An optical imaging system for cell culture monitoring is provided. The system includes an illumination segment having an illumination source and a collimating lens positioned between a first surface of a cell culture vessel and the illumination source. The illumination source and the collimating lens are arranged to transmit light through the first surface at an angle oblique to the first surface of the cell culture vessel. The system also includes a detection segment having a detector and a lens positioned between the first surface of the cell culture vessel and the detector. The lens focuses light to the detector through an aperture stop, and the detector receives light that exits the first surface of the cell culture vessel at an angle oblique to the first surface.

In a sensor device, a plurality of light guides having a respective first end and a respective second end are arranged on a common carrier, with the first end of each light guide of the plurality of light guides at a respective defined position on the carrier. At each of the second ends of the light guides there is provided at least one sensor element which exhibits an optical behavior dependent on an analyte. The second ends are at defined perpendicular distances to the carrier. At least two of the second ends differ with respect to the defined perpendicular distances.

The invention relates to a panel (100, 200, 300, 400) for a photobioreactor comprising at least: two plates assembled together, at least one of which is transparent and between which a lighting device is inserted; at least two openings allowing the passage of a fluid from a first face to a second face of the panel (100, 200, 300, 400) and characterized in that said luminous device is a fabric (101, 201, 202, 301, 401) including at least one optical fiber (2) capable of diffusing the light through said at least one transparent plate.

In one embodiment, an algae cultivation system includes a photobioreactor adapted for immersion in growth media contained within the growth media reactor, the photobioreactor including a closed container including multiple panels that together define an interior space in which algae can be cultivated, at least one of the panels being transparent, a porous membrane filter incorporated into one of the panels that enables water, carbon dioxide, and nutrients contained within the growth media to pass into the interior space but prevents contaminants contained within the growth media from passing into the interior space, and a gas control valve incorporated into one of the panels that when open enables photosynthetic gas produced by algae growth within the container to escape but when closed prevents the photosynthetic gas from escaping so as to build pressure within the container that forces water out from the container and dewaters the algae.

Embodiments include a reaction vessel having a first reaction chamber filled with a first material; a first light absorbing region adhered to an interior-facing surface of the first reaction chamber; a second reaction chamber filled with a second material; a second light absorbing region adhered to an interior-facing surface of the second reaction chamber; a temperature sensor disposed within the second reaction chamber; and one or more energy sources configured to direct light at the first light absorbing region and the second light absorbing region. A processor may be employed to determine a first temperature of the first material from a second temperature of the second material measured by the temperature sensor. Methods of manufacturing such a reaction vessel are also disclosed.

Embodiments include a reaction vessel having a reaction chamber defined by opposing first and second interior-facing surfaces of the housing; a first light absorbing layer conforming to the first interior-facing surface of the housing component; and a second light absorbing layer conforming to the second interior-facing surface of the housing component; a first energy source configured to direct light through the housing at the first light absorbing layer; and a second energy source configured to direct light through the housing at the second light absorbing layer.

An optofluidic photoreactor including an optical waveguide having an input, characterized by an evanescent optical field confined along an outer surface of the optical waveguide produced by radiation propagating in the optical waveguide, means for inputting light to the input of the optical waveguide, and a photoactive material disposed substantially only within the evanescent field. A method for optically activating a photoactive material in an optofluidic photoreactor to convert carbon dioxide and water into other molecules that may be useful as a fuel or a chemical feedstock.

The present invention concerns a module for a photobioreactor suitable for being assembled to an identical adjacent module, comprising: a panel having a first face and a second face, opposite the first face, the first face delimiting, with the second face of the adjacent panel, a cavity suitable for containing a culture medium when the modules are assembled, the cavity (14) having a thickness of between 1 millimetre and 2 centimetres, and a gas injection device, capable of injecting gas bubbles into the culture medium contained in the cavity, such that the bubbles rise along the faces of the panels.

Disclosed is a device for exposing an algal solution to light, for a photobioreactor, this exposure device including a flat support including at least one opening capable of holding at least one shaft, the shaft being made of a liquid-tight, translucent or even transparent flexible material, and including an open end capable of holding a sleeve, the sleeve being translucent, or even transparent, and arranged to seal and attach the shaft to the support. The exposure device has positive floatability in water. Also disclosed is a photobioreactor equipped with such a device and a start-up method for such a photobioreactor.

A method and a device for adherent culture of microalgae in a thin liquid layer by mobile mechanical stirring, comprising: a subsystem for adherent culture of microalgae in thin liquid layer, for adherent culture of microalgae in a culture solution, comprising a microalgae liquid pool and a culture plate used as a base plate for microalgae seed inoculation, adherent culture, microalgae harvesting, the microalgae liquid pool containing culture solution having a water layer with a depth in a range of 1{tilde over ()}5 cm, forming a thin liquid layer; and a subsystem for mechanical stirring, comprising a mechanical stirring assembly, a moving assembly, a track member, a power drive assembly, a control assembly, the moving assembly moving on the track member to drive the mechanical stirring assembly to stir and suspend the microalgae, the microalgae standing and gradually settling to the bottom after stirring, realizing adherent culture in suspension and settlement cycle.