AI-driven efficient microalgae photobioreactor system

Abstract

The invention discloses an AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system which comprises a photobioreactor body used for containing algae liquid and providing a growth environment and space for microalgae, and the photobioreactor body comprises a light guide plate light source array, an air supply aeration device and an automatic light supplementing device; the gas-liquid phase mass transfer circulation pipeline is used for promoting efficient gas-liquid phase mixing and mass transfer, is arranged outside the photobioreactor body and is connected with the photobioreactor body, and the gas-liquid phase mass transfer circulation pipeline comprises a main circulation pipeline and an auxiliary circulation pipeline; the automatic cleaning device is used for automatically cleaning the interior of the photobioreactor body in all directions and comprises a high-pressure spraying array, a supporting arm, a main arm and a telescopic arm. According to the application, optimization and innovation are carried out from the aspects of light source type selection and energy efficiency optimization, mass transfer structure innovation, AI self-adaptive control integration and dead-corner-free cleaning and disinfection, the cost is remarkably reduced, and the microalgae culture efficiency and the large-scale application potential are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of microalgae cultivation, and particularly to an AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system. Background Art

[0002] Due to its high photosynthetic ability, diverse metabolites, and environmentally friendly characteristics, microalgae have become an important biological resource, and its large-scale cultivation efficiency directly affects its production cost and commercial potential. Microalgae cells are usually cultivated for photosynthetic carbon fixation in photobioreactors. In the prior art, the most commonly used outdoor raceway ponds and closed-pipe photobioreactors often have problems such as low light energy and space utilization, uncontrollable outdoor environment, and high pollution risk, resulting in low production efficiency. In contrast, indoor closed photobioreactors use artificial light sources, can automatically control environmental factors (such as temperature, pH, etc.) and nutrient factors (such as carbon, nitrogen sources, etc.), provide precise light recipes for the growth of microalgae and the synthesis of target products, are less affected by the external environment, can greatly improve production efficiency, are more suitable for industrial production, and are the most important technical path to realize the biological resource utilization of microalgae.

[0003] Currently, existing closed photobioreactors include air-lift type, flat-plate type, tube type, column type, and plastic bag type photobioreactors. Only a very small number of these types can be used for large-scale cultivation of microalgae, and there are still the following problems, which make the efficiency of industrial cultivation of microalgae low:

[0004] (1) Severe light attenuation and uneven light energy distribution: The light intensity of artificial light sources decreases sharply with the distance from the lamp tube or lamp board. Cells close to the lamp tube or lamp board will die or be in a state of photosynthetic inhibition under the influence of high light intensity, and dead cells will adhere to the surface of the lamp tube or lamp board to block light; cells far from the lamp tube or lamp board have too weak light intensity and low photosynthetic efficiency. Moreover, as the cultivation time increases, the density of microalgae cells becomes higher and higher, the light penetration ability is worse, and the attenuation is more severe;

[0005] (2) High energy consumption: With the expansion of large-scale cultivation, more and more artificial light sources are required for the photobioreactor body, resulting in huge power consumption. At the same time, artificial light sources will release a large amount of heat into the algal solution, causing the chiller to operate at a high load, further increasing the power consumption;

[0006] (3) Insufficient mass transfer of algal cells and CO2: The residence time of CO2 in the algal solution is very limited. When the bubbles rise vertically to the liquid surface, they will immediately burst and diffuse out of the reactor. When the cultivation volume of the reactor reaches the ton level, the entire algal solution system in the reactor body is relatively static, and there is no fluid power to generate advection, convection, or turbulence to promote the full mixing of the liquid and CO2, resulting in insufficient mass transfer, which further seriously imbalances the golden ratio of light and CO2 in the photosynthesis chemical reaction formula and reduces the photosynthesis efficiency;

[0007] (4) Difficult to clean and disinfect: The structure inside the reactor body is too complex. For example, the crisscrossed LED lights and a large number of openings will cause great difficulties in cleaning and disinfecting. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Based on the above application requirements and technical background, in order to solve the technical problem of low efficiency in industrial microalgae cultivation in the prior art, the present application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0009] The present application proposes an AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system, and the system includes:

