Fan Ling Chen

US Patent:

7980024, Jul 19, 2011

Filed:

Apr 25, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/110178

Inventors:

Isaac Berzin - Jerusalem, IL
Javier de Luis - Cambridge MA, US
David Fair - Winchester MA, US
Joe Parrish - Cambridge MA, US
Keith Richtman - Boston MA, US
Fan Chen - Santa Clara CA, US
Benjamin F. Polito - Lebanon NH, US
Miles Walker - Somerville MA, US
Ben Fowler - Somerville MA, US
Kevin Lockwood - Millville MA, US
Miguel Olaizola - San Diego CA, US

Assignee:

Algae Systems, Inc. - Chicago IL

International Classification:

A01G 7/00
C12M 1/00

US Classification:

47 14, 4352891, 4352921

Abstract:

Certain embodiments and aspects of the present invention relate to a photobioreactor including photobioreactor units through which a liquid medium stream and a gas stream flow. The photobioreactor units are floated on a body of water such as a pond or a lake. The liquid medium comprises at least one species of phototrophic organism therein. Certain methods of using the photobioreactor system as part of fuel generation system and/or a gas-treatment process or system at least partially remove certain undesirable pollutants from a gas stream. In certain embodiments, the photobioreactor units are formed of flexible, deformable material and are configured to provide a substantially constant thickness of liquid medium. In certain embodiments, a barrier between the photobioreactor unit and the body of water upon which the unit is floated facilitates thermal communication between the liquid medium and the body of water.