Abstract:
A modular all-terrain algal production system that includes a plurality of segments. Each segment is made from one or more trays that are adapted to grow algae on their surface. The trays each have a flange end configured to be coupled to non-flanged end of an adjacent tray to form floways. Each floway has a rotatable surge bucket at one end that is able to hold water and spill the water in a wave down the floway into a catchment. The system is supported on uneven terrain by an adjustable structure arranged to provide each floway with a horizontal inclination.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application 61/263,160, filed on Nov. 20, 2009, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The following described method and apparatus relates to the algal production technology which was conceived and developed over a period of about 30 years and patented as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,333,263, issued Jun. 8, 1982; 4,966,096, issued Oct. 30, 1990; 5,097,795, issued Mar. 24, 1992; 5,851,398, issued Dec. 22, 1998; and 5,715,774, issued Feb. 10, 1998; the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The apparatus and methods described herein are for small to large algal production operations on soft, unstable, or uneven ground, for temporary or experimental purposes, and for rapid, inexpensive deployment and expansion. 
         [0003]    Existing large-scale algal production systems marketed under the brand Algal Turf Scrubber®, or ATS systems, include in-ground troughs or “floways.” These systems utilize a base of compacted soil, lined with impermeable geomembrane sheets. Existing large scale ATS systems may require extensive grading and ground preparation. Surge units on the more recent systems consist of aluminum and PVC siphon-break water pulsers placed in extensive concrete “headworks,” requiring more ground preparation. Since such known surge units are typically laid at or near the ground surface, effluent collection requires ground penetration as well for the concrete spillways and containments. Such in-ground systems are not adjustable to accommodate unstable ground conditions that would result in subsidence or heaving. Also, these known ATS systems are not adjustable to accommodate changes in size, shape and operational parameters including a change of grade, such as might be required to respond to environmental, biological, or production requirements. Moreover, the known permanent ATS unit of several acres may require six months to a year to install. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The permanent all-terrain algal production systems, or “ATATS” system, described herein can be built on landfills and other unstable ground, are adjustable for changes in the ground surface, and are easily and inexpensively expandable or movable/removable. The ATATS systems may be built without penetrating the ground by using suitable surface level footings or anchors such as large portable concrete blocks. If in-ground footings are required, they may be at discrete locations. ATATS systems may be attached to hard surfaces such as rock, concrete, or asphalt, or such surfaces as shopping mall roofs, by bolting or cabling to suitable anchor points. These ATATS systems are available in a variety of sizes suitable for experimental sampling, small-scale water cleanup, and large scale cleanup and algal production ranging from fractions of an acre to facilities on the order of hundreds or thousands of acres. These systems may be assembled using modular units requiring a minimum of engineering to install such that they could be presented as a package to potential customers. An experienced team should be able to erect permanent ATATS systems of several acre dimensions in a few weeks. 
         [0005]    An ATATS system may be built by constructing floway structures of fiberglass, sealed or lined plywood, or similar water resistant material from modular components and supporting the structure above the ground surface with a framework of wood or metal. These supporting structures should be dimensionally stable and adjustable, preferably to within one-eighth inch vertically, to maintain efficient slope characteristics. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a partial side view of a support structure for an all-terrain algal production system according to a preferred embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is another partial side view of the support structure of the algal production system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an end view of the support structure of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an end portion of the run module of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a middle portion of the run module of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a run module used for algae production supported by the support structure of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a view taken along section line VII-VII of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is an end view of a floway with a surge bucket and two splash guards. 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a view of another arrangement of a floway gang of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    Referring now to the drawings, where like reference numerals designate like elements, there is shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3  an ATATS algal production system  10  according to a preferred embodiment. 
