A method of removing nitrogen-bound nitrate from at least one of groundwater, surface water, or waste water is disclosed. The method includes providing contaminant-containing water from groundwater, surface water, and/or waste water sources. The method further includes adding the contaminant-containing water to an algal photobioreactor system. The method further includes adding an alga culture to the alga photobioreactor system. The method further includes adjusting temperature, CO.sub.2 concentration, pH, light wavelength, and/or light intensity in the algal photobioreactor system to optimize the growth of the algae. The method further includes separating the algae from the water and harvesting algal biomass.

A water filtering system includes providing light deep into a liquid used in applications such as the cultivation of both attached and suspended photosynthetic organisms. The system is configured to inject a stream of bubbles into the liquid and a light source is configured to shines light through the bubbles. The bubbles allow some light to travel deep into the liquid along the length of the bubble stream and scatter/deflect some light out of the bubble stream and into the surrounding liquid including screens for growing algae.

Methods and systems for sequestering carbon dioxide and growing algae can include: producing fluids from a subsurface formation; separating the fluids into hydrocarbons and produced water; transferring the produced water to a treatment pond; transferring the hydrocarbons to a gas fractionation plant; separating the hydrocarbons resulting in a carbon dioxide side stream; and discharging the carbon dioxide side stream into the treatment pond.

Some embodiments are directed to an apparatus for forming discrete biomass receptacles from a base material that is created via cultivating or processing algae for biofuel production. The apparatus includes a supplier to supply heat softened biomaterial; a rotatable molder to receive the heat softened biomaterial that includes a heated hollow mold; a rotator configured to rotate the rotatable molder; and a controller configured to control the rotator to rotate the heated hollow mold such that the heat softened biomaterial disperses and adheres to walls of the heated hollow mold, the controller also being configured to control the rotator to continue rotating the heated hollow mold as the heat softened biomaterial cools so as to impede sagging and deformation of the biomass receptables being formed, such that the receptacles that are formed are configured to house algae via at least one of the cultivating and processing of the algae.

Growth methods and systems herein include a growth container with one or more meshes attached thereto. The growth container and its meshes can hold a substrate. The growth container and its meshes can be vertically oriented to allow fungal biomass (e.g., mycelium, fruiting body, primordia, etc.) to grow from the substrate and through the meshes. The growth containers can be cylindrical or a rectangular box having meshes extending along vertically oriented longitudinal sides. The meshes may be provided on two opposite sides of the growth cylinders. These meshes can expose the substrate to a growth environment to facilitate growth of the fungal biomass.

The present disclosure relates to an algal cultivation system comprising an algal pond. The algal pond comprises a growth chamber containing algal culture which is exposed to light to enable rapid growth of algae therein, and a regeneration chamber which is substantially devoid of light and configured to provide a residence time to algal culture for repair of damaged proteins of algal cells. The present disclosure also relates to a process for biomass production, comprising circulating algal culture using convection current or forced convection, between the growth chamber and the regeneration chamber. The system and process facilitate in increasing biomass and mitigating salinity and/or temperature variations in the algal culture (A).

Harvesting methods and systems for harvesting fungal biomass from a growth container using one or more meshes is described. The growth container includes a first mesh through which the fungal biomass grows. A second mesh can be disposed over the first mesh such that the fungal biomass grows further through the second mesh. A rotator or a slider can be coupled to the second mesh and configured to move the second mesh relative to the first mesh causing the fungal biomass to shear and transport the fungal biomass on the second mesh to a delivery area.

System and methods for monitoring the growth of an aquatic plant culture and detecting real-time characteristics associated with the aquatic plant culture aquatic plants. The systems and methods may include a control unit configured to perform an analysis of at least one image of an aquatic plant culture. The analysis may include processing at least one collected image to determine at least one physical characteristic or state of an aquatic plant culture. Distribution systems and methods described may track and control the distribution of an aquatic plant culture based on information received from various sources. System and methods described may include a bioreactor having a plurality of vertically stacked modules designed to contain the aquatic plants and a liquid growth medium.

A photobioreactor for cultivation and/or propagation of a photosynthetic organism and associated systems/methods are disclosed herewith. The photobioreactor includes (1) a substantially spherical vessel having a wall defining an interior vessel volume; (2) a water-submersible system for converting electrical energy into electromagnetic radiation; (3) a temperature management system for circulating heat dispersal fluid into and out of the water-submersible system; and (4) a photobioreactor control system comprising a processor and a controller.

The invention provides a process for the production of seafood in a closed-loop multitrophic aquaculture system comprising the steps of: (A) culturing phytoplankton in a medium, wherein said medium is irradiated with light; (B) transferring such cultured phytoplankton to a medium for culturing zooplankton; (C) transferring such cultured zooplankton to a medium for culturing seafood; and (D) transferring a part of the medium of step (C) as nutritient to the medium of step (A), thereby creating a closed loop, wherein steps (A) to (D) are carried out in a closed system, in which free gas exchange with the environment is prevented. The invention further provides an apparatus for carrying out this process.