Photobioreactor systems and methods for producing biomass

Abstract

Certain embodiments and aspects relate to a photobioreactor including encapsulating photobioreactor units (EPU) within which a liquid medium and a gas are encapsulated. The liquid medium comprises at least one species of phototrophic or mixotrophic organism therein. The gas comprises a high concentration of carbon dioxide. Certain methods of using the EPUs for algal biomass production use automated function units.

1 . A system for cultivating algae, the system comprising:
 a plurality of encapsulating photobioreactor units (EPUs) configured to float in a body of water, each EPU comprising a first portion fluidically connected to a second portion; wherein the first portion is configured to hold a liquid media, and the second portion is configured to hold a gas;   a handler configured to receive each EPU, harvest at least a portion of the liquid media from each EPU, and add liquid media to each EPU.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the handler is configured to clean and/or disinfect each EPU. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a mixer. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a driver. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the body of water. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of each EPU is immersed in the body of water and the second portion of each EPU is positioned above the body of water. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the body of water is a natural pond or an artificial pond. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each EPU comprises at least one sealable port through which contents can be added to and removed from the EPU. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each EPU comprises transparent or translucent material. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each EPU comprises a rigid material. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the liquid media. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the liquid media comprises a phototrophic or mixotrophic organism. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the organism comprises a strain of algae or cyanobacteria. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the handler is configured to collect EPUs from the body of water, disinfect the outside of each of the EPUs, remove a seal from each of the EPUs, collect the liquid media from each of the EPUs, disinfect an internal side of the EPUs and the seal, add a liquid media to each of the EPUs, add a gas to each of the EPUs, seal each of the EPUs, and release the EPUs into the body of water. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the gas comprises between about 4 v/v % and about 100 v/v % of carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the gas comprises between about 90 v/v % and about 100 v/v % of carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         17 - 24 . (canceled)