Patent ID: 8673615
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: C12N

Abstract:
1. A process for improving water quality and growing microalgal biomass, which process comprises the steps of: (a) providing at least one cell which is generally closed to liquid flow by ceiling, floor and sidewalls except for a liquid entrance and an end wall overflow liquid exit, (b) providing partitioning walls in said cell to create channels that form an extended flow path of at least about 500 feet total length from the entrance to the exit, (c) coating the surfaces of the sidewalls and the partitioning walls with photocatalytic coating material that is effective in the presence of light of the visible light spectrum of about 400 to 700 nm to mineralize organic and inorganic compounds in an aqueous stream so as to provide resulting minerals that are available for absorption by the metabolism of autotrophic cyanobacteria microalgae, (d) supplying a continuous stream of water to be treated to the cell entrance to create a steady flow of water along the extended flow path at a velocity of at least about 0.023 feet/second, which flowing water stream contains autotrophic cyanobacteria microalgae that require CO (e) injecting CO (f) distributing light which covers only the visible light spectrum of about 400 to 700 nm into the flowing water stream from floor to ceiling throughout the cell along the extended flow path, (g) providing ceiling service openings in the cell at spaced locations along the extended flow path and recovering offgases and harvesting microalgal biomass through said service openings, (h) maintaining the cell water level at a depth so as to assure there is void head space between the water surface and the ceiling, and (i) removing water of improved water quality from the cell exit.