Patent · US Active

Photobioreactor systems and methods for treating CO2-enriched gas and producing biomass

US8877488B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
151References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 12, 2013
Grant dateNov 4, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 12, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02W10/37
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Certain embodiments and aspects of the invention relate to a photobioreactor including covered photobioreactor units through which a liquid medium stream and a gas stream flow. The liquid medium comprises at least one species of phototrophic organism therein. Certain methods of using the photobioreactor system as part of fuel generation system and/or a gas-treatment process or system at least partially remove certain undesirable pollutants from a gas stream. In certain embodiments, a portion of the liquid medium is diverted from a photobioreactor unit and reintroduced upstream of the diversion position. In certain embodiments, the disclosed photobioreactor system, methods of using such systems, and/or gas treatment apparatus and methods provided herein can be used as part of an integrated combustion method and system, wherein photosynthetic organisms used within the photobioreactor are harvested from the photobioreactor, processed, and used as a fuel source for a combustion system like an electric power plant.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.