of LED light sources, in order to use only the wavelengths most absorbed by the algae, thus optimizing efficiency and production, but have limits mainly due to control and automation of growth processes.
- the systems described so far generally use culture media based on expensive, polluting chemical and industrial fertilizers, unlike the applicant's method which is based on the valorization of industrial waste such as sludge or wastewater, animal or vegetable biomass, sewage and sewage from the networks urban.
- the growth medium is optimized on the basis of the ratio between the content of trace elements and the carbon, nitrogen or phosphorus content of the liquid waste, while the industrial growth medium represents the reference from which to derive the waste.
- the quantity and type of metals (such as copper and zinc) is of particular importance since high concentrations can give rise to an inhibitory effect for algal growth; microalgal cells need balanced and accurate mechanisms to regulate absorption, transport, and storage of these elements and, in addition, the photosynthesis apparatus is sensitive to high levels of heavy metals.
- the preventive analysis of the content of the waste to be optimized as a microalgal fertilizer is required to maximize microalgal growth; it is therefore necessary that for each category of waste in the various solid, liquid or gaseous forms, the analysis is perfected and carried out with different protocols in order to obtain the best growth and production rates of the desired metabolites from the microalgae biomass.
- the optimization protocol i.e. the growth parameters such as temperature, pH, illumination, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, etc.
- the best combination of parameters obtained is sent and recorded in the dedicated management and control software.
- the process of monitoring and controlling microalgae growth is performed in real-time with the aid of control sensors that integrate innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence and the internet of things; harvesting and crop refresh times are managed automatically by the software and the control system.
- Object of the present invention is solving prior art problems such as the synthesis of the growth medium, the optimization of the growth parameters, the control and automation of the algae production process, the optimization of the extraction protocols and finally flexibility through an apparatus and method for the production of algal biomass using industrial and/or urban waste as a means of growth (100).
- Another object of the invention is integrating the applicant's invention into new generation or already existing industrial and/or civil systems, thus enhancing potentially polluting waste from an environmental point of view in the event that they are not disposed of adequately and minimizing them, also disposal costs.
- FIG. 1 shows the apparatus for the production of algal biomass with the aid of industrial and/or urban waste as a means of growth (100), according to the present invention.
- the apparatus for the production of algal biomass using industrial and/or urban waste as a means of growth is designed for the enhancement of a wide range of waste such as waste water, dairy water, sludge, sewage, animal biomass, vegetable biomass, etc., using them as a growth medium for algal production instead of chemical and industrial fertilizers, and includes a tank (1) designed to contain the waste to be converted and disposed of, connected to one pump (2), two reservoirs (3) and (4) designed to derive two culture media optimized for the photoautotrophy and heterotrophy phases of algal growth, connected to the hydraulic separator (5), two photo-bioreactors (6) and (7) designed for photoautotrophy and heterotrophy of algal growth, connected to reservoirs (3) and (4) and a dryer (8) designed to obtain dry algal biomass [DAB], connected to reservoir (7) and concentrator (9).
- a tank (1) designed to contain the waste to be converted and disposed of, connected to one pump (2), two reservoirs (3) and (4) designed to derive two culture media optimized for the photoautotrophy and heterot
- the apparatus for the production of algal biomass using industrial and/or urban waste as a growth medium (100) is able to monitor the control of microalgal growth in real-time through the use of sensors, electronics and dedicated control software, which integrates innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence and the internet of things, able to regulate all physical parameters (temperature, pH, lighting and turbidity) through the use of dedicated algorithms and actuators, through the connection with the web server (16).
- the system is equipped with security alarms and automatic security and periodic notifications (email and app notifications). Remotely accessible from both fixed and mobile devices.
- the tank (1) is connected by means of a pump (2) to a hydraulic separator (5) which divides and conveys the waste to be converted and disposed of towards the tanks (3) and (4); in particular, in the tank (3) the waste is mixed with water and with a specific chemical solution [SL1] to obtain a culture medium optimized for the photoautotrophic phase of algal growth and delivered by the container (10), connected to the tank (3).
- the photoautotrophic growth condition provides the conversion of C02 and light source into organic components via photosynthesis and is the most common and energy-saving growth condition that can be achieved in both open and closed system microalgae cultivation. In this process, microalgae use inorganic carbon as a carbon source and light as an energy source where C02 injection improves the efficiency of photoautotrophic growth.
- the disadvantage of photoautotrophic growth is the inhibition of the penetration of light depending on the cultivation system on the increasing concentration of microalgae, and the consequent optical density. This mutual shading of microalgae cells causes insufficient light which results in low biomass productivity in the growing system leading to a high cost harvesting process.