[0010] A photobioreactor body for containing algal liquid and providing a growth environment and space for microalgae. The photobioreactor body includes a light guide plate light source array, an air supply and aeration device, and an automatic supplementary lighting device;

[0011] A gas-liquid interphase mass transfer circulation pipeline for promoting efficient gas-liquid interphase mixing and mass transfer. The gas-liquid interphase mass transfer circulation pipeline is arranged outside the photobioreactor body and is connected to the photobioreactor body, and includes a main circulation pipeline and an auxiliary circulation pipeline;

[0012] An automatic cleaning device for automatically cleaning the inside of the photobioreactor body in all directions, including a high-pressure spray array, a support arm, a main arm, and a telescopic arm; and

[0013] For accurately constructing an optimal solution model of light-CO2-biomass coupling based on AI, realizing real-time monitoring of cell growth status, and dynamically feedback-regulating the microalgae culture environment.

[0014] Further, the light guide plate light source array is arranged inside the photobioreactor body, and includes at least one light guide plate group. Each light guide plate group includes at least two light guide plates. The light guide plates in the light guide plate group are misaligned both horizontally and vertically. All the light guide plates are evenly distributed along the length direction of the photobioreactor body at a certain distance, and the plate surfaces are parallel to each other; on one side of each light guide plate, an LED light strip is provided.

[0015] Further, the air supply and aeration device is arranged at the bottom of the photobioreactor body, and includes an air and CO2 gas mass flow controller, an air pipe, and a plurality of gas dispersion microporous plates arranged horizontally along the length direction of the photobioreactor body.

[0016] Further, the automatic supplementary lighting device is arranged on the top of the photobioreactor body, and includes one or more high-efficiency LED lights or LED light boards.

[0017] Further, the light guide plate light source array is arranged inside the photobioreactor body through a positioning structure. The positioning structure is hung on the side wall of the photobioreactor body and includes a plurality of adjustment holes for depth adjustment of the light guide plate light source array and a lifting ring for lifting the light guide plate light source array in or out.

[0018] Further, the LED strip is arranged on the top end surface of the light guide plate, and a multi-channel LED bead array or a full-spectrum LED bead can be adopted.

[0019] Further, the main circulation pipeline includes a first stainless steel pipe, a magnetic stirring tank and a first pump. One end of the main circulation pipeline is communicated with the bottom plate of the photobioreactor body, and the other end is communicated with a side plate of the photobioreactor body, for forming a closed circulation of the algal liquid for mass transfer outside the reactor.

[0020] Further, the auxiliary circulation pipeline includes a second stainless steel pipe and a second pump. One end of the auxiliary circulation pipeline is communicated with the rear plate of the photobioreactor body, and the other end is communicated with another side plate of the photobioreactor body, for forming a closed circulation of the algal liquid flowing up and down in the internal diversion channel of the reactor.

[0021] Further, the magnetic stirring tank includes a disperser for providing an air / CO2 mixed gas, a jacketed condenser for ensuring that the algal liquid is at the optimum growth temperature, and a sensor probe for real-time monitoring of changes in algal liquid parameters.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present application are as follows:

[0023] The present application uses a light guide plate with staggered distribution both horizontally and vertically as a light dispersion medium to optimize the light intensity distribution in the microalgae photobioreactor. Compared with other indoor closed photobioreactors, the power consumption can be reduced by 80-90%. At the same time, the microalgae biomass yield and power utilization rate in the reactor are improved, solving the problems of serious light attenuation, uneven light energy distribution and high energy consumption in the traditional solution, achieving coexistence of low energy consumption and high biomass productivity, and improving the microalgae culture efficiency and potential for large-scale application; the present application adopts an air supply aeration device and a gas-liquid interphase mass transfer circulation pipeline to promote efficient gas-liquid interphase mixing and mass transfer, solving the problem of insufficient mass transfer between algal cells and CO2 in the traditional solution; the present application adopts an automatic cleaning device, which can automatically clean the inside of the reactor body comprehensively and without dead corners, solving the problems of difficult cleaning and disinfection in the traditional solution, and frequent outbreaks of bacteria and protozoa caused by continuous accumulation of organic matter in long-term microalgae production, saving possible economic losses; the present application adopts an adaptive control module to dynamically monitor the cell growth state based on AI in real time and feedback-adjust the microalgae culture environment. Description of the Drawings

