System and method for producing algae

Abstract

A system and method of growing and harvesting algae provided whereby the system encompasses incubation tanks, internal lighting, chilled air diffusers, and an inline incubation tank for continuous batch processing. A centrifuge separates algae from growth media, and the media is processed through a series of reclamation steps so that cleaned water is reused for fresh media.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for producing algae comprising:
 an algae production tank having algae growth media therein; a light located inside the production tank, the light capable of being submerged in the growth media; 
 a rotating blade proximate a bottom of the production tank for the purpose of mixing the growth media; and, 
 wherein the system further comprises a plurality of beads in the growth media to limit algae growth on interior surfaces of the tank, light and blade and to provide accelerated algae growth, wherein the beads are porous to promote algae growth within the beads, and wherein at least one panel of the bead is configured to have at least one concave surface so that current from the mixing of the growth media does not result in a repeating angle of deflection of the beads. 
 
     
     
       2. The system for producing algae of  claim 1  further comprising a substantially transparent cylinder that houses the light source. 
     
     
       3. The system for producing algae of  claim 1  wherein the light is an LED. 
     
     
       4. The system for producing algae of  claim 3  wherein the LED produces light in the spectrum from about 380 nm to about 750 nm. 
     
     
       5. The system for producing algae of  claim 3  wherein the LED produces light in the ultraviolet spectrum. 
     
     
       6. The system for producing algae of  claim 1  comprising a tubular skylight connected to the production tank to divert sunlight into the production tank. 
     
     
       7. The system for producing algae of  claim 1  wherein the light is fiber optic lighting that transmits sunlight to the interior of the production tank. 
     
     
       8. A system for producing algae of  claim 1 , wherein the algae is at least one of Haematococcus pluvialis, Chlorella zofingiensis, and Scenedesmus species. 
     
     
       9. The system for producing algae of  claim 1 , further comprising an air chiller that passes cooled air through the production tank for the purpose of cooling and aerating the growth media. 
     
     
       10. The system for producing algae of  claim 9  further comprising a diffuser attached to the blade, the diffuser connected to the chiller so that cooled air introduced into the diffuser is released from the diffuser into the production tank to form a rotating curtain of air upon blade rotation. 
     
     
       11. The system for producing algae of  claim 9  wherein the cooled air is passed through the cylinder for the purpose of cooling the cylinder and light source. 
     
     
       12. The system for producing algae of  claim 9  wherein a sheath substantially surrounding the production tank defining a space between the sheath and the production tank wherein cooled air exhausted from the production tank and into the space for externally cooling the production tank. 
     
     
       13. The system for producing algae of  claim 1  further comprising an incubation tank attached proximate a top of the production tank, the incubation tank defining an opening whereby contents of the incubation tank can pass therethrough to the production tank. 
     
     
       14. The system for producing algae of  claim 13  further comprising a junction between the incubation tank and the production tank that is sealed to prevent contaminants from entering the incubation tank and the production tank. 
     
     
       15. The system for producing algae of  claim 1 , wherein water used for the growth media is reclaimed water. 
     
     
       16. The system for producing algae of  claim 1  comprising a water reclamation system comprising a particulate filter to filter particulate matter from used growth media, a UV light source to kill living organisms, a reverse osmosis membrane, and gaseous ozone, wherein used growth media is cleaned and resulting cleaned water is utilized as a component of new growth media. 
     
     
       17. The system for producing algae of  claim 1  further comprising a centrifuge connected to the production tank, wherein the algae in the growth media is introduced into the centrifuge to substantially separate the algae from the growth media. 
     
     
       18. The system for producing algae of  claim 1  wherein the beads comprise sodium alginate. 
     
     
       19. The system for producing algae of  claim 1  wherein the beads comprise a pH buffering agent. 
     
     
       20. A system for producing algae comprising:
 an algae production tank having algae growth media therein; a visible light source located inside the production tank, the light capable of being submerged in the growth media; 
 a rotating blade proximate a bottom portion of the production tank for the purpose of mixing the growth media; 
 a diffuser inside the production tank proximate the bottom portion; 
 an air chiller that introduces chilled and filtered air through the diffuser and into the growth media to chill and aerate the media; and 
 an incubation tank for producing culture attached proximate a top of the production tank, the incubation tank defining an opening whereby contents of the incubation tank can pass therethrough to the production tank; and, 
 wherein the system further comprises a plurality of beads in the growth media to limit algae growth on interior surfaces of the tank, light and blade and to provide accelerated algae growth, wherein the beads are porous to promote algae growth within the beads, and wherein at least one panel of the bead is configured to have at least one concave surface so that current from the mixing of the growth media does not result in a repeating angle of deflection of the beads. 
 
     
     
       21. The system for producing algae of  claim 20  further comprising a particulate filter to filter particulate matter from used growth media, a UV light source to kill living organisms, a reverse osmosis membrane, and gaseous ozone, wherein used growth media is cleaned. 
     
     
       22. A bead comprising embedded algae wherein the bead is porous to promote algae growth within the bead, wherein the bead is a truncated icosahedron comprising a plurality of pentagonal and hexagonal panels, and wherein at least one of the panels is configured to have a concave surface. 
     