- the addition of a heterotrophic growth phase at the end of the photoautotrophic growth phase is a promising solution to this problem and increases the productivity of the biomass that is presented in this invention.
- Photo-bioreactors provide efficient biomass productivity with successful light irradiation, improved fluid dynamics and gas-liquid diffusion under photoautotrophic growth conditions.
- microalgae collect radiant energy from the sun or artificial lighting into valuable products at the expense of inexpensive natural resources such as C02 and H20 which contribute to the global reduction of C02, furthermore microalgae bloom can be supplied with salt exposure and excessive solar energy. Inhibition of other types of crops dependent on lacking nutrient sources is an advantage for the growth of photoautotrophic microalgae.
- the culture medium leaving the tank (3) is sent to a photo-bioreactor (6) in which the photoautotrophic phase of the algal growth starts for a non-limiting period of time between 10 days and 3 weeks, according to the cultivated species, and said culture medium in the photo bioreactor (6) is illuminated with variable light and dark cycles, according to the algal species, with a LED source (11) with a wavelength between 400 nm and 700 nm connected therein, necessary for the growth of algal biomass; artificial lights with LED technology are among the most energy efficient systems, they can be of fixed intensity and simply be switched on or off, they are located inside the photo-bioreactor in such a way as to maximize the light intensity incident on the algae, and are regulated by a vision system based on artificial intelligence that allows to optimize the energy consumption of the system during the growth phases and to automatically adjust the light intensity based on the optical density or absorbance measured, or the intensity of electromagnetic radiation which is absorbed by a body.
- a vision system based on artificial intelligence that allows to optimize the energy consumption of the system
- the system is also able to individually control the intensity of the different wavelengths of the light supplied to the cultivation, in such a way as to be versatile and flexible according to the algal species cultivated, with different absorption peaks as the length of the wave.
- the absorbance peaks of the spectrophotometric light of the microalga Neochloris oleoabundans were referred to as blue wavelength 436 nm, red wavelength 665 nm by measuring the absorption spectrum of the model organism with a ratio of 2: 1.
- the system is able to generate only the wavelengths indicated in the desired ratio, with a consequent energy saving compared to fixed solutions or with a wide photometric spectrum.
- the photo- bioreactor (6) is ventilated with an air flow and/or C02 necessary to prevent the sedimentation of algae by means of a compressed air pump (12) which naturally vents the environment to the outside (16) connected therein, said algal biomass leaving said photo-bioreactor (6) is transported by a pump (13) towards a concentrator (9) to separate the residual water and convey it for subsequent uses towards the tank (3) by means of the pump (15), said algal biomass leaving the concentrator (9) is sent to a dryer (8) to obtain dry algal biomass [DAB].
- a compressed air pump (12) which naturally vents the environment to the outside (16) connected therein
- said algal biomass leaving said photo-bioreactor (6) is transported by a pump (13) towards a concentrator (9) to separate the residual water and convey it for subsequent uses towards the tank (3) by means of the pump (15)
- said algal biomass leaving the concentrator (9) is sent to a dryer (8) to obtain dry algal biomass [DAB].
- the crucial advantage of this growth condition is that it eliminates the photolimitation that occurs in the photoautotrophic growth condition, consequently the microalgae are independent of light. This type of condition provides lightless growth from the combined respiratory and fermentative microalgae.
- Heterotrophic conditions provide convenient microalgal biomass production and high biomass productivity where organic carbons such as pyruvate, acetate, lactate, ethanol, saturated fatty acids, glycolate, glycerol, C6 sugars (e.g. glucose and fructose), monosaccharides C5 (e.g. xylose and arabinose), disaccharides (e.g. lactose, sucrose and cellobiose) and amino acids are metabolized as carbon sources. These organic carbon sources can be obtained from waste valorization, which is a significant advantage for large-scale microalgae production systems.
- the heterotrophic growth condition excessively increases cell density and provides batch microalgae biomass which allows for simpler and cheaper operating systems for the harvesting process.
- Microalgal cells grown heterotrophically show a rapid growth rate, high productivity of algal biomass together with a high content of cellular lipids.
- Chlorella protothecoides, C. vulgaris or N. oleoabundans showed greater lipid accumulation during heterotrophic growth conditions compared to photoautotrophic growth conditions.
- Microorganisms possess a 'dark metabolism' which is essentially the same as the non-photosynthetic metabolism of organisms such as yeasts for which carbon sources used by microalgae in dark conditions are assumed to transform into carbon intermediates in major metabolic pathways, replacing photosynthetically produced molecules, therefore it has been proposed that incomplete pathways or the absence of an enzymatic reaction in the central carbon metabolism are the primary cause of obligate photoautotrophic growth.
