A cover for a lagoon is provided. The cover includes an expandable membrane; a plurality of stretchable members coupled to the expandable membrane and configured to compress the expandable membrane; and a plurality of restraining members coupled to the expandable membrane and configured to limit expansion of the expandable membrane.

Provided is a continuous microalgae culture module, including an outdoor culture unit, a high-density culture unit, a pigment induced unit, and a harvesting unit. A method of culturing microalgae containing macular pigment is also provided, including sequentially culturing microalgae with medium in the outdoor culture unit and the high-density culture unit, producing macular pigment in the pigment induced unit through different light irradiation, and collecting the microalgal biomass containing macular pigment in the harvesting unit.

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.

The present disclosure provides system (10) and a method for algal cultivation. The system for algal cultivation comprises a reservoir (1) which is configured to contain a fluid medium (6) having an algal culture; at least one circulating means (3) which is configured to circulate the fluid medium in the reservoir at a desired velocity; at least one covering means (5) which is configured in its operative configuration to at least partially cover an opening of the reservoir to at least partially block the light incident on the fluid medium and define intermittent light and dark cycle for the fluid medium for a predetermined period of time in the reservoir. Advantageously, the invention disclosed by the present disclosure improves biomass production, minimizes water evaporation in open pond system, avoids photo-inhibition or stress, provides optimum photosynthetic rate, provides efficient utilization of the space, provides efficient generation of resources such as renewable energy.

An object of the present invention is to provide: an algae water concentration system that efficiently concentrates algae water in a culture pond into algae water containing algae having a desired size, with a simple structure and at low cost; and a method for operating the same. A cultured algae water concentration system 100 comprises: an algae water supply unit 17 that has an algae water supply container 18 that stores algae water sent from the culture pond therein, and a supply container outlet port 19 through which the algae water is taken out from the algae water supply container; and an algae water concentration unit that has a concentration container 1 for receiving and concentrating the algae water from the algae water supply unit, a filter 3 which divides the concentration container into upper and lower spaces and does not pass algae having a predetermined size or larger therethrough, a vibration device 5 that vibrates the filter in an out-of-plane direction, a concentration container algae water inlet port 7 which takes in the algae water to the concentration container and is arranged below the filter of the concentration container, a concentrated algae water outlet port 9 that is arranged below the filter of the concentration container and takes out algae water therethrough that has been concentrated in the concentration container, and a filtered water discharge port 8 that is arranged above the filter of the concentration container and discharges filtered water having passed through the filter.

Methods and systems for efficient culturing of algae in open ponds. Further, the methods include a method for culturing algae in an open pond medium that is free of any concentrated supply of CO.sub.2, and no concentrated source of CO.sub.2 is used to supply carbon for culturing the algae. Also, the algae are cultured in the open pond which has a pH above 9.5. In addition, the open pond medium has incorporated therein an inorganic carbon buffer at a specified concentration under conditions for obtaining an increased biomass. Also, the pH above 9.5 permits sufficient increased fixation of atmospheric CO2 into the open pond medium.

So as to specify a container (2), in particular for generating biogas, comprising a preferably cylindrical main portion (3) and a base portion (9) arranged below the main portion (3), and a biogas system, which are of a simple, cost-effective construction that makes simple maintenance possible and which, with low energy consumption, effectively prevent blockages and funnel formation, it is proposed for the base portion (9) to have an annularly closed circulation duct (18).

A flow passage (70) is shown in the form of two successively linked, substantially parallel, adjacent, open top channels (12A, 14A) to form part of an algae cultivation system. The forward flow of the water passes in sequence through the respective open top channels (12A) and (14A) of flow passage (70), in the direction of arrow A and then is then recirculated back into to the channel (12A), and so on. The combination of added nutrients, sunlight and agitation of the fluid flow encourages the growth cultivation of the biological organisms which are continually suspended in the flowing water. Such a flow passage (70) can be used as a standalone passage used as part of a system for cultivation of biological organisms, or it can also form one basic unit of a modular system which is arranged in use to have several such flow passages linked together in use. Such a reconfigurable apparatus gives the user the flexibility to cultivate different algae products both separately and simultaneously.

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. Systems and methods for distributing aquatic plant cultures are also provided. The distribution systems and methods may track and control the distribution of an aquatic plant culture based on information received from various sources. Systems and methods for growing and harvesting aquatic plants in a controlled and compact environment are also provided. The systems may include a bioreactor having a plurality of vertically stacked modules designed to contain the aquatic plants and a liquid growth medium.

The present invention relates to a method for treating wastewater. The method includes treating an influent flow of raw wastewater from one or more sources in a harvestable algae biofilm treatment system. The treated wastewater is then delivered to one or more wastewater treatment lagoons or a mechanized biological treatment system for additional treatment. Also disclosed is a system for treating wastewater.