Biomass production system and apparatus

Abstract

A growth module for growing biomass comprising a plurality of growth columns connected together. Each growth column comprises a vertically oriented, hollow, translucent tubular body having input lines for introducing air, gas and nutrients into each column through the top thereof. The growth columns are frictionally mounted upon a bottom manifold that is configured for receiving gravity induced flow of biomass from said plurality of growth columns.

1 . A growth column for growing biomass in a liquid growth medium, said growth column comprising:
 an elongated translucent tubular body having a longitudinal axis extending substantially vertical and having a cavity terminating in an open top end and an open bottom end;   a top piece connected to said body for closing said top end;   an air delivery passage connected to said cavity at said top end of said translucent body for delivering air to said cavity;   a gas delivery line extending downwardly m said cavity from said top end toward said bottom end and terminating within said cavity, said gas delivery line being connectable to a source of gas;   a nutrient delivery line extending downwardly in said cavity from said top end toward said bottom end and terminating within said cavity, said nutrient delivery line being connectable to a source of nutrients;   a bottom piece connected to said bottom end of said translucent body, said bottom piece being configured for allowing transfer of said biomass and said liquid growth medium therethrough; and   an outlet in said bottom piece that can be selectively opened for allowing gravitational flow of said biomass and said liquid growth medium through said bottom piece.   
     
     
         2 . The growth column as defined in  claim 1  wherein an air filter is connected to said air delivery passage for filtering air being delivered to said cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The growth column as defined in  claim 1  wherein said gas delivery line terminates near the bottom of said tubular body and includes a dispersing element for dispensing bubbles of gas which flow upwardly through said tubular body. 
     
     
         4 . The growth column as defined in  claim 1  wherein said tubular body is frictionally secured in said top piece and said bottom piece. 
     
     
         5 . The growth column as defined in  claim 4  wherein said top piece and said bottom piece each include a groove containing an O-ring for sealing said tubular body against leakage. 
     
     
         6 . The growth column as defined in  claim 6  wherein said tubular body is a circular cylinder. 
     
     
         7 . The growth column as defined in  claim 1  wherein said translucent tubular body is constructed of material for providing a light wavelength filter for reducing passage of ultraviolet light and visible light being transmitted therethrough. 
     
     
         8 . A growth module for growing biomass in a liquid growth medium, said growth module comprising:
 a plurality of hollow translucent columns each of said growth columns terminating at a top end and each having a bottom opening;   a bottom manifold connected to said bottom opening of each of said growth columns, said bottom manifold being configured to aggregate an output of said biomass in said liquid growth medium from the bottom opening of each of said growth columns into a collective output of said growth module;   at least one outlet port from said bottom manifold;   a gas delivery manifold connected to a plurality of gas delivery lines wherein each of said growth columns has at least one gas input line extending into its interior cavity;   
       and, a nutrient delivery manifold connected to a plurality of nutrient delivery lines wherein each of said growth columns has at least one nutrient input line extending into its interior cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The growth module as defined in  claim 8  wherein each of said growth columns is located within a connecting portion of said bottom manifold such that frictional force exists between each of said growth columns and a corresponding sealing element disposed on said connecting portion of said bottom manifold. 
     
     
         10 . The growth column as defined in  claim 8  wherein said bottom comprises:
 a plurality of rows with two or more bottom openings of said growth columns connected to each of said rows, and each of said rows terminating in a first endpoint and a second endpoint; 
 a first bottom conduit extending below said plurality of rows, and first bottom conduit being connected to said first endpoint of each of said rows; and, a second bottom conduit extending below said plurality of rows, said second bottom conduit being connected to second endpoint of each of said rows. 
 
     
     
         11 . The growth module as defined in  claim 10  wherein the first bottom conduit is parallel to said second bottom conduit. 
     
     
         12 . The growth module as defined in  claim 11  wherein a first connecting piece connects a first end of said first bottom conduit to a first end of second bottom conduit and a second connecting piece connects a second end of said first bottom conduit to a second end of said second bottom conduit, and wherein said first connecting piece has an outlet port disposed thereon. 
     
     
         13 . The growth module as defined in  claim 12  wherein said second connecting piece has an outlet port disposed thereon and said growth module further comprises a discharge manifold connected to said outlet port of said first connecting piece and connected to said outlet port of said second connecting piece. 
     
     
         14 . The growth module as defined in  claim 13  wherein said discharge manifold is configured to aggregate output from said outlet ports into a single discharge line with a valve disposed thereon. 
     
     
         15 . The growth module as defined in  claim 8  wherein said gas delivery manifold comprises:
 a gas input line connected to a gas baseline, said gas baseline extending along one side of said growth module; and, 
 a plurality of gas delivery branches connected to said gas baseline, said gas delivery branches extending perpendicular to said gas delivery baseline. 
 
     
     
         16 . The growth module as defined in  claim 15  wherein said nutrient delivery manifold comprises:
 a nutrient input line connected to a nutrient baseline, said nutrient baseline extending along a side of said growth module opposite said gas baseline; 
 and, a plurality of nutrient delivery branches connected to said nutrient baseline, said nutrient delivery branches extending perpendicular to said nutrient delivery baseline. 
 
     
     
         17 . The growth module as defined in  claim 8  wherein each of said growth columns in said plurality of growth columns is equidistant from all closest surrounding growth columns in said growth module. 
     
     
         18 . The growth module as defined in  claim 8  wherein said growth columns are arranged in rows along an x-axis and a y-axis, with the same distance between each of said rows of said growth columns along both of said x-axis and y-axis. 
     
     
         19 . The growth module as defined in  claim 8  wherein said growth module is sized to fit on a standard flatbed semi-trailer. 
     
     
         20 . The growth module as defined in  claim 8  wherein said bottom manifold is configured for receiving a gravity-induced output from said growth columns.