- TCA tricarboxylic acid
- the concentration of the nitrogen source of the microalgal medium is another crucial parameter that should be modified to achieve a heterotrophic growth condition.
- the nitrogen source has a strong influence on cellular metabolic activities and biochemical composition which is a primary nutrient to provide protein synthesis and production of nucleotides and enzymes.
- the type of nitrogen source affects the biochemical composition and nitrogen uptake of a specific species.
- heterotrophy means the nutritional condition of a living organism that is unable to synthesize all its organic molecules autonomously from other inorganic molecules, such as using carbon dioxide, and for survival the organism must refer to organic compounds previously synthesized by other organisms, which are instead called autotrophs, such as all plants that possess chlorophyll.
- the culture medium leaving the tank (4) is sent to the photo-bioreactor (7), connected therein, in which the heterotrophic phase of the algal growth starts for a variable time period according to the cultivated species and in the absence of light sources, and said photo bioreactor (7) is ventilated with a flow of air and/or C02 necessary to prevent the sedimentation of algae by means of a compressed air pump (14) which naturally vents towards the outside environment (16), therein connected.
- the algal biomass of high production efficiency and of superior quality leaving the photo-bioreactor (7) is sent to the dryer (8) to obtain the dry algal biomass [DAB].
- the apparatus and method of the present invention can easily be integrated, for example, in a center for the treatment of urban waste water, using a culture system for microalgae of the photo bioreactor type fed by the sludge deriving from the treatment of urban water, thus enhancing potentially polluting waste from an environmental point of view if not disposed of correctly as well as subject to very high disposal costs.
- the growth medium for algae is advantageously obtained from the synthesis of the sludge already present on site, which instead of having to be disposed of through expensive chemical and industrial processes, is used for the cultivation of microalgae; the algal biomass obtained cyclically from cultivation can be used for the production of biofuels, bioplastics or for multiple industrial applications, thus converting a polluting and expensive waste to be treated into a raw material that can be easily resold in various industrial sectors.
- the automatic management of the lighting system by means of the dedicated software, guarantees the alternation of the phases of light and dark necessary for the algal growth with numerous advantages compared to existing systems, such as scalability or the possibility of cultivating different volumes both on a small or large scale, flexibility, i.e. the possibility of using the system to cultivate different algal species, automation, i.e. minimizing the necessary manual operations and optimization, i.e. the possibility of regulating and adjusting the growth parameters dynamically to achieve high production efficiency.
Abstract
An apparatus and a method for the production of algal biomass are described with the aid of industrial and/or urban waste as a growth medium (100), comprising a tank (1) to contain the waste, connected to a pump (2), two tanks (3) and (4) to derive two culture media for the photoautotrophy and heterotrophy phases of the algal growth, connected to the hydraulic separator (5), two photo-bioreactors (6) and (7) for the photoautotrophy and heterotrophy phases of the algal growth, and a dryer (8) to obtain dry algal biomass [DAB], able to monitor the control of microalgae growth in real-time through the use of sensors, electronics and dedicated control software, which integrates technologies innovative such as artificial intelligence and the internet of things, able to regulate all physical parameters (temperature, pH, lighting and turbidity), through the connection with the web server (16).
Description
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING ALGAL BIOMASS
The present invention refers to an apparatus and method for the production of algal biomass with the aid of industrial and/or urban waste as a means of growth. Algae are photosynthetic organisms with no leaves, stems, roots or vascular systems that are typical of the structure of higher plants. This type of plant body is called a thallus and is composed of filaments, cells or unicellular forms with more complex leafy or branched structures. The term algae refers to microscopic species whose diameter can be less than 1 pm, and macroscopic species commonly called marine algae whose plant body can reach dimensions up to 60 m in length as in the case of giant algae. Their different structures compared to those of higher plants provide various advantages such as ensuring proliferation even in extreme habitats, under exposure to different types of stress or the high growth rate due to the reproductive tract. The
potential biomass yield per unit area obtained from an algal crop is higher than that of any terrestrial plant, which makes algae very promising as a biomass source for future agricultural and environmental applications.
Algae are organisms with a plant structure; photoautotrophic, heterotrophic or mixotrophic; unicellular or multicellular living in seas, rivers and lakes; which can proliferate in fresh, sea or brackish water and which produce chemical energy by photosynthesis using solar energy in order to generate oxygen and synthesize sugars and the energy necessary for their survival. There are various types of production plants related to their large-scale cultivation whose use concerns multiple applications, such as:
- pharmaceutical, for the continuous discoveries of bioactive molecules for the treatment of diseases; - bioenergetics, due to the high oil content and the production of hydrogen;
- environmental, for their bioremediation properties of aqueous soils polluted by dangerous organic compounds, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and enriched organic compounds.