         [0016]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the ATATS algal production system  10  includes a number of floways  20  supported by a vertically adjustable scaffold  30 , with surge of water for each provided by a bucket  40  ( FIG. 8 ) hinged within a pair of splash shields or guards  26  and  27  ( FIG. 8 ). The bucket  40  functions like a tipping bucket as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,096. The floways  20  are constructed from modular pieces or “trays”  22  arranged end to end. As shown in the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 3 , each of the trays  22  has an upper tray end  81 , a lower tray end  89 , a tray bottom  83  and a pair of tray sides  85 . As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , a tray  22  may have a width  82  of approximately four feet, a length  84  of about ten feet, with the tray sides  85  having a height  86  of about four inches, although other sizes might be used if required. The trays  22  may be constructed of fiberglass, plastic, metal, ceramics, or other water resistant materials. 
         [0017]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , the flanges  24  are formed preferably at the upper end  81  of each tray  22  to be wider and accept the un-flanged lower end  89  of an adjacent tray  22  to allow overlapping connection of the trays  22  to produce a trough-shape floway  20  of any desired length. In another embodiment (not shown), flanges  24  may be formed at the lower end  89  of each tray  22  while the upper end  81  of each tray  22  is un-flanged. The floway  20  contains an algal growth medium  120 , upon which algae will grow within the floway  20 . 
         [0018]    Aluminum, or other suitable material, bar flat stock of about one inch by one sixteenth inch or other suitable dimension may be added to or molded integrally in each connecting flange  24  allowing screw fastening or other fastening methods, and providing attachment grooves for hose clamps to anchor the floways  20  to the supporting widthwise top crossbars  107  of the support  30 . Alternatively, wood, metal, or plastic planks may be attached to the supporting widthwise top crossbars  107  to which the floways  20  may be screw-fastened or otherwise fastened at the joints. Attachment of the floway  20  to the support structure may be done in many ways, providing that leakage from the floway  20  is substantially prevented, and water flow and algal harvest are not substantially impeded. 
         [0019]      FIG. 7  illustrates a side view and  FIG. 8  illustrates an end view of the surge bucket  40  coupled to the tray  22  that is at the upper end  81  of a floway  20 . The surge bucket  40  is rotatably attached to an axle  44  that extends across the width of tray  22 . The surge bucket  40  may be formed of fiberglass, plastic, metal, ceramic, or other water resistant material. Axle supports  47  are located on each side of tray  22 . Each axle support  47  has an axle bearing  45  that accepts one end of the axle  44 . The axle bearing  45  is designed to allow the axle  44  to rotate thereon. The axle bearing  45  may be high-density polyethylene (HDPE), graphite or some other type of material that reduces friction between components that move relative to each other. 
         [0020]      FIGS. 7 and 8  further illustrate a counterweight  42  located in the surge bucket  40 . The counterweight  42  is held offset from the axle  44  toward the back end  49  of the surge bucket  40 . When the surge bucket  40  is not completely filled with water, the counterweight  42  rotates the surge bucket  40  so that the back end  49  of the surge bucket  40  rests on a backstop  46 . The backstop  46  extends across and above the tray  22  and is coupled to the guards  26  and  27  and/or to the bottom of the floway tray. When the surge bucket  40  fills with water from a water supply  75 , the surge bucket  40  rotates forward and pours the water into the tray  22 . The surge bucket  40  rotates forward until the nose  43  of the surge bucket  40  contacts a nose stop  48 . As water pours from the surge bucket  40 , the nose  43  of the surge bucket  40  rests on the nose stop  48 . The nose stop  48  extends across and is located within the tray  22  and may be coupled to the guards  26  and  27 . The nose stop  48  may provide additional structural support for the splashguards  26  and  27 . In another embodiment, the nose stop  48  may be a soft pad or cushioning piece located in the bottom of the tray  22  of the floway  20 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 7  illustrates the splash guard  26  located on the far side of the surge bucket  40 , while the splash guard  27  ( FIG. 8 ) is on the near side of the surge bucket  40 .  FIG. 8  shows both of the splash guards  26 ,  27  arranged on either side of the surge bucket  40 . The splash guards  26 ,  27  may be coupled to the tray  22  and have flanges  91  that rest on the top edges  87  of the sides  85  of the tray  22 . The splash guards  26 ,  27  have lower portions  93  that extend below the flanges  91  and inside the sides  85  of the tray  22 . The splash guards  26 ,  27  also have flanges  92  at their top portions  94 . The flanges  92  extend away from the surge bucket  40 . The splash guards  26 ,  27  may be formed of fiberglass, metal, plastic, ceramic, or other water resistant material. Splash guards  26 ,  27 , function to reduce water splash out of the tray  22  and to protect the surge bucket  40  from the effects of wind while it is operating. In another embodiment (not shown), the nose stop  48 , the back stop  46 , the axel supports  47 , and the axel bearing  45  are assembled using appropriate supports to form a unitary structure that may be placed within the floway  20 . In that embodiment, the splash guards  26 ,  27  may be attached to the unitary structure. 
