Provided is a biological fluidic system that provides a high degree of sterilization by performing the biological processing in a closed system in which the fluid is contained in chambers that are isolated from the environment in a manner that does not permit ingress of contaminants.

A bioreactor system for cultivating microalgae is described. The bioreactor system includes a bioreactor. The bioreactor includes one or more holes. One or more light sources are implanted into each of the one or more holes. A culture media comprising a carbon source is located inside of the bioreactor. A microalgae comprising a photoreceptor sensitive to a region of a visible spectrum is located in the culture media. Each of the one or more light sources produce an irradiance of light including the region of the visible spectrum in a sufficient intensity to transduce the photoreceptor of the microalgae.

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.

Disclosed is an internally illuminated bioreactor, and related algae production methods, that employ integrated in-water grow light assemblies configured to manage the heat generated by lighting elements, such as light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) on the in-water grow lights. The bioreactor includes an outer shell and one or more in-water grow light fixtures positioned within the outer shell that are positioned around the perimeter of a hollow, internal tube. The lighting elements and internal tube are themselves contained within a preferably clear, exterior tube of the light fixture that allows light generated by the lighting elements to pass through to the algae culture inside of the growth chamber. A heat management system is provided for cooling the light fixture using forced directed through the hollow, internal tube from the top to the bottom of the tube, out from outlets at the bottom of the internal tube, and upward in the fixture through buoyancy of the warmed air, and thus without additional mechanical air handling devices. As the air moves upward between the lighting elements and the exterior tube, it draws additional heat away from the lighting elements. The warmed air is ultimately exhausted from the top of the lighting fixture. Each lighting fixture preferably also includes a cleaning system that enables the automated cleaning of the outer surface of the exterior tube of the lighting fixture, thus preventing newly formed algae from collecting on the lighting fixture and ensuring a continuous flow of light from the fixture into the algae culture throughout algae production.

A supporting device for an image capturing device on a bioreactor, a bioreactor, and a method of use are provided. The supporting device for an image capturing device includes a window and a holder. The window has a transparent element that is transparent to electromagnetic radiation. The holder is configured to hold the image capturing device. The supporting device is held at least partially in a through-opening of a feedthrough of a container for holding fluid media containing biological material. The window seals the through-opening.

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.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an automatic micro algae culturing device and system for self-cleaning, continual automatic algae culturing and irradiant optimizing. The culturing device includes a photosynthesis tubular reactor for micro algae culturing, with transparent cleaning particles to scrape off any unwanted particles or components such as including and not limited to formation of biofilm. The device also includes a nano-air bubble generating device installed around the tubular reactor to generate and feed nano-air bubbles into the tubular reactor, where the nano-air bubbles increase an active surface area for ions to interact with the algae in the culture medium in order to increase productivity of the culturing device by enhancing rate of mitosis, productively of oil, protein and polysaccharide and the nano-air bubbles also sterilizes the culture medium.

The present disclosure describes a manufacturing method to use algae as a renewable green factory for producing biodegradable bioplastic. One or more embodiments include separation of a cultivated microalgae biomass from water before use in the wet or dried state. The lipids and proteins are extracted from the biomass which leaves starch and algae precursors in the remaining material from the microalgae cells. The starch includes amylose, amylopectin, monosaccharides kinases and cyclobutadiene and is hydrolyzed into a syrup containing oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. In some cases, the syrup is used as an ingredient in a medium containing nutrient for bacterial fermentation of plastics.

Disclosed is a microalgae culture system using wavelength conversion which selectively provides light having a predetermined wavelength band depending on the species, the growth step and the health status of microalgae received in a reaction unit and a target material to be produced from the microalgae, so as to increase growth efficiency of the microalgae or to improve the output of the target material to be produced from the microalgae. The microalgae culture system includes a first culture sector including microalgae reaction units using a wavelength conversion material configured to transmit light of a first wavelength, a second culture sector including microalgae reaction units using a wavelength conversion material configured to transmit light of a second wavelength, and a control pump configured to transfer microalgae in the first culture sector to the second culture sector through a transmission pipe, when a control condition is achieved.

A bioreactor including a containment structure containing a liquid culture medium for cultivating seaweed. The containment structure includes a sidewall extending vertically between a top and bottom section where the bottom section has an effluent arranged to allow extraction of cultivated seaweed. A spiral liner is positioned adjacent to an inside surface of the sidewall. The recirculator includes a pump arranged to continuously receive a portion of the liquid culture medium via an inlet from the bottom section and output the liquid culture medium via the outlet at the top section. Sensors monitor environmental conditions within the bioreactor. Light emitters are arranged along a surface of the spiral liner. Flow generators, positioned within the containment structure in a spiral configuration between the top section and bottom section, are configured to direct a flow of the liquid culture medium from the top section toward the bottom section of the containment structure.