Patent Application
20210214660
The present invention relates to the field of single cell microalgae/bacteria photo bioreactors. More specifically the invention relates to a system for growing microalgae/bacteria, harvesting and extracting materials from said microalgae/bacteria.
Photo bioreactors are vessels which incorporate some type of light source and carry out a biological reaction and are used to culture aerobic cells for conducting cellular or enzymatic immobilization.
However, the dimensions of bioreactors are usually so big that they may even be larger than a typical house room. In addition, the harvesting of the algae and extracting materials (e.g., different chemical compounds) from the algae are processes that are done in industrial labs and usually take time and human control, which makes the procedure long and cumbersome. This makes it almost impossible for people who wish to grow algae at home to do so in practice. Therefore, there is a need in the field to provide a system, sized and customized for home/personal/family use, that incorporates different functions: the growing, harvesting and the extraction of materials in one system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for both growing and extracting materials from the algae in one system.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.
The invention is directed to a system adapted for growing and harvesting algae and for obtaining products thereof adapted for domestic use, comprising a Photo-bioreactor adapted for use in a home environment, said Photo-bioreactor being controlled by a CPU control unit, said Photo-bioreactor being coupled to a Separation Harvesting and Extraction Unit (SEU), adapted to receive algae from said Photo-bioreactor as an input, and to generate therefrom an algal paste, said SEU being in turn coupled to an extraction unit adapted to receive said paste and to extract a desired material therefrom, said system being controlled and monitored by a CPU control unit.
According to one embodiment there is provided a system for automatically growing and harvesting algae and extracting materials from said algae, for domestic use, comprising:
In an embodiment, the Photo-bioreactor comprises:
In another embodiment, the Photo-bioreactor further comprises a secondary water container, for secondary growth of algae and manipulation or stress to the algae to increase values of nutrition.
In an exemplary embodiment, the physical dimensions of the small dimension photo-bioreactor are between 35 cm×35 cm×45 to 45 cm×45 cm×55 cm.
In an embodiment, the sensors in the Photo-bioreactor are from the list of: turbidity meter, pH sensor, CO2 sensor, OXD sensor, conductivity sensor, water/volume sensor and temperature sensor.
In an embodiment, the Separation and Extraction Unit comprises:
In an embodiment, the separation and extraction unit further comprise a drying unit for drying and dehydrating algae.
In another embodiment, the extraction unit comprises vibrating balls for extracting the paste of algae.
In a further embodiment, the extraction unit comprises a freezing and thawing unit for extracting the paste of algae.
In still another embodiment, the extraction unit comprises an ultra-sonic wave unit for extracting the paste of algae.
In yet another embodiment, the extraction unit comprises a centrifuge for extracting the paste of algae.
In still a further embodiment, the CPU control unit is connected to an external data base which receives data from all the systems in use, and wherein the CPU control unit can be remotely controlled and updated by an administrator.
The device presented herein is adapted to grow various types of microalgae, certain algae, cyanobacteria, and bacteria. For the sake of brevity, the term algae used herein refers to various types of microalgae, certain algae, cyanobacteria, and bacteria.
The system described below is a device for domestic use with relatively small dimensions. An illustrative and non-limitative example of suitable dimensions for a device of the invention is approximately between 35 cm×35 cm×40 cm to 45 cm×45 cm×55 cm, so as to be easily stored at a domestic kitchen like a water bar. As will be easily apparent to the skilled person, such dimensions only serve to illustrate the invention and apparatus having different dimensions can be devised without exceeding the scope of the invention.
In an embodiment, the system may be adapted to be dedicated to grow and extract one type of algae. In another embodiment, the system may be adapted to grow and extract more than one type of algae.
In an embodiment, a secondary water container, 204, allows secondary growth and manipulation of the algae, which causes stress to algae by radically changing the growth environment, (for example: causing stress conditions such as nitrogen starvation and/or high salinity and/or light change, could stimulate synthesis and accumulation of bio compounds such as lipids, protein or sugars). In this way the system enables certain types of algae to increase values of nutrition which are of interest, and/or increase the percentage of certain components of algae before the refining and/or extraction.