         [0022]    One floway  20  of any length, with its associated splash guards  26 ,  27  and surge bucket  40 , would constitute a “floway unit”  50 , and may be mounted on supports of any width and height to suit requirements. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a slope angle  12  of the bottom  83  of the floway  20 , with respect to the horizontal  13  between the higher upper floway end  81  and the lower floway end  89  would be constructed into the support structure of varying degree to suit local growing conditions and attached growth media, and would preferably vary from one half percent to two percent. The surge bucket  40  would be at the floway unit  50  upper end  54  ( FIG. 6 ), where the water enters the floway unit  50 , and the lower end  52  ( FIG. 6 ) would empty into a suitable catchment  60 , whether a trough, channel, pond or other catchment. In another embodiment, the floway unit  50  may not have the splash guards  26 ,  27 . If there are no splashguards  26 ,  27 , then the nose stop  48  and the backstop  46  would extend across at least a portion of the width of the tray  22  and be couple to the sides  85  or the bottom  83  of the tray  22 , or to a unitary support structure placed in the floway. 
         [0023]    Various support structures  30  may be used, including support structures made of wood and/or metal, such as steel. The preferred support structure  30  is a “system scaffold,” including vertical “standards” with protruding attachment flanges at regular intervals, to which are attached horizontals and diagonals. “System scaffold” is an industry category characterized by fixed attachment points and sized components, produced by various manufacturers in the United States and other countries. Alternate scaffold types may be used, such as pipe and clamp, I-beam, or others, including bamboo and rope, but labor costs would be significantly higher for each of these in large scale projects. Also considered are structural steel systems such as Unistrut® systems (www.unistrut.com), which may have specific applications but would again be labor-intensive. The concept of an ATATS algal production system  10  is not brand or material-specific, but is most cost-effective when used as outlined here. 
         [0024]    A preferred scaffolding arrangement, as depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 , includes support segments  32 , where each support segment  32  supports two trays  22 . Each segment  32  includes a lengthwise top crossbar  100  and a lengthwise bottom crossbar  102  that are attached between the vertical supports  103 . A lengthwise diagonal bar  101  extends diagonally between the vertical supports  103  as needed for stabilization of the support structure. A widthwise top crossbar  107  and a widthwise bottom crossbar  109  are also attached between the vertical supports  103  of segments  32 . Further, a widthwise diagonal bar  108  extends diagonally as needed between the vertical supports  103 . The vertical supports  103  may have posts  110  that extend above the lengthwise top crossbar  100 . The vertical supports  103  also have feet  105  that extend down from the lengthwise bottom crossbar  102 . In another embodiment, the segments  32  may not share the vertical supports  103 . 
         [0025]    In one embodiment, each support segment  32  has a segment length  33  of about ten feet and a segment width  35  of about eight feet. Other lengths and widths are possible and would be determined by the application.  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate various portions of the support structure  30 . In the illustrated embodiment, an upper support section  70  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is connected to a lower support section  71  of  FIG. 2  with intermediate scaffolding not shown but which, along with the support sections  70 ,  71 , maintain the slope  12  within a desired range. The feet  105  of the support segments  32  may be placed directly on the terrain surface  115  or, where the terrain is too soft to support the support structure  30  without the support structure  30  sinking below the terrain surface 115 , surface level footings  116  are placed between the feet  105  and the terrain surface  115 . The surface level footings may be concrete, flat boards or other suitable materials to protect the feet  105  from damage due to ground contact. 