Most of the world production is made with outdoor cultivation systems in tropical and sub tropical areas, where it is possible to optimize production efficiency by making the best use of sunlight as a source of energy during the course of the year; for the production of microalgae on a large scale, open ponds are mainly used, with mixing, shallow, circuit-configured (raceways) and equipped with electromechanical paddle agitators that impart a continuous rotary movement to the culture medium.
Microalgae therefore represent a resource to be exploited to the maximum in developing countries where the energy source represented by solar energy is constant and there is a significant need for foods with high nutritional and restorative power; such intensive cultivation can take place in a sustainable manner, not by subtracting resources from agriculture but by allowing the recycling of water and the abatement of polluting atmospheric gases.
In many regions with non-tropical climates, outdoor algal cultivation plants often have the disadvantage of being in unfavorable climatic conditions, such as not to allow continuous
production cycles during the course of the year, in which it is therefore necessary to maximize production and the seaweed harvesting in the hottest months and therefore for limited periods. Furthermore, these cultivation systems in unprotected open tanks do not guarantee monospecific productions (axenic crops) and/or a high quality of the biomass produced, and are mainly used for a limited number of so-called "extremophilic" species such as Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina platensis) and Dunaliella salina, which grow in extreme selective conditions, respectively of high pH (generally over 9) and high salinity (over 40 per thousand), in order to avoid as much as possible problems of contamination from other algal species or from other microorganisms.
In this context, the initial concentration of axenic cultures is crucial to prevent contamination of other microalgal species; the "open ponds" can be protected from rain and other contaminants, such as wind and/or birds (insects and birds), by means of transparent plastic sheets (or fine mesh nets) or by greenhouses. In addition, a waterproof plastic sheet covering is often used in the bottom of the earth basins in order to optimize the
control of the biotic parameters and to reduce or eliminate possible percolations; however, the use of sheets entails a significant increase in installation costs compared to clay or rammed earth solutions.
The production of microalgae on a medium-small scale is instead carried out with the aid of closed systems, photo-bioreactors or optimal cultivation systems for the growth of photosynthetic microorganisms such as microalgae (including cyanobacteria) and photosynthetic bacteria, which require advanced technologies above all for the control of all process parameters such as pH, temperature, hydrodynamics, cell concentration, nutrient supply etc., and whose basic function is to guarantee a controlled process in which it is possible to produce microbial biomass and/or metabolites.
Microalgae cultivation can start in very small volumes such as Petri dishes or Erlen-meyer flasks (50ml to 2L). As a step after these initial cultivation processes, photo-bioreactors (FBRs) have gained in importance and have proved to be a promising solution for large-scale algal cultivation technologies. Large-scale industrial
growing systems can be built in "open ponds"
(commonly with a paddle wheel for circulation) or closed systems such as photo-bioreactors where growing conditions (such as light intensity, pH or temperature) can be easily controlled. Various types of designs have been developed to achieve successful, economical and efficient algal biomass production .
Large-scale industrial photo-bioreactors must provide a practical operation where commercial applications can be cost-effective, sustainable and eco-friendly.
"Open ponds" are classified into two types: artificial ponds and natural waters such as lakes, lagoons or ponds, moreover for marine microalgae species sea water can be used as raw material. Ponds are usually referred to as "raceway ponds" and can be used with specific growth conditions depending on the microalgae species such as Arthrospira sp. which requires a high concentration of sodium bicarbonate or Dunaliella salina which requires extremely salty water. The crucial advantage of open ponds lies in their simple, low- cost operating systems and low production costs. Raceway ponds are the most common type of open
system cultivation where algae, water and nutrients circulate around a track. The flow of algae in the aqueous solution is ensured by paddle wheels which prevent the sedimentation of algal cells and guide their homogenization in the algal cultivation system. The water depth is commonly shallow depending on the sunlight needs of the algal cells. Sunlight can penetrate to a limited depth through microalgae cultivation systems. The system works with a continuous cultivation of microalgae where the fresh feed can be obtained from different sources of wastewater involving nutrients and is added where the paddle wheels are attached in the system to provide distribution and circulation of the raw material. Although this solution is very economical, it has limitations in controlling the growth parameters, in controlling the right lighting.
The closed system photo-bioreactors can be of different types such as vertical tubular ("airlift bubble column"), flat screen, horizontal tubular, helical type, agitated tank or hybrid. Column photo-bioreactors: these are generally cylindrical structures of variable volume, which are filled with the growth medium and microalgae, whose
lighting can be both natural and artificial, in particular some systems are equipped with concentrating solar panels and optical fibers to convey the sunlight and direct it inside the cylinders, with very high production and maintenance costs of the system. Artificial lighting systems generally make use of LED light sources, in order to use only the wavelengths most absorbed by the algae, thus optimizing efficiency and production, but have limits mainly due to control and automation of growth processes.