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0025] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall three-dimensional structure of the AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system provided by the present application;

[0026] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the front plane structure of the AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system provided by the present application;

[0027] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the light guide plate light source array of the AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system provided by the present application;

[0028] Figure 4 It is another schematic diagram of the structure of the light guide plate light source array of the AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system provided by the present application;

[0029] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the light guide plate light source array placed in the photobioreactor body of the AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system provided by the present application;

[0030] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the light guide plate group of the AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system provided by the present application;

[0031] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the gas dispersion microporous plate in the gas supply and aeration device of the AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system provided by the present application;

[0032] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic supplementary lighting device of the AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system provided by the present application;

[0033] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the gas-liquid phase mass transfer circulation pipeline of the AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system provided by the present application;

[0034] Figure 10 It is another schematic diagram of the structure of the gas-liquid phase mass transfer circulation pipeline of the AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system provided by the present application

[0035] Figure 11 It is a schematic diagram of the sectional structure of the magnetic stirring tank of the AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system provided by the present application;

[0036] Among them, the above-mentioned drawings include the following reference numerals:

[0037] 1 - Photobioreactor body; 10 - Light guide plate light source array; 100 - Light guide plate group; 11 - Positioning structure; 110 - Light guide plate hanging plate; 12 - Air supply and aeration device; 120 - Gas dispersion microporous plate; 13 - Automatic supplementary lighting device; 130 - High - efficiency LED lamp or LED lamp board;

[0038] 2 - Gas - liquid interphase mass transfer circulation pipeline; 20 - Main circulation pipeline; 21 - Auxiliary circulation pipeline; 200 - First stainless - steel pipe; 201 - Magnetic stirring tank; 202 - First pump; 210 - Second stainless - steel pipe; 211 - Second pump;

[0039] 3 - Automatic cleaning device; 301 - High - pressure spray array; 302 - Support arm; 303 - Main arm 303; 304 - Telescopic arm;

[0040] 4 - Adaptive control module. Detailed implementation manners

[0041] This application proposes an AI - driven high - efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system. To describe this application more specifically, the technical solutions of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific implementation manners described herein are only used to explain this application and are not used to limit this application. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0042] Secondly, when detailing the embodiments of this application, for the convenience of explanation, the cross - sectional views showing the device structure will be enlarged locally not in accordance with the general scale, and the schematic diagrams are only examples and should not limit the scope of protection of this application herein. In addition, in actual production, three - dimensional spatial dimensions including length, width, and depth should be included.

[0043] This application proposes an AI - driven high - efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system. The structural diagram of the system is as Figure 1-2 shown, and the system specifically includes:

[0044] A photobioreactor body 1 for containing algal liquid and providing a growth environment and space for microalgae;

[0045] In practical applications, through the photobioreactor body 1, the internal space of the reactor is isolated from the surrounding environment, effectively blocking the intrusion of external impurities, microorganisms, etc., ensuring the purity of the microalgae growth environment, and facilitating the precise control of conditions such as light, temperature, pH value, and dissolved oxygen inside the reactor.

[0046] Among them, the material of the photobioreactor body 1 can be selected from one or several materials with a certain strength, such as stainless steel, plexiglass, or PVC; the effective volume of the photobioreactor body 1 can reach 1 to 50 tons, enabling large-scale cultivation of microalgae.

[0047] As Figure 3-6 shown, the photobioreactor body 1 includes a light guide plate light source array 10, the light guide plate light source array 10 is arranged inside the photobioreactor body 1, and includes at least one light guide plate group 100. Each light guide plate group 100 includes no less than two light guide plates. The light guide plates in the light guide plate group 100 are staggeredly distributed both horizontally and vertically. All the light guide plates are evenly distributed along the length direction of the photobioreactor body 1 at a certain distance, and the plate surfaces are parallel to each other.

