Patent ID: 8323958

Claim:
A photobioreactor system formed by joining an approximately cylindrical annulus of flexible, visible-light transmitting, plastic sheet to form a closed chamber, further comprising a. a plurality of openings formed in the chamber for inlet and outlet tubes; b. a lower part of the chamber which comprises an aqueous growth medium comprising a culture of genetically enhanced organisms disposed in the growth medium, wherein said organisms are selected from the group consisting of algae and cyanobacteria, and wherein said organisms produce ethanol on a continued daily basis which enters the growth medium; c. an upper part of the chamber, comprising a headspace above the aqueous growth medium, wherein the headspace comprises carbon dioxide; d. an inner surface on the upper part of the chamber upon which the ethanol formed by said organisms condenses; and e. a plurality of troughs for the collection of the condensed ethanol, wherein the troughs are supported by a flotation device in contact with the aqueous growth medium.