         [0026]    For specific terrain locations where surface level footings  116  will not support the support structure  30 , discrete localized below-surface footings may be used. Below-surface footings may also be used if there is a concern that wind forces will be sufficiently high to lift and damage or misalign the floways  20  and structure  30 . In the event of any settling or movement of the terrain surface  115 , the support structure  30  may be adjusted, preferably near its feet  105  above the terrain surface  115  to maintain the support structure  30  alignment and the angle  12  of the floway  20  within desired ranges. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 4-6  illustrate these support segments  32  connected together into “support sections”  34 . In one embodiment, the support sections  34  may have a width  35  of about eight feet and a length  58  of about three hundred feet (also the approximate length of the corresponding floway unit  50 ), or other lengths determined by the particular application, for example, as part of a one-acre “run module”  39 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 4-6 , the two side-by-side trays  22 , supported by each support segment  34 , are coupled together. Alternatively, the trays  22  may be separated as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0028]    A plurality of supported floway units  50 , connected in parallel constitute a “floway gang”  38 . In one embodiment, a floway gang  38 , including eighteen parallel floway units  50 , may have a width  59  of about seventy-two feet and a length  58  of about three hundred feet, being supported by nine support sections  34 . Two floway gangs  38  may be connected together at their lower ends  52  by a catchment trough  60 , which may be formed of any material suitable to transport water, such as, for example, a flexible “pond liner” supported on the sides by attachment to the scaffold piping. In one embodiment, the catchment trough  60  may have a width  62  of about four feet. A combination of two floway gangs forms a “floway run module”  39 . In one embodiment, a floway run module  39  may include thirty-six floway units  50 , and have a width  59  of about seventy-two feet and a length  64  of about six hundred four 604 feet, covering one acre of ground. The floway run module  39 , as a one-acre ATATS system, would have algal growth medium surface area of 37,044 square feet or 0.85 acre. Flow capacity at ten gallons per minute per foot width would allow approximately two million gallons per day. Flow rates may be adjusted for given growing conditions. 
         [0029]      FIG. 9  illustrates a configuration of a floway gang  138  that is as wide as the two floway gangs  34 , thus covering as much area as the floway run module  39  of  FIG. 6 . This arrangement allows the surge bucket  40  of each floway section  38  of the gang  138  to be located at one end of the structure covering the same area as the floway run module  39 . The lower end  52  of each floway section  38  may empty into the catchment  60  or into a water body or any other feature that may accept water flow from the floway sections  38 . 
         [0030]    This floway run module arrangement allows expansion into a multi-acre facility, with central effluent collection and external access to the inflow ends for maintenance. An alternate arrangement would involve conjoining floway gangs along their longitudinal sides such that inflow ends and effluent ends are both accessible. A collection of floway gangs, floway run modules, support sections, or support segments, separately or in combination may form a system that is deployed for algal production. 
         [0031]    Although in  FIG. 3 , the terrain surface  115  appears level, in practice the terrain surface may be unlevel, uneven, sloped or otherwise contoured. In the floway run module  39 , the vertical support  103  of each segment  32  has a vertically adjustable screw  112  coupled to each foot  105  that allows adjustment of the vertical position of the foot length to contact the terrain surface  115  to establishment of a precisely aligned flat surface for the floways and the desired slope  12 , as well as for re-adjustment with ground subsidence that may occur over time. These adjustment screws  112  are an available option in the commercial scaffold systems. 
         [0032]    It should be apparent that many modifications and variations of the preferred embodiments as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The specific embodiments described are given by way of example only. The invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims