Patent ID: 8859262

Claim:
A method of growing macroalgae in a photobioreactor system comprising: floating, on a body of water, a longitudinally oriented enclosed photobioreactor section constructed primarily of a substantially flexible material and having a cross-sectional shape, for a cross-section taken essentially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the photobioreactor section, that is characterized by at least a portion of its perimeter being curved, when in operation; introducing a liquid medium comprising macroalgae therein into the photobioreactor segment; introducing a carbon dioxide-enriched gas into the photobioreactor segment to form a gas headspace; and moving and reorienting the macroalgae within the liquid medium by mixing the liquid medium, wherein the moving act involves sparging gas into the liquid medium and wherein the sparging of gas into the liquid medium comprises injecting gas into the liquid medium through periodic gas outlets positioned longitudinally along a horizontal conduit.