Photobioreactors, Solar Energy Gathering Systems, And Thermal Control Methods

Abstract

The present invention provides photobioreactors, solar energy gathering systems, and methods for thermal control of a culture medium containing a phototrophic organism in a photobioreactor, that allow temperature control in a cost effective manner, reducing the energy required for temperature control of a culture medium containing phototrophic microorganisms in a photobioreactor.

1 . A photobioreactor comprising:
 (a) a reactor chamber for enclosing a phototrophic microorganism and culture medium therefor;   (b) a heat energy system; and   (c) thermal control layer;
 wherein at least part of the reactor chamber is transparent for light of a wavelength that is photosynthetically active in the phototrophic microorganism, and the reactor chamber and heat energy system are in controllable thermal contact, and the thermal control layer provides the controllable thermal contact. 
   
     
     
         2 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The photobioreactor of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal control layer is adapted to control the spatial distance between the reactor chamber and the heat energy system. 
     
     
         7 . The photobioreactor of  claim 6 , wherein the thermal control layer comprises an enclosure for containing a fluid. 
     
     
         8 . The photobioreactor of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid is a gas and the enclosure is flexible to allow significant structural and thermal contact between the reactor chamber and the heat energy system in the absence of the gas and reduced or no structural and thermal contact in the presence of the gas. 
     
     
         9 . The photobioreactor of  claim 8 , wherein the reactor chamber is made of a flexible material in an area that is in contact with the thermal control layer. 
     
     
         10 . The photobioreactor of  claim 7 , wherein part of the reactor chamber is a plastic layer, the plastic layer being also part of the enclosure of the thermal control layer. 
     
     
         11 . The photobioreactor of  claim 8 , wherein the gas comprises air. 
     
     
         12 . The photobioreactor of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid is a liquid, and thermal contact is provided, through the enclosure and liquid, between the reactor chamber and the heat energy system; and in the absence of the liquid, reduced or no thermal contact is provided. 
     
     
         13 . The photobioreactor of  claim 1 , wherein the heat energy system is a heat exchange chamber for containing a heat exchange fluid; wherein the heat exchange chamber is made of a flexible material in an area that is in contact with the thermal control layer. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The photobioreactor of  claim 1 , wherein the photobioreactor comprises a plurality of reactor chambers and each of the reactor chamber is, independently, in controllable thermal contact with the heat energy system. 
     
     
         16 . The photobioreactor of  claim 1 , wherein the photobioreactor comprises a plurality of reactor chambers and a plurality of heat exchange chambers, and each of the reactor chambers is, independently, in controllable thermal contact with a corresponding heat exchange chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The photobioreactor of  claim 1 , wherein the photobioreactor comprises a plurality of reactor chambers and a plurality of heat exchange chambers, the reactor chambers being channels positioned substantially parallel to each other and providing a first side of the photobioreactor, the heat exchange chambers being channels positioned substantially parallel to each other and providing a second side opposite the first side, and the reactor chambers and the heat exchange chambers being separated by a thermal control layer. 
     
     
         18 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A solar energy gathering system comprising:
 (a) a photobioreactor comprising:
 (i) a reactor chamber for enclosing a phototrophic microorganism and culture medium therefor; and 
 (ii) a heat exchange chamber for containing a heat exchange fluid; 
 wherein the reactor chamber and heat exchange chamber are in controllable thermal contact; 
   (b) a cooling device adapted for controlled cooling of the heat exchange fluid;   wherein at least part of the reactor chamber is transparent for light of a wavelength that is photosynthetically active in the phototrophic microorganism.   
     
     
         24 - 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A method for thermal control of a culture medium containing a phototrophic organism in a photobioreactor comprising:
 (a) measuring the temperature of the culture medium contained in a reactor chamber of the photobioreactor, the reactor chamber being positioned substantially horizontally to provide a headspace above the liquid culture; wherein at least part of the reactor chamber is transparent for light of a wavelength that is photosynthetically active in the phototrophic microorganism;   (b) measuring the temperature of a heat exchange liquid contained in a heat exchange chamber, the heat exchange chamber and the reactor chamber being structurally coupled to a thermal control layer, the thermal control layer being positioned between the heat exchange chamber and the reactor chamber; wherein the thermal control layer is adapted to contain a fluid;   (c) determining if a change in thermal contact between the reactor chamber and the heat exchange chamber is desired; and   (d) changing fluid presence in the thermal control layer if a change in thermal contact is desired.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein changing the fluid presence comprises inflating the thermal control layer with a gas, if reduced thermal contact between the heat exchange chamber and the reactor chamber and, therefore, reduced heat exchange between the culture medium and the heat exchange liquid is desired. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein changing the fluid presence further comprises deflating the thermal control layer, if thermal contact between the heat exchange chamber and the reactor chamber and, therefore, heat exchange between the culture medium and the heat exchange liquid is desired. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the thermal control layer has a flexible enclosure allowing the thermal control layer to collapse upon deflating to establish thermal contact between the heat exchange chamber and the reactor chamber. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein changing the fluid presence further comprises filling the thermal control layer with a liquid, if thermal contact between the heat exchange chamber and the reactor chamber and, therefore, heat exchange between the culture medium and the heat exchange liquid is desired. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising (e) cooling the heat exchange liquid from the heat exchange chamber with a cooling device outside of the photobioreactor. 
     
     
         52 . The method of claim  5 , further comprising (f) flowing gas through the headspace, wherein the flow of gas through the headspace is regulated, in part, for thermal control of the culture medium. 
     
     
         53 - 96 . (canceled)