Algae production

Abstract

Methods and systems for algae production are provided, the methods and systems generally comprising providing at least one body of water having an algae population in suspension, growing algae, heating the body of water with a heat source, heating the algae process with a heat source, drying the algae with a heat source, and covering the body of water with a cover. Heat recovery systems, algae processing, and covers are also provided.

1 . A heat recovery system, comprising:
 a waste heat source;   a heat consuming process, wherein the heat consuming process contains an algae population, wherein heat from the waste heat source is used to heat the heat consuming process, wherein the waste heat source does not come into direct contact with the heat consuming process;   one or more heat transmitting devices, wherein at least one heat transmitting device is located in the heat consuming process; and   a fluid mover.   
     
     
         2 . The heat recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the waste heat source is one or more waste heat sources selected from the group consisting of a power plant, an industrial process, a cement plant, a kiln, an agricultural product processing plant, a processing plant, an incinerator, a furnace, an oven, an oil refinery, a petrochemical plant, a chemical plant, an ethanol plant, an amine treating plant, a natural gas processing plant, a steel plant, a metals plant, an ammonia plant, a coal gasification plant, a refinery, a liquid synthetic fuel plant, a gas synthetic fuel plan, an industrial plant, and a manufacturing plant. 
     
     
         3 . The heat recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the algae population in the heat consuming process is growing in culture. 
     
     
         4 . The heat recovery system of  claim 3 , wherein the waste heat source is used to increase the growth of the algae population in culture. 
     
     
         5 . The heat recovery system of  claim 3 , wherein the waste heat source is used to increase the temperature of the heat consuming process to grow the algae in culture. 
     
     
         6 . The heat recovery system of  claim 3 , wherein the waste heat source is used to maintain the temperature of the heat consuming process to achieve optimal productivity. 
     
     
         7 . The heat recovery system of  claim 3 , wherein the waste heat source is used to prevent adverse effects in the growth of the algae in culture. 
     
     
         8 . The heat recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat consuming process is one or more processes selected from the group consisting of a body of water with an algae in suspension, an algae drying process, an algae processing facility, an algae growing facility, an algae production facility, and an algae photobioreactor. 
     
     
         9 . The heat recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the algae in the heat consuming process is algae in suspension. 
     
     
         10 . The heat recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat consuming process is operatably connected to the waste heat source by a device selected from the group consisting of hot gas to a heat exchanger located in the body of water that transmits heat into the body of water, hot gas to a heat exchanger located in proximity to the body of water that transfers heat to and into the body of water, hot gas injection into the body of water, hot vapor injection into the body of water, hot vapor to a heat exchanger in the body of water that transfers heat into the body of water, hot vapor to a heat exchanger located in proximity to the body of water that transfers heat to and into the body of water, hot liquid injection directly into the body of water, hot liquid transmitted to a heat exchanger located in the body of water that transfers heat into the body of water, hot liquid transmitted to a heat exchanger located in proximity to the body of water that transfers heat to and into the body of water, body of water fluid transmitted to a heat exchanger located in the industrial process that transfers heat to the body of water fluid which is then returned to the body of water, body of water fluid transmitted to a heat exchanger located in proximity to the industrial process that transfers heat to the body of water fluid which is then returned to the body of water, hot vapor transmitted to the body of water in a pipe or a duct that transfers heat into the body of water through the pipe or the duct, hot gas transmitted to the body of water in a pipe or a duct that transfers heat into the body of water through the pipe or the duct, and hot liquid transmitted to the body of water in a pipe or a duct that transfers heat into the body of water through the pipe or the duct. 
     
     
         11 . The heat recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid mover is selected from the group consisting of one or more of a pump, a fan, a mixer, a pipe, a duct work, an injector, a nozzle, a damper, a valve, a supply of heat, a return of heat, and a fluid mover by-pass. 
     
     
         12 . The heat recovery system of  claim 1 , further comprising a cover wherein the cover comprises a material that allows passage of light, wherein the material that allows passage of light is selected from the group consisting of one or more of plastic, polymeric material, glass, acrylic, and polycarbonate. 
     
     
         13 . The heat recovery system of  claim 12 , wherein the cover is selected from the group consisting of one or more of insulation, single layer of covering, multiple layers of covering, multiple layers separated by a gas pocket of circulated or stagnant gas, an opening to allow heat removal, a vent for gaseous material removal, sections that can be removed from above the body of water, a retractable section, a removable panel, a roll-up section. 
     
     
         14 . The heat recovery system of  claim 13 , wherein the cover is constructed with a structure selected from the group consisting of gutter connected, free standing, round house, round house with sides, gothic arch, gothic arch with sides, cover with strapping, cover without strapping, cover draped over divider, floating cover with structure over part of the water, floating cover that has a substantial portion not touching the water, cover supported only by divider structure, a cover supported by a structure including a divider, and a cover supported over a structure. 
     
     
         15 . The heat recovery system of  claim 14 , wherein the structure is selected from the group consisting of one or more of earth, steel, aluminum, metal alloy, plastic, glass, polymeric material, fiberglass, dirt, soil, sand, and rock. 
     
     
         16 . The heat recovery system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or both a supply heat source and a recovered heat source, wherein the supply heat source or recovered heat source are used to heat the heat consuming process. 
     
     
         17 . The heat recovery system of  claim 16 , wherein the algae in the heat consuming process is growing in culture. 
     
     
         18 . The heat recovery system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the waste heat source, the supply heat source and the recovered heat source are used to grow the algae culture. 
     
     
         19 . The heat recovery system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the waste heat source, the supply heat source and the recovered heat source are used to increase the temperature of the heat consuming process to achieve optimal productivity. 
     
     
         20 . The heat recovery system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the waste heat source, the supply heat source and the recovered heat source are used to prevent adverse effects in the growth of the algae in culture.