[0048] In practical applications, by staggeredly distributing the light guide plates in the light guide plate group 100 both horizontally and vertically, a three-dimensional double swimming lane can be formed, which is conducive to the turbulence of the algal liquid along the diversion channels formed by the light guide plates.

[0049] Optionally, the number of the light guide plates is 20. Further, the number of light guide plates included in the light guide plate group 100, the number of light guide plates included in each light guide plate group 100, and the distance between adjacent light guide plates can be increased or decreased according to the actual scale of microalgae cultivation. For example, the distance between adjacent light guide plates can be adjusted according to the light intensity of the light emitted from the surface of the light guide plate. Correspondingly, the size of the photobioreactor body 1 can also be adjusted according to the cultivation needs.

[0050] In one embodiment, the light guide plate light source array 10 is arranged inside the photobioreactor body 1 through a positioning structure. The positioning structure is hung on the side wall of the photobioreactor body, and is provided with a plurality of adjustment holes for depth adjustment of the light guide plate light source array and a lifting ring for lifting the light guide plate light source array in or out.

[0051] On one side of each light guide plate, an LED light strip is arranged. The light emitted by the LED light strip can be conducted through the light guide plate and emitted from the entire surface of the light guide plate, providing a light source for the growth of microalgae;

[0052] Preferably, the LED light strip is arranged on the top end surface of the light guide plate.

[0053] In one embodiment, the LED light strip can adopt a multi-channel LED lamp bead array or full-spectrum LED lamp beads, which can be selected according to the growth requirements of different microalgae strains. Specifically, the multi-channel LED lamp bead array includes bands such as blue light, green light, and red light. Through multi-channel independent driving, the light intensity of each band can be precisely adjusted; the full-spectrum LED lamp beads are an integration of single-chip multi-spectra, which can emit multiple wavelengths (450~660nm), and the spectral continuity is better.

[0054] Optionally, the chip of the LED lamp bead is a high-performance plant chip (such as the 3535 angel series) or a light-emitting semiconductor quantum dot material (such as perovskite) to achieve a higher photoelectric conversion efficiency (70%~90%). The LED light strip uses a flexible PCB board as the substrate, and different chips are surface-mounted as light emitters, and are encapsulated with a sealant (such as epoxy resin or silicone) or a hydrophobic polymer (such as polylactic acid), so as to achieve double protection of efficient heat dissipation and oxygen and water prevention.

[0055] Specifically, when light travels from a medium with a high refractive index (such as a light guide plate) to a medium with a low refractive index (such as air), if the incident angle is greater than the critical angle, the light will undergo total internal reflection at the interface and will not be transmitted. This enables the light emitted by the LED light strip to enter the light guide plate, and the light can be reflected multiple times inside the light guide plate and propagate along the light guide plate until it encounters the microstructures on the surface of the light guide plate that break the condition of total reflection, causing the light to scatter and uniformly exit from the surface, ensuring that the light energy is efficiently and uniformly distributed into the microalgae culture solution in the reactor. Moreover, since the light-emitting surface area of the light guide plate is larger than the light-incident surface area, the light guide plate can dilute the strong incident light intensity of the LED, thus effectively avoiding damage to microalgae cells caused by strong light inhibition. The smaller size of the LED light strip also makes the heat generated by it transferred to the algae solution negligible.

[0056] In practical applications, through the LED light strip and the light guide plate, the present application converts the point light source of the LED lamp into a uniformly luminous surface light source, which is used as a light dispersion medium to provide internal illumination for the microalgae photobioreactor, making the light distribution in the photobioreactor body 1 more uniform, and optimizing the light source selection and energy efficiency of the microalgae photobioreactor system.

