According to present disclosure, there is disclosed an algae growth and cultivation system that provides a cost-efficient means of producing algae biomass as feedstock for algae-based products, such as, biofuel manufacture, and desirably impacts alternative/renewable energy production, nutrient recovery from waste streams, and valued byproducts production. The system as discussed herein is an integrated systems approach to wastewater treatment, algal strains selection for byproducts production, and recycle of algal-oil extraction waste or additional algae harvested as feedstock for fertilizer production. Embodiments of a system as discussed herein present an economically viable algae production system and process that allows algae-derived products such as biofuels, fertilizer, etc. to compete with petroleum products in the marketplace.

The present invention relates to photobioreactors and more particularly to the use of a transparent composition based on at least one methacrylic polymer for constructing installations for the culture of photosensitive organisms. This composition can be in the form of films, plates, profiled elements or cylinders such as tubes. The invention also relates to a transparent multilayer structure comprising at least one layer of a methacrylic polymer and one layer comprising at least one antifouling additive, and to the use thereof for constructing installations for the culture of photosensitive organisms.

A system is described herein that comprises one or more modular environmental photobioreactor arrays, each array containing two or more photobioreactors, wherein the system is adapted to monitor each of the photobioreactors and/or modulate the conditions with each of the photobioreactors. The photobioreactors are also adapted for measurement of multiple physiological parameters of a biomass contained therein. Various methods for selecting and characterizing biomass are also provided. In one embodiment, the biomass is algae.

A photobioreactor for cultivating photoautotrophs that comprises a first hatcher for containing the photoautotrophs and a first feed medium; a second hatcher for holding the photoautotrophs and a second feed medium; and a pump connected to the first hatcher, the second hatcher or both the first hatcher and the second hatcher for moving the photoautotrophs between the first hatcher and the second hatcher or vice versa.

The present disclosure relates to a method for separation of solid particles from a waterbody. Preferably, the present disclosure relates to a method, wherein a combination of chemicals including coagulant(s) and flocculant(s) are employed for said separation of solid particles, wherein suitable examples of solid particles are living organisms and non-living matter, wherein living organisms include autotrophs such as phototrophs, which are either microscopic or macroscopic in nature (algae). The disclosure thus particularly relates to method of chemical coagulation and flocculation for separating solid particles, preferably either algae or bacteria or both from a waterbody. The present disclosure also provides for an alternate method, wherein the aforesaid method of coagulation and flocculation is combined with electro-coagulation and/or pH modulation strategies for separation of said solid particles in any sequence.

An open raceway algae cultivation system includes a channel configured to contain an algae cultivation fluid. The channel includes a contraction zone having a width and a depth. A pump is configured to circulate the algae cultivation fluid in the channel. A width of the contraction zone decreases leading into the entrance of the pump and a depth of the contraction zone is greater than a depth of at least a portion of the channel located outside of the contraction zone.

An algae cultivation system includes generating a translating hydraulic jump wave that travels across a gas-liquid interface of an algae cultivation fluid contained in the algae cultivation system. The translating hydraulic jump wave has Froude number greater than 1.

Algae cultivation systems and methods account for weather variations that can affect algae cultivation. In one system, an open raceway algae cultivation system includes a channel having a high section and a low liquid collection section. The channel is sloped to allow substantially all of an algae cultivation fluid in the high section to flow downwardly into the low liquid collection section. A barrier is removably positioned in the high section and a drain is positioned in the high section such that, when substantially all of the algae cultivation fluid has collected in the low liquid collection section, any rainwater that falls in the high section flows into the drain, without the rainwater mixing with the algae cultivation fluid in the low liquid collection section.

Algae harvesting and cultivating systems and methods for producing high concentrations of algae product with minimal energy. In an embodiment, a dead-end filtration system and method includes at least one tank and a plurality hollow fiber membranes positioned in the at least one tank. An algae medium is pulled through the hollow fiber membranes such that a retentate and a permeate are produced.

Methods are provided to select strains of photosynthetic microorganisms for enhanced photosynthetic efficiency or biomass accumulation. Strains are mutagenized, and then grown under high light in a turbidostat. Microorganisms created by this process are also described, as well as methods of using such isolated microorganisms for biomass production.