Biomass production and processing and methods of use thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and systems for the production of macroalgae in a manner to provide a sustained, economical source of biomass that may be used in various end-use processes, including energy production. The invention provides specific combinations of macroalgae types, saltwater growth medium compositions, and open pond water containers that results in biomass production beyond what may occur naturally without the required manipulation. Specifically, macroalgae that produce an exoskeleton in the presence of brackish water (e.g., stoneworts) have been found to provide excellent biomass production under the conditions of the invention.

1 - 65 . (canceled) 
     
     
         66 . A macroalgae production system comprising: a saltwater growth medium container having therein a soil component having a pH of at least about 7.5; actively growing macroalgae at least partially rooted in the soil component; and a saltwater growth medium having a pH of at least about 7.5, a calcium content of at least about 500 mg/L, and a content of sodium and chlorine such that the ratio of the combination of sodium and chlorine to the calcium in the saltwater growth medium is greater than 0 but less than about 50. 
     
     
         67 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein the actively growing macroalgae is a macroalgae classified in the order Charales. 
     
     
         68 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 67 , wherein the actively growing macroalgae is a macroalgae classified in the family Characeae or Clavatoraceae. 
     
     
         69 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 68 , wherein the actively growing macroalgae is a macroalgae classified in a genus selected from the group consisting of  Aclistochara, Amblyochara, Amphorochara, Chara, Charites, Croftiella, Gobichara, Grambastichara, Grovesichara, Gyrogona, Harrisichara, Hornichara, Lamprothamnium, Lamprothamnus, Latochara, Lychnothamnus, Maedleriella, Maedlerisphaera, Mesochara, Microchara, Multispirochara, Nemegtichara, Neochara, Nitella, Nitellopsis, Nodosochara, Obtusochara, Peckichara, Peckisphaera, Piriformachara, Platychara, Raskyaechara, Sphaerochara, Stephanocharct, Tectochara, Tolypella,  and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         70 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein the actively growing macroalgae is selected from the group consisting of  Chara aculeolata, Chara alopecuroidea, Chara alopecuroides, Chara angarica, Chara arrudensis, Chara aspera, Chara asperula, Chara australis, Chara baltica, Chara batrachioides, Chara batrachosperma, Chara baueri, Chara benthamii, Chara bharadwajee, Chara biformis, Chara brachypus, Chara braunii, Chara bulbillifera, Chara canescens, Chara capillacea, Chara capillaris, Chara capitata, Chara ceratophylla, Chara chidamuensis, Chara columnaria, Chara congesta, Chara conimbrigensis, Chara connivens, Chara conniveti-fragilis, Chara contraria, Chara corallina, Chara coronata, Chara crassicaulis, Chara crinita, Chara curta, Chara delicatula, Chara denudata, Chara desmacantha, Chara dichopitys, Chara diffuse, Chara dissoluta, Chara distorta, Chara drummondii, Chara eboliangensis, Chara ecklonii, Chara elongata, chara equisetifolia, Chara escheri, Chara fallax, Chara fibrosa, Chara firma, Chara flexillis, Chara foetida, Chara foliolata, Chara fragifera, Chara fragilifera, Chara fragilis, Chara fulcrata, Chara galioides, Chara gelatinosa, Chara globularis, Chara glomerata, Chara gracilis, Chara gymnophylla, Chara gymnopitys, Chara gymnopus, Chara halina, Chara hansenii, Chara hedwigii, Chara heterophylla, Chara hirta, Chara hispida, Chara hookeri, Chara horrida, Chara huangii, Chara hyalina, Chara hydropytis, Chara imperfecta, Chara inconnexa, Chara inconspicua, Ghana inflata, Chara intermedia, Chara intertexta, Chara intricata, Chara krausei, Chara leei, Chara leptophys, Chara leptosperma, Chara leptospora, Chara lhotzkyi, Chara liljebladii, Chara longibracteata, Chara macropogon, Chara major, Chara major, Chara microphylla, Chara mollusca, Chara montagnei, Chara mucronata, Chara muelleri, Chara muscosa, Chara myriophylla, Chara nolteana, Chara nuda, Chara obtuse, Chara oedophylla, Chara opaca, Chara pachyarthra, Chara palaeofragilis, Chara palaeohungarica, Chara papillata, Chara papulosa, Chara pedunculata, Chara plebeja, Chara polyacantha, Chara polycarpica, Chara polyphylla, Chara polysperma, Chara pouzolsii, Chara preissii, Chara prolifera, Chara psilopitys, Chara pulchella, Chara pusilla, Chara rabenhorstii, Chara refracta, Chara rudis, Chara rusbyana, Chara sadleri, Chara scoparia, Chara setosa, Chara spinescens, Chara squamosa, Chara stelligera, Chara stoechadum, Chara strigosa, Chara stuartiana, Chara submollusca, Chara subtillis, Chara succincta, Chara syncarpa, Chara tenuispina, Chara tenuissima, Chara tomentosa, Chara translucens, Chara trichophylla, Chara vandalurensis, Chara vasiformis, Chara virgata, Chara viridis, Chara visianii, Chara vulgaris, Chara wallichi, Chara wallrothii, Chara zeylanica , subspecies thereof, varieties thereof, forms thereof, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         71 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein the actively growing macroalgae is selected from the group consisting of  Chara vulgaris  f.  contraria, Chara vulgaris  var.  refracta, Chara vulgaris  f.  paragymnophylla, Chara vulgaris  f.  subhispida, Chara vulgaris subinermis, Chara vulgaris  var.  gymnophylla, Chara vulgaris  var.  hispidula, Chara vulgaris  var,  vulgaris, Chara vulgaris Linnaeus, Chara vulgaris  var.  montana, Chara vulgaris  f.  crispa, Chara vulgaris  var.  contraria, Chara vulgaris  var.  papillata, Chara vulgaris longibracteata, Chara vulgaris  var.  longibracteata, Chara vulgaris  var.  crassicaulis, Chara vulgaris  var.  denudata, Chara vulgaris  var.  vulgaris  f.  crassicaulis, Chara vulgaris  var.  inconexa  f.  arrudensis, Chara vulgaris  var.  inconnexa, Chara vulgaris  subsp.  squamosa, Chara vulgaris  f.  hispidula, Chara vulgaris  var.  condensata, Chara vulgaris  var.  imperfecta, Chara vulgaris  var.  oedophylla, Chara vulgaris  var.  vulgaris  f.  muscosa , and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         72 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein the macroalgae is a macroalgae that forms a calcium carbonate-containing exoskeleton in the presence of sufficient calcium ions and carbonate ions. 
     