[0057] As Figure 7 shown, the photobioreactor body 1 further includes a gas supply and aeration device 12. The gas supply and aeration device 12 is arranged at the bottom of the photobioreactor body 1, and includes an air and CO2 gas mass flow controller, an air pipe, and a plurality of gas dispersion microporous plates 120 arranged horizontally along the length direction of the photobioreactor body 1, which are used to provide a carbon source for the growth of microalgae and promote the circulation of the algae solution;

[0058] Specifically, the air and CO2 gas mass flow controllers are respectively used to precisely control the air and CO2 flow rates, and are connected to the adaptive control module, enabling the air and CO2 mixed gas to enter the ventilation pipe at a certain ratio and aeration rate; preferably, the volume ratio of the air and CO2 mixed gas is 0.5 - 5% v / v, and the aeration rate of the air supply and aeration device 12 is 0.1 - 1 vvm;

[0059] The ventilation pipe includes a main ventilation pipe and a plurality of branch pipes. The main ventilation pipe is connected to the plurality of branch pipes. The mixed gas enters the main ventilation pipe at a certain ratio under the control of the gas mass flow controller, and then enters through the plurality of branch pipes from the air inlet of the gas dispersion microporous plate 120; after passing through the gas dispersion microporous plate 120, the mixed gas forms continuous and fine microbubbles or small bubbles. The bubbles float upward under the action of buoyancy and enter the algal liquid inside the photobioreactor body 1. On the one hand, the injected bubbles provide a carbon source for the growth of microalgae, and on the other hand, they promote the mixing of the algal liquid, reduce the precipitation of microalgae cells in the reactor, and avoid uneven distribution of temperature, nutrients, etc. in the microalgae cell suspension. Through the air supply and aeration device 12, better mixing of the algal liquid can be achieved, avoiding sedimentation of microalgae cells, so that gas-liquid mixing and CO2 transfer can be realized without additional energy consumption.

[0060] Among them, the gas dispersion micropores are arranged in a pull-out manner at the bottom of the photobioreactor body 1 and can be slid and pulled out from the outside of the photobioreactor body 1.

[0061] Optionally, the gas dispersion microporous plate 120 is obtained by 3D printing and is a ceramic dispersion microporous plate, which can generate microbubbles of 0.5 - 1.0 mm.

[0062] In practical applications, the air supply and aeration device 12 can change the flow field in the reactor, better realize the mixing of the algal liquid, supplement inorganic carbon sources, and remove supersaturated oxygen, prevent algal cells from growing adherently, and reduce the toxicity of supersaturated oxygen to algal cells.

[0063] As Figure 8 shown, in one embodiment, the photobioreactor body 1 further includes an automatic supplementary lighting device 13. The automatic supplementary lighting device 13 is arranged at the top of the photobioreactor body 1 and includes one or more high-efficiency LED lights or LED light boards 130 for providing supplementary light sources for the growth of microalgae.

[0064] Specifically, when the microalgae cell density in the algal liquid is relatively high, the algal liquid in the reactor is in a turbulent state under the action of the gas-liquid mass transfer circulation pipeline 2. In addition to absorbing the light emitted by the light guide plate, the microalgae cells at different spatial positions can also reach the liquid surface during the flow and circulation process of the algal liquid, absorb the light provided by the automatic supplementary lighting device 13, and achieve light-gas synergistic mass transfer.

[0065] In practical applications, the photobioreactor body 1, through the light guide plate light source array 10, the air supply and aeration device 12, the automatic supplementary lighting device 13, and the gas-liquid mass transfer circulation pipeline 2, improves the light-receiving condition of microalgae cells, not only makes up for the defect of uneven light distribution in the light source device itself, but also solves the problem of insufficient mass transfer of algal cells - CO2. The microalgae biomass yield is expected to increase by 30% - 50%.

[0066] As Figure 9 and Figure 10 shown, the system further includes a gas-liquid mass transfer circulation pipeline 2, which is connected to the photobioreactor body 1 and is used to promote efficient gas-liquid mixing and mass transfer (light - CO2 - algal cells). The gas-liquid mass transfer circulation pipeline 2 is arranged outside the photobioreactor body 1 and includes a main circulation pipeline 20 and an auxiliary circulation pipeline 21;

[0067] The main circulation pipeline 20 includes a first stainless steel pipe 200, a magnetic stirring tank 201, and a first pump 202. One end of the main circulation pipeline 20 is communicated with the bottom plate of the photobioreactor body 1, and the other end is communicated with a side plate of the photobioreactor body 1, and is used to form a closed circulation of the algal liquid for mass transfer outside the reactor;

[0068] Among them, the first stainless steel pipe 200 is used to transport the algal liquid and is connected to the magnetic stirring tank 210, the first pump 202, and the photobioreactor body 1; the magnetic stirring tank 210 is used to stir the algal liquid with low shear force to form a vortex, and fully mix and transfer mass with the air / CO2 mixed gas without damaging the algal cells; the first pump 202 is used to pump the fully mixed algal liquid out of the magnetic stirring tank 210 and into the photobioreactor body 1; the cross-sectional structure of the magnetic stirring tank 210 is as Figure 11 shown.