The solution of the present invention belongs to this last category with the differences and improvements that will be explained in detail later in this report.
The systems described so far generally use culture media based on expensive, polluting chemical and industrial fertilizers, unlike the applicant's method which is based on the valorization of industrial waste such as sludge or wastewater, animal or vegetable biomass, sewage and sewage from the networks urban.
In particular, the growth medium is optimized on the basis of the ratio between the content of trace elements and the carbon, nitrogen or
phosphorus content of the liquid waste, while the industrial growth medium represents the reference from which to derive the waste.
The quantity and type of metals (such as copper and zinc) is of particular importance since high concentrations can give rise to an inhibitory effect for algal growth; microalgal cells need balanced and accurate mechanisms to regulate absorption, transport, and storage of these elements and, in addition, the photosynthesis apparatus is sensitive to high levels of heavy metals.
The preventive analysis of the content of the waste to be optimized as a microalgal fertilizer is required to maximize microalgal growth; it is therefore necessary that for each category of waste in the various solid, liquid or gaseous forms, the analysis is perfected and carried out with different protocols in order to obtain the best growth and production rates of the desired metabolites from the microalgae biomass.
Furthermore, it is possible to alter the conditions of the growth medium obtained from waste by varying the optimization protocol, i.e. the growth parameters such as temperature, pH,
illumination, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, etc., on a small scale and, subsequently, the best combination of parameters obtained is sent and recorded in the dedicated management and control software.
The process of monitoring and controlling microalgae growth is performed in real-time with the aid of control sensors that integrate innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence and the internet of things; harvesting and crop refresh times are managed automatically by the software and the control system.
Object of the present invention is solving prior art problems such as the synthesis of the growth medium, the optimization of the growth parameters, the control and automation of the algae production process, the optimization of the extraction protocols and finally flexibility through an apparatus and method for the production of algal biomass using industrial and/or urban waste as a means of growth (100).
Another object of the invention is integrating the applicant's invention into new generation or already existing industrial and/or civil systems, thus enhancing potentially polluting waste from an
environmental point of view in the event that they are not disposed of adequately and minimizing them, also disposal costs.
The aforementioned and other objects and advantages of the invention, which will emerge from the following description, are achieved with an apparatus and method for the production of algal biomass by means of the aid of industrial and/or urban waste as a means of growth such as that described in claim 1. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variants of the present invention form the subject of the dependent claims.
It is understood that all the attached claims form an integral part of the present description. It will be immediately obvious that innumerable variations and modifications (for example relating to shape, dimensions, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) can be made to what is described without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the attached claims.
The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 shows the apparatus for the production of algal biomass with the aid of industrial and/or urban waste as a means of growth (100), according to the present invention. The apparatus for the production of algal biomass using industrial and/or urban waste as a means of growth (100), is designed for the enhancement of a wide range of waste such as waste water, dairy water, sludge, sewage, animal biomass, vegetable biomass, etc., using them as a growth medium for algal production instead of chemical and industrial fertilizers, and includes a tank (1) designed to contain the waste to be converted and disposed of, connected to one pump (2), two reservoirs (3) and (4) designed to derive two culture media optimized for the photoautotrophy and heterotrophy phases of algal growth, connected to the hydraulic separator (5), two photo-bioreactors (6) and (7) designed for photoautotrophy and heterotrophy of algal growth, connected to reservoirs (3) and (4) and a dryer (8) designed to obtain dry algal biomass [DAB], connected to reservoir (7) and concentrator (9).
The apparatus for the production of algal biomass using industrial and/or urban waste as a
growth medium (100) is able to monitor the control of microalgal growth in real-time through the use of sensors, electronics and dedicated control software, which integrates innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence and the internet of things, able to regulate all physical parameters (temperature, pH, lighting and turbidity) through the use of dedicated algorithms and actuators, through the connection with the web server (16). The system is equipped with security alarms and automatic security and periodic notifications (email and app notifications). Remotely accessible from both fixed and mobile devices.
