Patent ID: 7763457

Claim:
A system for growing algae with improved photoefficiency which comprises: a bioreactor formed with a conduit for growing algae cells therein, the conduit having a bottom and opposed sidewalls and the bioreactor having an input port for feeding a medium into the conduit, and having an output port for passing an effluence with algae growth from the conduit of the bioreactor; a paddle wheel for moving the medium through the conduit of the bioreactor in a fluid stream having a surface and a predetermined fluid flow velocity; and a plurality of barriers positioned in the fluid stream, wherein each barrier extends between the opposed sidewalls of the conduit and is positioned approximately equidistant between the bottom of the conduit and the surface of the fluid stream, said barriers being separated from each other by predetermined distances to create von Karman vortices in the fluid stream to sequentially flow algae cells to the surface of the fluid stream to receive light energy for a predetermined interval of time.