     
         73 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein the macroalgae is a species recognized by one or more of the common names stonewort, brittlewort, muskgrass, and muskwort. 
     
     
         74 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein the soil pH is at least about 8. 
     
     
         75 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein the saltwater growth medium has a pH of at least about 8. 
     
     
         76 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein saltwater growth medium has a calcium content of at least about 700 mg/L. 
     
     
         77 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 76 , wherein the saltwater growth medium has a calcium content of at least about 1,000 mg/L. 
     
     
         78 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein the saltwater growth medium has a sulfate content of at least about 1,000 mg/L. 
     
     
         79 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein the saltwater growth medium has a nitrogen content of at least about 6 mg/L. 
     
     
         80 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein the saltwater growth medium has a phosphorus content of at least about 0.5 mg/L. 
     
     
         81 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein the saltwater growth medium has one or more of:
 i. a sodium chloride content of about 3 g/L to about 70 g/L;   ii. a calcium content of about 500 mg/L to about 50 g/L;   iii. a sulfate content of about 1 g/L to about 16 g/L;   iv. a nitrogen content of about 6.25 mg/L to about 100 mg/L;   v. a silicon content of about 1.5 mg/L to about 24 mg/L;   vi. a phosphorus content of about 0.5 mg/L to about 8 mg/L; and   vii. an iron content of about 0.5 mg/L to about 8 mg/L.   
     
     
         82 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 81 , wherein the saltwater growth medium includes the sodium chloride content, the calcium content, the sulfate content, and the phosphorus content. 
     
     
         83 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein the saltwater growth medium has a total salinity of at least about 1% by weight. 
     
     
         84 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 83 , wherein the saltwater growth medium has a total salinity of about 1.5% to about 15% by weight. 
     
     
         85 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 66 , wherein the saltwater growth medium in the container has a depth of at least about 2 feet. 
     
     
         86 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 85 , wherein the saltwater growth medium in the container has a depth of about 2 feet to about 8 feet. 
     
     
         87 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 67 , wherein the macroalgae production system further comprises light sensors interspaced within the saltwater growth medium container. 
     
     
         88 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 87 , comprising a least one light sensor located near the surface of the saltwater growth medium and at least one light sensor located near the bottom of the saltwater growth medium. 
     
     
         89 . The macroalgae production system of  claim 67 , further comprising a macroalgae harvesting device that separates an upper portion of the actively macroalgae from a rooting portion of the macroalgae at some point below the surface of the saltwater growth medium. 
     
     
         90 . The macro algae production system of  claim 67 , further comprising a separator for separating any calcium carbonate-containing exoskeleton on the external surface of the macroalgae from the plant portion of the macroalgae.