     
       23. The bead according to claim 22, wherein the algae is at least one of Haematococcus pluvialis, Chlorella zofingiensis, and Scenedesmus species. 
     
     
       24. The bead according to claim 22, wherein the bead comprises sodium alginate. 
     
     
       25. The bead according to claim 22, comprising a nutrient. 
     
     
       26. The bead of claim 22, wherein the bead is capable of dissolving in a culture solution. 
     
     
       27. A method of growing algae using a bead according to claim 22 to seed a larger culture with cells of the embedded algae. 
     
     
       28. A composition comprising a plurality of beads that are placed in a growing culture solution, wherein the beads are porous to promote algae growth within the bead, wherein the bead is a truncated icosahedron comprising a plurality of pentagonal and hexagonal panels, and wherein the beads have differing densities. 
     
     
       29. The composition according to claim 28, having a distribution of beads floating in the solution, ranging from beads floating near the top of the solution to beads sinking to near the bottom of the solution, with beads in between the top and the bottom. 
     
     
       30. A bead for seeding a culture comprising an algae media, the bead comprising:
 (a) algae cells;   (b) a polymer; and   (c) nutrients;   wherein the bead is operable to promote growth of the algae within the bead, and is operable to seed the culture when exposed to the media; and   wherein the bead is polyhedral and has at least one concave surface panel.   
     
     
       31. The bead of claim 30, comprising sodium alginate. 
     
     
       32. A composition comprising a plurality of beads according to claim 30 that are placed in a growing culture solution. 
     
     
       33. A composition, comprising a plurality of beads having differing densities, each bead comprising:
 (a) algae cells;   (b) a polymer; and   (c) nutrients;   wherein the bead is operable to promote growth of the algae within the bead, and is operable to seed the culture when exposed to the media; and   wherein the bead is polyhedral.    
     
     
       34. The composition according to claim 33, having a distribution of beads floating in the solution, ranging from beads floating near the top of the solution to beads sinking to near the bottom of the solution, with beads in between the top and the bottom. 
     
     
       35. A mixture comprising a plurality of beads with differing densities wherein each bead is porous to promote algae growth within the bead, and is polyhedral having at least one concave surface, and wherein the bead is a truncated icosahedron comprising a plurality of pentagonal and hexagonal panels and wherein at least one panel of the bead is configured to have a concave surface. 
     
     
       36. The mixture according to claim 35, wherein the algae is selected from Haematococcus pluvialis, Chlorella zofingiensis, and Scenedesmus species. 
     
     
       37. The mixture according to claim 35, wherein the bead comprises sodium alginate. 
     
     
       38. The mixture according to claim 35, wherein the bead comprises a nutrient. 
     
     
       39. An algae growth medium comprising:
 (a) water;   (b) a plurality of porous beads comprising algae, wherein each of the beads has at least one concave surface; and   (c) nutrients;   wherein the beads are polyhedral having at least one concave surface panel.   
     
     
       40. The algae growth medium of claim 39, wherein the beads further comprise sodium alginate. 
     
     
       41. The algae growth medium of claim 39, wherein the algae is at least one of Haematococcus pluvialis, Chlorella zofingiensis, and Scenedesmus species. 
     
     
       42. The algae growth medium of claim 39, wherein the plurality of beads comprises beads having differing densities to provide a distribution of the beads in the medium, ranging from beads near the top of the medium to beads to near the bottom of the medium, with beads in between the top and the bottom. 
     
     
       43. A method of making a working culture of algae, comprising:
 (a) adding a plurality of beads comprising algae to an incubation tank containing a growth medium solution to form a mixture of beads and growth medium;   (b) incubating the mixture while mixing the growth medium, so that the algae multiply in the growth medium solution to a desired cell density;   wherein the plurality of beads have differing densities, so that the mixture has a distribution of the beads in the growth medium, ranging from beads near the top of the medium to beads to near the bottom of the medium, with beads in between the top and the bottom.   
     
     
       44. The method of claim 43, wherein the beads further comprise sodium alginate and nutrients. 
     
     
       45. The method of claim 43, wherein the beads are spheroidal or polyhedral. 
     
     
       46. The method of claim 45, wherein the beads are polyhedral having at least one concave surface panel. 
     
     
       47. The method of claim 43, wherein the algae is at least one of Haematococcus pluvialis, Chlorella zofingiensis, and Scenedesmus species. 
     
     
       48. The bead according to claim 30, wherein the bead is a truncated icosahedron comprising a plurality of pentagonal and hexagonal panels and wherein at least one panel of the bead is configured to have a concave surface. 
     
     
       49. The medium according to claim 39, wherein the beads are truncated icosahedrons comprising a plurality of pentagonal and hexagonal panels and wherein at least one panel of the bead is configured to have a concave surface. 
     
     
       50. The method according to claim 46, wherein each of the beads is a truncated icosahedron comprising a plurality of pentagonal and hexagonal panels and wherein at least one panel of the bead is configured to have a concave surface.