[0069] Specifically, when one end of the main circulation pipeline 20 is connected to the lower right corner of the bottom plate of the photobioreactor body 1 (viewed from the perspective of the bottom view), and the other end is connected to the upper left corner of the left side plate of the photobioreactor body 1 (viewed from the perspective of the left view), the algal liquid flows out from the upper left corner of the left side plate of the photobioreactor body 1 through the first stainless steel pipe 200, and the flowing-out algal liquid enters the magnetic stirring tank 210; the magnetic stirring tank 210 stirs the algal liquid and is fully mixed with the air / CO2 mixed gas, which not only prolongs the gas residence time but also improves the CO2 dissolution efficiency; the first pump pumps out the fully mixed algal liquid from the magnetic stirring tank 201 and injects it into the reactor interior through the first stainless steel pipe 200 from the lower right corner of the bottom plate of the photobioreactor body 1, thereby forming a closed loop for the mass transfer of the algal liquid outside the reactor.

[0070] In one embodiment, the magnetic stirring tank 201 is provided with a disperser for providing the air / CO2 mixed gas, a jacketed condenser for ensuring that the algal liquid is at the optimal growth temperature, and a sensor probe for real-time monitoring of the changes in algal liquid parameters, which is connected to the adaptive control module to provide data basis for its AI dynamic decision-making; the sensor probe includes a temperature electrode, a pH electrode, a turbidity meter, etc., and can real-time monitor light intensity, dissolved oxygen, pH value, temperature, biomass, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, CO2 concentration, etc.;

[0071] The auxiliary circulation pipeline 21 includes a second stainless steel pipe 210 and a second pump 211. One end of the auxiliary circulation pipeline 21 is connected to the rear plate of the photobioreactor body 1, and the other end is connected to another side plate of the photobioreactor body 1 different from the side plate where the main circulation pipeline 20 is connected, for forming a closed loop for the algal liquid to flow up and down along the diversion channel formed by the light guide plate inside the reactor;

[0072] Among them, the second stainless steel pipe 210 is used for transporting the algal liquid, connecting the second pump 211 and the photobioreactor body 1; the second pump 211 is used for pumping out the algal liquid from the photobioreactor body 1;

[0073] Specifically, when one end of the auxiliary circulation pipeline 21 is connected to the lower right corner of the rear plate of the photobioreactor body 1 (viewed from the perspective of the rear view), and the other end is connected to the upper left corner of the right side plate of the photobioreactor body 1 (viewed from the perspective of the right view), the second pump 211 pumps the algal solution out of the lower right corner of the rear plate of the photobioreactor body 1 through the second stainless steel pipe 210, so that the algal solution in the reactor moves downward along the diversion channel formed by the light guide plate, and combines with the rising air / CO2 mixed gas generated by the air supply and aeration device 12 at the bottom of the photobioreactor to form a stable gas-liquid two-phase flow, where the gas holdup is about 1%-5%. Subsequently, the algal solution flows back into the photobioreactor through the second stainless steel pipe 210 from the upper left corner of the right side plate of the reactor.