Advantageously, the tank (1) is connected by means of a pump (2) to a hydraulic separator (5) which divides and conveys the waste to be converted and disposed of towards the tanks (3) and (4); in particular, in the tank (3) the waste is mixed with water and with a specific chemical solution [SL1] to obtain a culture medium optimized for the photoautotrophic phase of algal growth and delivered by the container (10), connected to the tank (3). The photoautotrophic growth condition provides the conversion of C02 and light source into organic components via photosynthesis and is
the most common and energy-saving growth condition that can be achieved in both open and closed system microalgae cultivation. In this process, microalgae use inorganic carbon as a carbon source and light as an energy source where C02 injection improves the efficiency of photoautotrophic growth. The disadvantage of photoautotrophic growth is the inhibition of the penetration of light depending on the cultivation system on the increasing concentration of microalgae, and the consequent optical density. This mutual shading of microalgae cells causes insufficient light which results in low biomass productivity in the growing system leading to a high cost harvesting process. The addition of a heterotrophic growth phase at the end of the photoautotrophic growth phase is a promising solution to this problem and increases the productivity of the biomass that is presented in this invention. Photo-bioreactors provide efficient biomass productivity with successful light irradiation, improved fluid dynamics and gas-liquid diffusion under photoautotrophic growth conditions. The advantages of photoautotrophic growth are that microalgae collect radiant energy from the sun or
artificial lighting into valuable products at the expense of inexpensive natural resources such as C02 and H20 which contribute to the global reduction of C02, furthermore microalgae bloom can be supplied with salt exposure and excessive solar energy. Inhibition of other types of crops dependent on lacking nutrient sources is an advantage for the growth of photoautotrophic microalgae. Furthermore, the culture medium leaving the tank (3) is sent to a photo-bioreactor (6) in which the photoautotrophic phase of the algal growth starts for a non-limiting period of time between 10 days and 3 weeks, according to the cultivated species, and said culture medium in the photo bioreactor (6) is illuminated with variable light and dark cycles, according to the algal species, with a LED source (11) with a wavelength between 400 nm and 700 nm connected therein, necessary for the growth of algal biomass; artificial lights with LED technology are among the most energy efficient systems, they can be of fixed intensity and simply be switched on or off, they are located inside the photo-bioreactor in such a way as to maximize the light intensity incident on the algae, and are
regulated by a vision system based on artificial intelligence that allows to optimize the energy consumption of the system during the growth phases and to automatically adjust the light intensity based on the optical density or absorbance measured, or the intensity of electromagnetic radiation which is absorbed by a body. In this way, during the first phases of growth when the algal density is very low, the lighting is kept at low intensities and, subsequently, when the density of the algae increases, the light intensity is increased and proportionally adjusted in a completely automatic way. ; the system is also able to individually control the intensity of the different wavelengths of the light supplied to the cultivation, in such a way as to be versatile and flexible according to the algal species cultivated, with different absorption peaks as the length of the wave. In a typical application of this invention, the absorbance peaks of the spectrophotometric light of the microalga Neochloris oleoabundans were referred to as blue wavelength 436 nm, red wavelength 665 nm by measuring the absorption spectrum of the model organism with a ratio of 2: 1. The system is able
to generate only the wavelengths indicated in the desired ratio, with a consequent energy saving compared to fixed solutions or with a wide photometric spectrum. In particular, the photo- bioreactor (6) is ventilated with an air flow and/or C02 necessary to prevent the sedimentation of algae by means of a compressed air pump (12) which naturally vents the environment to the outside (16) connected therein, said algal biomass leaving said photo-bioreactor (6) is transported by a pump (13) towards a concentrator (9) to separate the residual water and convey it for subsequent uses towards the tank (3) by means of the pump (15), said algal biomass leaving the concentrator (9) is sent to a dryer (8) to obtain dry algal biomass [DAB].
The separator (5) that divides the waste to be converted and disposed of, conveys a part of said waste into the tank (4), said waste is mixed with water and with a specific chemical solution [SL2] to obtain an optimized culture medium for the heterotrophic phase of the algal growth and delivered by the container (10), connected to the tank (4); heterotrophic growth conditions allow microalgae to use organic compounds both as a
source of vital nutrients and as a source of carbon. The crucial advantage of this growth condition is that it eliminates the photolimitation that occurs in the photoautotrophic growth condition, consequently the microalgae are independent of light. This type of condition provides lightless growth from the combined respiratory and fermentative microalgae.
