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.

Culture systems and methods of using same. The systems include a housing defining an inner space. The inner space includes a headspace and at least a portion of a reservoir. A surface for immobilizing cells is moveable between the headspace and the reservoir. The systems can be used for coculturing methanotrophs and phototrophs for processing biogas and wastewater, particularly from anaerobic digesters.

An autonomous control system can be used with one or more systems or components to improve the operation of the systems or components. For example, an autonomous control system can be used in combination with a biorefinery system to improve the operation of the biorefinery system.

A microalgae culture broth producing system includes a device for culture broth sterilization using a micro bubble generator, an air compression and pressure equalization device for the injection of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere into the culture broth. The system also includes an air chilling device to maintain suitable culture broth temperature when water temperature is too high, an automatic carbon dioxide supply device to promote photosynthesis, and a sealed vertical photobioreactor to block out pollutants and increase dissolved carbon dioxide and oxygen concentration. The system further includes a high-efficiency harvesting device using hollow fiber membranes, and a hot air drying device using the waste heat generated by air compression.

The present invention relates to a method for culturing microalgae, including: (a) immersing a photobioreactor including a culture container through which a culture solution but not microalgae passes into environmental water; and (b) supplying additional environmental water into the culture container. Through the present invention, it is expected that microalgae can be economically and efficiently mass cultured.

The present invention provides a cell culture vessel or a sample cell for observation use that makes it possible to observe three-dimensionally-cultured cells from various angles. The cell culture vessel or the sample cell for observation use according to the present invention is characterized by being equipped with a culture gel in which a cell or cell tissue is embedded and a first vessel which encloses the culture gel, wherein a space in the first vessel is filled with the culture gel; and the first vessel has a light-permeable window made from a hydrogel.

The invention relates to the field of mass cultivation of microalgae and specifically relates to a horizontal submerged cover type carbon supplement device and carbon supplement method for cultivating microalgae in an open pond. The horizontal submerged cover type carbon supplement device for cultivating microalgae in an open pond, comprises: one or more than two covers and gas distributors, wherein the gas distributor is arranged at the bottom of the open pond and the cover is arranged above the gas distributor; the cover, in form of a cylinder with openings at both ends, is arranged along the flow direction of the culture solution, the two ends of the cover being a culture solution inlet and a culture solution outlet respectively; the gas distributor is kept away from the culture solution outlet of the cover by more than 40 cm. According to the invention, when microalgae cells are cultivated in the open pond, carbon dioxide can be effectively utilized for carbon supplement, so production cost is greatly reduced.

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.

A lateral circulator for generating agitation or circulation in a cultivation pond is disclosed. The circulator comprises at least a drive pulley and a secondary pulley, both oriented vertically and placed in the pond separated from one another along the length of the pond. The drive pulley is coupled to a motor, or to a drive train that is itself coupled to the motor. An endless belt is trained over the drive pulley and the secondary pulley. A plurality of cleats is provided along the exterior of the belt. The cleats are typically angled and serve to drive water as the belt rotates through the water. Typically, the belt would extend over much of the length of the cultivation pond, providing agitation and circulation over an extensive, continuous area of the cultivation pond.

A method of treating microbial biomass includes mixing the microbial biomass in a liquid to form a suspension, the microbial biomass having an initial color, and exposing the suspension to light to form treated microbial biomass, the treated microbial biomass having a treated color. The treated color is lighter than the initial color. The microbial biomass can also have an initial taste and odor that are stronger than a treated taste and odor of the treated microbial biomass.