A photobioreactor is particularly suited for producing micro-organisms such as microalgae. The photobioreactor is a closed reactor with reactor vessels which have an open top that is closed by a top wall of the photobioreactor and in which a nutrient medium can be held. At least some of the reactor vessels are individual vessels. Adjacent reactor vessels form a gap between a front wall and a rear wall, the gap being closed at the top side by an overflow wall region and having a vessel overflow opening between the adjacent reactor vessels. A lighting element is held in the gap. Each of the reactor vessels has a partition which divides the reactor vessel into a front reactor chamber and a rear reactor chamber. At least one partition through-flow opening between the front and rear reactor chambers is formed in the partition close to the bottom wall.

An illuminated container for the growth of biological entities is provided. The container is illuminated by a flexible light diffusing fiber. The light diffusing fiber includes a core formed from a silica-based glass and a cladding in direct contact with the core. The light diffusing fiber also includes an outer polymer coating layer surrounding the cladding, the outer polymer coating layer being the cured product of a liquid polymer blend including a scattering material and a luminophore.

The monitoring and control of bioprocesses is provided. The present disclosure provides the ability to generate generic calibration models, independent of cell line, using inline Raman probes to monitor changes in glucose, lactate, glutamate, ammonium, viable cell concentration (VCC), total cell concentration (TCC) and product concentration. Calibration models were developed from cell culture using two different CHOK1SV GS-KO™ cell lines producing different monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Developed predictive models, qualified using an independent CHOK1SV GS-KO™ cell line not used in calibration, measured changes in glucose, lactate, ammonium, VCC, and TCC with minor prediction errors over the course of cell culture with minimal cell line dependence. The development of these generic models allows the application of spectroscopic PAT techniques in a clinical manufacturing environment, where processes are typically run once or twice in GMP manufacturing based on a common platform process.

An elongated hollow optical waveguide (1) is described, as can be used in particular in a photobioreactor for supplying phototrophic organisms both with light and with nutrients. The optical waveguide (1) has a casing (3) made from transparent plastic, which surrounds a hollow core (5). The hollow core has a diameter of at least 1 mm, preferably at least 3 mm or at least 1 cm. A plurality of openings (7) with a diameter of at least 0.5 mm, preferably at least 1 mm, is constructed in the casing (3). Light can propagate through the transparent casing and preferably exit laterally (19) along the entire optical waveguide (1). Nutrients (15) can be conveyed through the hollow core (5) into the interior of the photobioreactor. Conversely, portions of the solution, to which organisms have been added, can also be sucked through the hollow core (5), for example in order to analyze the same.

A sun-tracking light distributor system for use in an open-ended photo-bioreactor having an aqueous liquid for a photosynthetic culture, comprising: at least one light distributor each including a concentrator supporting section with a light entry surface adapted to receive sunlight rays, an elongated rod section with a light distribution surface adapted to redirect the received sunlight rays within the aqueous liquid, a light concentrating element provided at the light entry surface which concentrates within the elongated rod at least a portion of the sunlight rays received at the light entry surface; a displacement system operatively connected to the light distributors and adapted to change an orientation of the light entry surface of the light distributors to track a solar position.

Disclosed is a photosynthetic culture production device including at least one photo-bioreactor chamber having a supply/discharge unit, and including: an aqueous liquid containing a photosynthetic culture; at least one unit for supplying and discharging fluids from the chamber interacting with a management system; at least one light distributor including at least one first wall arranged so as to receive the light at a proximal end, at least one second wall arranged so as to emit at least part of the received light, and a sealed cavity defined by the at least one first wall and the at least one second wall, part of the emitting wall being immersed in the aqueous liquid containing the photosynthetic culture; at least one fluid partially filling the sealed cavity; and a cover, limiting evaporation. The cover has at least one opening, keeping the at least one light distributor stationary in the chamber.

Systems and methods are provided for growing algae and/or other microorganisms in a controlled environment while reducing or minimizing the amount of energy required for maintaining desired conditions in the growth medium. The systems can be based on a photobioreactor having a “tube-in-tube structure”, where an outer cylindrical tube contains a heat regulation fluid that surrounds one or more inner cylinders that contain microorganisms in growth media. The heat regulation fluid in the outer cylinder, as well as the outer cylinder itself, can assist with regulating the temperature of the growth media in the inner cylinder(s).

The invention relates to a light injector element (20) comprising a body (21) extending according to a longitudinal axis (22), and a light source (23) placed facing an end (25) of the body (21), the light source (23) comprising a plurality of vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) diodes, said plurality of diodes being arranged so as to form an emission surface (26) substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (22) of the body (21).

The invention also relates to a photobioreactor (10) comprising such a light injector element (20).

The invention relates to a light injector element (20) comprising a hollow body (21) extending according to a longitudinal axis (22), and a light source (23) placed facing an end (25) of the body (21), the light source (23) being configured to emit a light beam substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (22) of said body (21), the injector element (20) further comprising at least one optical element (35i) arranged inside the body (21) and configured to let through a fraction of the light beam propagating in a central part (36i) of the body (21), and deflect towards the outside of said body (21) a fraction of the light beam propagating in a peripheral part (37i) of the body so as to locally distribute energy emitted by the light source (23).

The invention also relates to a photobioreactor (10) and a domestic lighting element comprising such a light injector element (20).

A photobioreactor device for growing photosynthetic organisms, organisms that feed on photosynthetic organisms and hydroponics is disclosed. The device may include a lighting system integrated around the circumference of the device. In embodiments, a cap configured to seal the container has ports configured to permit passage of fluid out of or into a container without removing the cap. In some embodiments, organisms are grown in a disposable bag secured between the cap and the container.