Heterotrophic conditions provide convenient microalgal biomass production and high biomass productivity where organic carbons such as pyruvate, acetate, lactate, ethanol, saturated fatty acids, glycolate, glycerol, C6 sugars (e.g. glucose and fructose), monosaccharides C5 (e.g. xylose and arabinose), disaccharides (e.g. lactose, sucrose and cellobiose) and amino acids are metabolized as carbon sources. These organic carbon sources can be obtained from waste valorization, which is a significant advantage for large-scale microalgae production systems. The heterotrophic growth condition excessively increases cell density and provides batch microalgae biomass which allows for simpler and cheaper operating systems for the harvesting process. Microalgal cells grown heterotrophically show a rapid growth rate, high
productivity of algal biomass together with a high content of cellular lipids. Chlorella protothecoides, C. vulgaris or N. oleoabundans showed greater lipid accumulation during heterotrophic growth conditions compared to photoautotrophic growth conditions. Microorganisms possess a 'dark metabolism' which is essentially the same as the non-photosynthetic metabolism of organisms such as yeasts for which carbon sources used by microalgae in dark conditions are assumed to transform into carbon intermediates in major metabolic pathways, replacing photosynthetically produced molecules, therefore it has been proposed that incomplete pathways or the absence of an enzymatic reaction in the central carbon metabolism are the primary cause of obligate photoautotrophic growth. Several obligate photoautotrophic microalgae have an incomplete tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle due to the lack of the oxoglutarate dehydrogenase enzyme where it is proposed that the TCA cycle is mainly used for biosynthetic purposes by channeling carbon into central biosynthetic pathways, without the ability to provide ATP. The concentration of the nitrogen source of the microalgal medium is another crucial parameter that
should be modified to achieve a heterotrophic growth condition. The nitrogen source has a strong influence on cellular metabolic activities and biochemical composition which is a primary nutrient to provide protein synthesis and production of nucleotides and enzymes. The type of nitrogen source affects the biochemical composition and nitrogen uptake of a specific species. The term heterotrophy means the nutritional condition of a living organism that is unable to synthesize all its organic molecules autonomously from other inorganic molecules, such as using carbon dioxide, and for survival the organism must refer to organic compounds previously synthesized by other organisms, which are instead called autotrophs, such as all plants that possess chlorophyll.
In particular, the culture medium leaving the tank (4) is sent to the photo-bioreactor (7), connected therein, in which the heterotrophic phase of the algal growth starts for a variable time period according to the cultivated species and in the absence of light sources, and said photo bioreactor (7) is ventilated with a flow of air and/or C02 necessary to prevent the sedimentation of algae by means of a compressed air pump (14)
which naturally vents towards the outside environment (16), therein connected.
Advantageously, the algal biomass of high production efficiency and of superior quality leaving the photo-bioreactor (7) is sent to the dryer (8) to obtain the dry algal biomass [DAB].
The apparatus and method of the present invention can easily be integrated, for example, in a center for the treatment of urban waste water, using a culture system for microalgae of the photo bioreactor type fed by the sludge deriving from the treatment of urban water, thus enhancing potentially polluting waste from an environmental point of view if not disposed of correctly as well as subject to very high disposal costs.
The growth medium for algae is advantageously obtained from the synthesis of the sludge already present on site, which instead of having to be disposed of through expensive chemical and industrial processes, is used for the cultivation of microalgae; the algal biomass obtained cyclically from cultivation can be used for the production of biofuels, bioplastics or for multiple industrial applications, thus converting a polluting and expensive waste to be treated into a
raw material that can be easily resold in various industrial sectors.
Furthermore, the automatic management of the lighting system by means of the dedicated software, guarantees the alternation of the phases of light and dark necessary for the algal growth with numerous advantages compared to existing systems, such as scalability or the possibility of cultivating different volumes both on a small or large scale, flexibility, i.e. the possibility of using the system to cultivate different algal species, automation, i.e. minimizing the necessary manual operations and optimization, i.e. the possibility of regulating and adjusting the growth parameters dynamically to achieve high production efficiency.
Claims
1. Apparatus for the production of algal biomass (100) comprising:
- a tank (1) designed to contain the waste to be converted and disposed of, connected to a pump
(2);
- two tanks (3) and (4) designed to derive two culture media optimized for the photoautotrophy and heterotrophy phase of algal growth, connected to the hydraulic separator (5);
- two photo-bioreactors (6) and (7) designed for the photoautotrophy and heterotrophy phase of algal growth, connected to reservoirs (3) and (4); a dryer (8) designed to obtain the dry algal biomass [DAB], connected to the tank (7) and to the concentrator (9).
2. Apparatus for the production of algal biomass
(100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the separator (5) connected to the pump (2) is designed to divide and convey the waste to be converted and disposed of from the tank (1) towards the tanks (3) and (4).
3. Apparatus for the production of algal biomass
(100) according to claim 1, characterized in that in the tank (3) the waste is mixed with water and
with a specific chemical solution [SL1] to obtain an optimized culture medium for the photoautotrophic phase of algal growth and delivered by the container (10), connected to the tank (3).
4. Apparatus for the production of algal biomass
(100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the culture medium leaving the tank (3) is sent to the photo-bioreactor (6) in which the photoautotrophic phase of growth starts algal for a period of time between 10 days and 3 weeks depending on the cultivated species.