[0074] The system further includes an automatic cleaning device 3 for automatically cleaning the interior of the reactor body in all directions, including a high-pressure spray array 301, a support arm 302, a main arm 303, and a telescopic arm 304; the high-pressure spray array 301 is used to rotate and spray disinfectant / cleaning water in an orderly manner 360 degrees in the reactor body according to a preset moving trajectory, including a plurality of high-pressure nozzles that can rotate 360 degrees and can be made of stainless steel materials; the support arm 302 is connected to the main arm 303 and is used to align the automatic cleaning device 3 located outside the reactor body with the reactor body by rotation; the main arm 303 is used to connect the high-pressure spray array 301; the telescopic arm 304 is used to vertically extend the high-pressure spray array 301 into or out of the reactor body;

[0075] Specifically, when the algal solution harvesting is completed, the light guide plate light source array 10 is lifted out of the reactor body. At this time, the automatic cleaning device 3 will be activated, and the support arm rotates 90 degrees, so that the spray array connected to the main arm 303 is perpendicular to the top surface of the reactor. The telescopic arm 304 extends to vertically insert the high-pressure spray array 301 into the reactor body. Subsequently, the high-pressure spray array 301 will rotate and spray disinfectant / cleaning water in an orderly manner 360 degrees in the reactor body according to a preset moving trajectory, and cooperate with gas-liquid pulse flushing to achieve thorough cleaning and disinfection without dead corners, fundamentally solving the problem of easy contamination caused by organic matter residues, and ensuring the long-term stable operation of the photobioreactor.

[0076] In practical applications, it is expected that this application can reduce the cleaning dead corner rate to less than 0.1%, achieve clean and dead corner-free cleaning of the reactor, and is convenient for maintenance and repair, greatly improving the product quality.

[0077] The system further includes an adaptive control module 4, which is connected to the photobioreactor body, the gas-liquid mass transfer circulation pipeline, and the automatic cleaning device, and is used to accurately construct an optimal solution model of light-CO2-biomass coupling based on AI, realize real-time monitoring of the cell growth state, and dynamically feedback and regulate the microalgae culture environment;

[0078] Specifically, the sensor probe disposed on the gas-liquid mass transfer circulation pipeline 2 continuously monitors the current light intensity, dissolved oxygen, pH value, temperature, biomass, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, CO2 concentration, etc., and imports these data into the AI. The AI continuously explores different control strategies according to the requirements of the microalgae growth stage and the current state, and adjusts according to the feedback to achieve a leapfrog upgrade from "experience-driven" to "AI-optimized". The adaptive control module 4 can autonomously learn the optimization strategy, such as dynamically adjusting the light quality / intensity, switching the input ratio of air / CO2, accurately constructing an optimal solution model for the light-CO2-biomass coupling, and achieving the balance optimization of biomass and power consumption;

[0079] For example, when the pH sensor monitors that the pH of the algal solution is higher than 7.5 or lower than 7, the adaptive control module 4 will control the gas mass flow controller of the air supply and aeration device 12 to increase or decrease the CO2 flow rate, so as to maintain the pH of the algal solution between 7 and 7.5.

[0080] Furthermore, the present application adopts a modular design. All modules are pre-manufactured and assembled on-site, fixed with brackets, and the substances between the modules during operation are transported through pipe fittings, greatly reducing the installation, maintenance, and management difficulties. And the number of unit components can be adjusted according to the working conditions at any time to maintain the production at the optimal working condition. Moreover, the modules are connected by pipe fittings, and the relative position has a large degree of freedom, which can make full use of the site space.

[0081] The working process of this reactor is as follows: First, in order to achieve the pure culture of microalgae, the reactor needs to be sterilized before use; subsequently, a microalgae cell suspension (i.e., algal solution) with a certain concentration in the exponential growth phase is inoculated into the reactor. After connecting the power supply, the system is started to make the LED light strip and the automatic supplementary lighting device 13 emit light. The light mainly exits through the surface of the light guide plate to provide light energy for the growth of microalgae. Since the light intensity distribution on the surface of the light guide plate is very uniform, the light guide plates in the same light guide plate group 100 are also misaligned both horizontally and vertically to form a three-dimensional double swimming lane. Under the action of the gas-liquid mass transfer circulation pipeline 2, the microalgae cells circulate turbulently in the reactor, and the light intensity they receive will not show an obvious light intensity gradient due to the spatial position of the microalgae cells or the increase in the microalgae cell concentration. At the same time, the light emitted by the LED light strip is diluted by the light guide plate, which can effectively avoid the inhibition or damage of microalgae cells by strong light; in addition to light, the present application provides a carbon source for the growth of microalgae through the air supply and aeration device 12 and the gas-liquid mass transfer circulation pipeline 2, and promotes the efficient light gas-liquid mixing and mass transfer (light-CO2-algal cells) through the gas-liquid mass transfer circulation pipeline 2; after the algal solution harvesting is completed, the light guide plate light source array 10 is hoisted out of the reactor body, and then the automatic cleaning device 3 is used to clean the reactor body.