Bioreactor 201 contains several sensors for collecting data in real-time about the algae and its growth condition, and the data collected is transferred to the CPU controller unit. Each microalga has a different ideal growth condition such as: temperature, pH level, conductivity etc. The control unit monitors the growth of each type of algae and optimizes the growth condition, according to the type of algae and the data collected from the sensors in the bioreactor. Once the data is processed and analyzed, the controller unit transmits commands to the bioreactor of the system to adjust the condition of growth, for example: to reduce water bubbles, to change oxygen and/or CO2 (Carbon dioxide) levels, to change lighting, temperature, adding nutrients, etc. The sensors in the bioreactor may be a OXD (dissolved oxygen), a CO2 sensor, which is used to monitor the CO2 levels in the photo-bioreactors in real time, since the algae consume CO2 in a photo-synthesis process, a pH sensor, which monitors the level of PH, a conductivity sensor, a temperature sensor, a turbidity meter and a volume/water level sensor for measuring the volume of the water in the dedicated water container. The temperature sensor measures the temperature in the Photo-bioreactor and transmits the results to the CPU control unit which compares the real time temperature to the optimal temperature required for the algae. If the temperature is lower than the optimal temperature, the controller turns on the heating unit 216. The volume/water level sensor informs the CPU controller unit of water loss, either because of evaporation or because of filtering algae in favor of production in the filtration and extraction unit. The CPU controller unit compensates for the loss of water by opening a water compensation valve 221. The water compensation valve 221, opens or closes to return the necessary level of water. The water level sensor informs the system when the amount of water is optimal, to stop the water flow. Bioreactor 201 also comprises an air pump and an air valve, which are controlled by the CPU controller unit, and which enable air flow, or optionally filtered air flow for mixing of water, algae, and nutrients, as well as oxygen regulation, CO2 regulation, temperature and more. The bioreactor comprises a light source 215 (usually a Led) which provides illumination for optimum photosynthesis of the algae, and which is controlled by the CPU control unit.
A heating unit 216 is located at the bioreactor and is activated by the CPU control unit, according to the temperature sensor, to maintain optimal temperature, for the growth of the algae. Air valve 220 in the bioreactor enables the release of vapor.
A drainage port material and valve, improves material exits for filtering or directly for external drainage, if such is required. In this example, the CPU control unit determines the amount of the container emptying and will distribute accordingly in water and nutrients.
A nutrient supply means 225 is adapted to selectively release nutrients to the water container in a controlled manner according to the algae needs, and which can be filled and replaced as a reusable unit, or provided as a disposable unit. The nutrient supply is controlled by the CPU controller.
The SEU comprises a disruption unit 310, with a micro freezing and thawing unit 311, for disruption of the algae at the special extraction process. The disruption is done optionally by small balls or by cooling the algae to low temperature and then thawing the algae or by ultra-sonic wave unit. The term “disruption”, as used herein, refers to various processes involving processing and/or breaking of the algal matter into smaller parts.
In an embodiment, there is also an ultra-filtration system with a centrifuge for special extraction of materials from the algae.
A cleaning and rinsing system 321, which is an automatic self-cleaning system based on water connection, is activated after the extraction process is over, to clean the SEU from all residual algae and to clean the SEU for the next extraction process. The residual algae may be stored for future use.
An optional unit is a drying unit 322, which receives the biomass after filtration, dehydrates the algae, and stores the dried material in a designated container for future use. The dried algae can be stored for a long term. The CPU control unit detects the status of algae growth when it exceeds the capacity of the Photo-bioreactor and in the absence of precipitation/consumption of algae from the bioreactor, the CPU control unit automatically sends a command to the bioreactor to pass material for filtering and drying to the drying unit, thereby achieving both objectives of controlling and regulating the growth of the algae and keeping excess algae in its dry form so that it can be used later and can be stored for a long term.
All this information is recorded and can be communicated to a central analysis center.
The CPU control unit also controls and monitors the SEU unit and the delivery of material between the Photo-bioreactor and the SEU unit for extraction of materials from the algae and delivery of medium from the SEU unit to the bioreactor for reuse, such as enhanced water that were left at the end of a harvest process.
The control unit comprises a user-friendly interface touch screen 415. Through the touch screen the user can get access to the data saved in the CPU control unit, and also to manually insert data if necessary or even to manually intervene and send commands to the end units of the Photo-bioreactor and/or the SEU unit. The user may get daily dose of protein extraction, polysaccharides as fresh paste or dry matter. The control unit is connected to an external data base which receives online or batch logs. The CPU control unit can be remotely controlled and updated by a remote administrator.
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The water tank in which the algal growth takes place is further provided with one or more heater elements 506 and lighting elements 507, as well as bubble tube 508 through which air and thus oxygen are supplied to the tank through air pump 509. A water pump 510 draws the liquid containing algal material from outlet 511 and, in this particular embodiment, feeds it to a three-way valve 512 which feeds a filter 513 through which the material passes before being forwarded to a dispense port 514 (not shown). Material that does not pass the filter is recycled to the tank 500 via return port 515, and additional overflow material can be returned to tank 500 via return port 516, if the on/off valve 517 is open. A wiper 518 is provided for wiping solids that accumulate on the filter mesh, as further described with reference to
Of course, in the above description only some main elements of the system have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, but as will be apparent to the skilled person, additional and/or alternative elements may be provided in alternative embodiments of the invention. The above description has been provided for the purpose of illustration and is not intended to limit the invention in any way except as provided for in the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 259890 | Jun 2018 | IL | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IL2019/050645 | 6/6/2019 | WO | 00 |
