Patent ID: 8268601
Filing Date: 2012-09-18
Classification: C12M,C12N,C12P

Abstract:
1. A process for synthesizing oil, comprising: selecting photosynthetic microbes that double in biomass in approximately 16 hours or less when supplied with sufficient carbon dioxide in an open pond having a carrying capacity; injecting stack gases having carbon dioxide concentrations of at least 3.5% into a photobioreactor having a maximum culture depth of at most approximately 30 to 40 centimeters, wherein said stack gases are selected from the source consisting of burning a fossil fuel, industrial production of chemicals, refining of oil and gas, and geological extraction of fossil fuels; introducing said microbes into said photobioreactor; providing said microbes with sufficient nutrients in said photobioreactor to avoid nutrients being a limiting factor to growth; turbulent mixing of said microbes throughout said photobioreactor, whereby said microbes undergo continuous exponential growth in said photobioreactor; inoculating an initial biomass of said microbes that is no less than 5% of said carrying capacity of said open pond from said closed photobioreactor into said open pond; supplying carbon dioxide to said open system to maintain approximately constant pH and to supply sufficient carbon dioxide to said microbes and to replace carbon dioxide removed by said microbes; and maintaining said microbes in said open pond with high nutrient concentrations for at most 5 days, whereby initial conditions of high light intensity and high nutrient concentrations favor continued exponential growth for a short period, but wherein growth becomes limited by nitrogen availability which inhibits protein synthesis, whereby oil content is increased.