[0082] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. Those skilled in the art should be able to realize that according to the basic method principles provided by the present application and in combination with the actual situation, there can be many examples. Without sufficient creative labor, they should all be within the protection scope of the present application.

[0083] In the description of this specification, the descriptions referring to terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms are not necessarily directed to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0084] It should also be noted that in this specification, relational terms such as first and second etc. are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the term "comprising", "including" or any other variant thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements not expressly listed, or further includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device.

Claims

1. An AI-driven high-efficiency microalgae photobioreactor system, characterized in that: The system comprises: The photobioreactor body is used to contain algae liquid and provide a growth environment and space for microalgae. The photobioreactor body includes a light guide plate light source array, an air supply and aeration device, and an automatic light supplement device; A gas-liquid phase mass transfer circulation pipeline, used to promote efficient gas-liquid phase mixing and mass transfer, the gas-liquid phase mass transfer circulation pipeline is arranged outside the photobioreactor body and connected to the photobioreactor body, and includes a main circulation pipeline and an auxiliary circulation pipeline; An automatic cleaning device, used for automatically cleaning the interior of the photobioreactor body in all directions, comprising a high-pressure spray array, a support arm, a main arm and a telescopic arm; The adaptive control module is used to accurately construct the optimal solution model of light-CO2-biomass coupling based on AI, realize real-time monitoring of cell growth status, and dynamically feedback and adjust the culture environment of microalgae.

2. The photobioreactor system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The light guide plate light source array is arranged inside the photobioreactor body, and includes more than or equal to one light guide plate group, each of the light guide plate groups includes no less than two light guide plates, the light guide plates in the light guide plate group are staggered in the horizontal and vertical directions, all the light guide plates are evenly distributed along the length direction of the photobioreactor body at a certain distance, and the plate surfaces are parallel to each other; an LED light strip is arranged on one side of each light guide plate.

3. The photobioreactor system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air supply aeration device is arranged at the bottom of the photobioreactor body, and comprises air and CO2 gas mass flow controllers, a ventilation pipe, and a plurality of gas dispersion microporous plates horizontally arranged along the length direction of the photobioreactor body.

4. The photobioreactor system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The automatic light supplement device is arranged on the top of the photobioreactor body and comprises one or more high-efficiency LED lamps or LED light panels.

5. The photobioreactor system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The light guide plate light source array is arranged inside the photobioreactor body through a positioning structure, and the positioning structure is hung with the side wall of the photobioreactor body, and includes a plurality of adjustment holes for adjusting the depth of the light guide plate light source array and a hoisting ring for hoisting the light guide plate light source array in or out.

6. The photobioreactor system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The LED light bar is arranged on the top surface of the light guide plate, and may adopt a multi-channel LED lamp bead array or a full-spectrum LED lamp bead.

7. The photobioreactor system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main circulation pipeline includes a first stainless steel pipe, a magnetic stirring tank and a first pump. One end of the main circulation pipeline is connected to the bottom plate of the photobioreactor body, and the other end is connected to a side plate of the photobioreactor body, so as to form a closed cycle of mass transfer of algae liquid outside the reactor.

8. The photobioreactor system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The auxiliary circulation pipeline includes a second stainless steel pipe and a second pump. One end of the auxiliary circulation pipeline is connected to the rear plate of the photobioreactor body, and the other end is connected to another side plate of the photobioreactor body, so as to form a closed cycle in which the algae liquid flows up and down in the flow guide channel inside the reactor.

9. The photobioreactor system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The magnetic stirring tank includes a disperser for providing an air / CO2 mixed gas, a jacketed condenser for ensuring that the algae liquid is at an optimal growth temperature, and a sensor probe for real-time monitoring of changes in algae liquid parameters.

Images