Supplying bioreactor gaseous effluent to combustion process

Abstract

There is provided a process of growing a phototrophic biomass in a reaction zone. The reaction zone includes an operative reaction mixture. The operative reaction mixture includes the phototrophic biomass disposed in an aqueous medium. Gaseous exhaust material is produced with a gaseous exhaust material producing process, wherein the gaseous exhaust material includes carbon dioxide. Reaction zone feed material is supplied to the reaction zone of a photobioreactor such that any carbon dioxide of the reaction zone feed material is received by the phototrophic biomass so as to provide a carbon dioxide-enriched phototrophic biomass in the aqueous medium. A discharge of the gaseous exhaust material from the gaseous exhaust material producing process is supplied to the reaction zone feed material and defines a gaseous exhaust material reaction zone supply. The carbon dioxide-enriched phototrophic biomass disposed in the aqueous medium is exposed to photosynthetically active light radiation so as to effect photosynthesis. A reaction zone gaseous effluent being discharged from the reaction zone is recovered. The recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent is contacted with combustible material in a combustion zone to effect combustion of the combustible material.

1 . A process of growing a phototrophic biomass in a reaction zone, wherein the reaction zone includes an operative reaction mixture, wherein the operative reaction mixture includes the phototrophic biomass disposed in an aqueous medium, comprising:
 producing gaseous exhaust material with a gaseous exhaust material producing process, wherein the gaseous exhaust material includes carbon dioxide;   supplying reaction zone feed material to the reaction zone such that any carbon dioxide of the reaction zone feed material is received by the phototrophic biomass so as to provide a carbon dioxide-enriched phototrophic biomass in the aqueous medium, wherein a discharge of the gaseous exhaust material from the gaseous exhaust material producing process is supplied to the reaction zone feed material and defines a gaseous exhaust material reaction zone supply, wherein the gaseous exhaust material reaction zone supply includes carbon dioxide;   exposing the carbon dioxide-enriched phototrophic biomass disposed in the aqueous medium to photosynthetically active light radiation so as to effect photosynthesis;   recovering a reaction zone gaseous effluent being discharged from the reaction zone; and   contacting the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent with combustible material in a combustion zone to effect combustion of the combustible material.   
     
     
         2 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent is supplied to the combustion zone.   
     
     
         3 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent includes diatomic oxygen.   
     
     
         4 . The process as claimed in  claim 3 ;
 wherein the diatomic oxygen is gaseous.   
     
     
         5 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent is enriched in gaseous oxygen relative to the gaseous exhaust material reaction zone supply.   
     
     
         6 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the combustion zone is disposed in a combustion process unit operation.   
     
     
         7 . The process as claimed in  claim 6 ;
 wherein the combustion process unit operation includes any one of a fossil fuel-fired power plant, an industrial incineration facility, an industrial furnace, an industrial heater, an internal combustion engine, and a cement kiln.   
     
     
         8 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the contacting of the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent with a combustible material is effected while the gaseous exhaust material is being produced by the gaseous exhaust material producing process.   
     
     
         9 . The process as claimed in  claim 8 ;
 wherein the contacting of the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent with a combustible material is effected while the gaseous exhaust material reaction zone supply is being supplied to the reaction zone feed material.   
     
     
         10 . The process as claimed in  claim 9 ;
 wherein the contacting of the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent with a combustible material is effected while the reaction zone feed material is being supplied to the reaction zone.   
     
     
         11 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 ;
 wherein the exposing of the carbon dioxide-enriched phototrophic biomass disposed in the aqueous medium to photosynthetically active light radiation is effected while the contacting of the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent with a combustible material is being effected.