5. Apparatus for the production of algal biomass
(100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the culture medium in the photo-bioreactor (6) is illuminated with variable light and dark cycles, according to the algal species, with a source of LED type (11) with wavelength between 400 nm and 700 nm connected therein inside said photo- bioreactor (6), necessary for the growth of algal biomass, and said photo-bioreactor (6) is ventilated with an air flow and/or C02 necessary to prevent the sedimentation of algae by means of a compressed air pump (12) which naturally vents towards the external environment (16), connected
therein.
6. Apparatus for the production of algal biomass (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the algal biomass leaving the photo-bioreactor (6) is transported by a pump (13) to a concentrator (9) to separate its residual water and convey it for subsequent uses to the tank (3) by means of the pump (15), called algal biomass leaving the concentrator (9) sent to a dryer (8) to obtain dry algal biomass [DAB].
7. Apparatus for the production of algal biomass
(100) according to claim 1, characterized in that in the tank (4) the waste is mixed with water and with a specific chemical solution [SL2] to obtain an optimized culture medium for the heterotrophic phase of algal growth and delivered by the container (10), connected to the tank (4).
8. Apparatus for the production of algal biomass
(100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the culture medium leaving the tank (4) is sent to the photo-bioreactor (7), connected therein, in which the heterotrophic phase of algal growth for a variable time period according to the cultivated species and in the absence of light sources, said photo-bioreactor (7) is ventilated with an air flow
and/or C02 necessary to prevent the sedimentation of algae by means of an air pump tablet (14) which naturally vents towards the external environment (16), connected therein. 9. Apparatus for the production of algal biomass
(100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the algal biomass of high production efficiency and of superior quality leaving the photo-bioreactor (7) is sent to the dryer (8) to obtain dry algal biomass [DAB].
10. Method for producing algal biomass (100) using an apparatus according to any one of the previous claims, the method comprising the steps of:
- collecting and containing waste to be converted and disposed of inside a tank (1), connected to a pump (2); separating waste by means of a separator (5) which, by means of the pump (2), sends it to the tanks (3) and (4); - mixing waste with water and chemical solutions
[SL1], specific to obtain a culture medium optimized for the photoautotrophic phase of algal growth, and [SL2], specific to obtain a culture medium optimized for the heterotrophic phase of growth algal, respectively in the tanks (3) and (4)
and delivered from the container (10); starting the photoautotrophic phase of algal biomass growth for a period of time between 10 days and 3 weeks according to the species cultivated in the photo-bioreactor (6), illuminated with cycles of light and dark varying according to the algal species, with a LED source (11) necessary for the growth of the algal biomass, ventilated with an air flow and/or C02 necessary to prevent the sedimentation of the algae by means of a compressed air pump (12) which naturally vents towards the external environment (16), connected therein and finally transported by a pump (13) to a concentrator (9) to separate the residual water, and then sent to a dryer (8) to obtain the dry algal biomass [DAB];
- starting the heterotrophic phase of the growth of algal biomass of high efficiency and superior quality in the photo-bioreactor (7) for a variable period according to the cultivated species, in the absence of light sources, and ventilated with an air flow and/or C02 necessary to prevent the sedimentation of algae by means of a compressed air pump (14) which naturally vents towards the external environment (16), connected to it and
finally sent to a dryer (8) to obtain dry algal biomass [DAB]
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| IT102021000002774 | 2021-02-09 | ||
| IT102021000002774A IT202100002774A1 (en) | 2021-02-09 | 2021-02-09 | Apparatus and method for the production of algal biomass |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20080160593A1 (en) * | 2006-12-29 | 2008-07-03 | Oyler James R | Two-stage process for producing oil from microalgae |
| CN102994363A (en) * | 2011-09-17 | 2013-03-27 | 中国科学院兰州化学物理研究所 | Device for aerated culture of heterotrophic-photoautotrophic microbes via series connection |
| WO2015001578A1 (en) * | 2013-07-02 | 2015-01-08 | Bio.Te.Ma. S.R.L. | Process of production of oil from microalgae |
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- 2021-02-09 IT IT102021000002774A patent/IT202100002774A1/en unknown
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Patent Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20080160593A1 (en) * | 2006-12-29 | 2008-07-03 | Oyler James R | Two-stage process for producing oil from microalgae |
| CN102994363A (en) * | 2011-09-17 | 2013-03-27 | 中国科学院兰州化学物理研究所 | Device for aerated culture of heterotrophic-photoautotrophic microbes via series connection |
| WO2015001578A1 (en) * | 2013-07-02 | 2015-01-08 | Bio.Te.Ma. S.R.L. | Process of production of oil from microalgae |
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