Self-powered rotating photobioreactor

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of microalgae culture equipment, and discloses a self-powered rotary photobioreactor, which comprises a reaction tank, a supporting frame, an agitation unit, LED lamps, an aeration device and a solar unit. The reaction tank is connected with the supporting frame through a connecting rod. The agitation unit comprises rotary wind blades, a rotating rod and an agitating rod. The top cover of the reaction tank is internally fixed with the LED lamps. The aeration device comprises a blower and an aeration disc. The solar unit comprises a solar panel and a storage battery. The storage battery is electrically connected with the blower and the LED lamps. The photobioreactor uses the solar cell to supply power for the LED light, the blower or the monitoring module in the system, realizes high-efficiency photobiological conversion under the condition of no external power supply, improves the light utilization rate, has no external energy consumption, is provided with the rotary wind blades and the flexible solar panel at the upper portion, the rotary wind blades drive the agitating unit to agitate the internal microalgae, the microalgae are prevented from being attached to the wall and sinking to the bottom, the internal LED lamps can significantly improve the illumination, and the aeration device can improve the CO2 absorption and the photosynthetic efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of microalgae cultivation equipment technology, and more specifically, to a self-powered rotary photobioreactor. Background Technology

[0002] Microalgae refer to groups of algae that are tiny, intermediate between microorganisms and plants, and capable of oxygen-emitting photosynthesis. As an important renewable resource, they have advantages such as wide distribution, short growth cycle, large biomass, no need to occupy arable land, and efficient carbon sequestration. Moreover, they contain abundant proteins, vitamins, biopigments, trace elements, unsaturated fatty acids, and other substances, and have broad application prospects in medicine and health care, food, feed additives, aquaculture, cosmetics, fine processing, wastewater treatment, and bioenergy.

[0003] Currently, microalgae are mainly cultivated using photoautotrophic methods. However, several problems exist in existing large-scale cultivation: 1. Inappropriate light intensity. Light intensity is a major factor affecting microalgae photosynthesis and cultivation efficiency. Insufficient, excessive, or uneven light intensity is a major problem in large-scale cultivation. 2. Excessive adhesion and settling of microalgae. Microalgae naturally tend to adhere to water walls. When the water is not uniformly agitated, the excessive adhesion and settling of microalgae to the walls and bottom creates a shading effect, preventing the utilization of light and nutrients and leading to the death of the microalgae.

[0004] Although there are many types of photobioreactors in the existing technology, they generally suffer from problems such as large footprint, low light utilization rate and high operating energy consumption. Therefore, how to improve the efficient cultivation of microalgae is an important direction of current microalgae research. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a rotary photobioreactor with wind-solar hybrid power generation, which uses wind power to drive the stirring shaft to rotate, and at the same time uses solar energy units to power LED supplemental lighting, blowers or monitoring modules in the system, to achieve efficient photobioconversion under conditions without external power supply, improve light utilization, and eliminate external energy consumption.

[0006] The objective of this application is achieved through the following technical solution: A self-powered rotary photobioreactor includes a reaction tank, a support frame, an agitation unit, an LED light, an aeration device, and a solar energy unit. The reaction tank is connected to the support frame via a connecting rod, the end of which is equipped with a fixing ring that fits into the outer wall of the reaction tank. The reaction tank is a cylindrical transparent tank, and a rotating bearing is located at the center of the top cover. The agitation unit includes a rotating fan, a rotating rod, and a stirring rod. The rotating bearing is fixed to the rotating rod. A rotating fan is fixed above the rotating rod, and a stirring rod is fixed below the rotating rod. An LED light is fixed inside the top cover of the reaction tank. The aeration device includes a blower and an aeration disc. The blower is fixed to the support frame, and the aeration disc is located at the bottom of the reaction tank. The blower and the aeration disc are connected via an air pipe. The solar energy unit includes a solar panel and a battery. The battery is electrically connected to the blower and the LED light.

[0007] As a further improvement of this application, the fixing ring is composed of interlocking semicircles, wherein the semicircles are fixed by snap-fit ​​connections.

[0008] As a further improvement to this application, the connecting rod is provided with a telescopic spring.

[0009] As a further improvement of this application, the top cover of the reaction tank is provided with a nutrient solution inlet pipe, the side wall of the reaction tank is provided with a liquid outlet pipe, and valves are provided on the nutrient solution inlet pipe and the liquid outlet pipe.

[0010] As a further improvement of this application, the bottom of the reaction vessel is spherical, and the support frame is provided with grooves.

[0011] As a further improvement of this application, the LED light includes an LED light strip and a plurality of LED beads disposed on the LED light strip.

[0012] As a further improvement to this application, the reaction vessel is made of transparent acrylic material.

[0013] As a further improvement of this application, the photobioreactor also includes a monitoring module, which includes a pH sensor, a dissolved oxygen sensor, and a light sensor. The monitoring module is located on the inner wall of the reaction vessel and is connected to a monitoring terminal via wireless communication.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention utilizes wind power to rotate the stirring shaft, while simultaneously using solar cells to power the LED supplemental lighting, blower, or monitoring module within the system. This enables highly efficient photobiological conversion without external power, improving light utilization and eliminating external energy consumption. The upper part is equipped with rotating fan blades and flexible solar panels. The rotating fan blades drive the stirring unit to agitate the internal microalgae, preventing them from adhering to the walls or sinking to the bottom. The internal LED lights significantly improve illumination, and the aeration device enhances CO2 absorption and photosynthetic efficiency. This device is particularly suitable for microalgae cultivation and carbon fixation processes in outdoor, island, and rooftop greenhouse conditions without external power, and it boasts advantages such as green energy saving, low maintenance, and high automation. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a self-powered rotary photobioreactor provided for some embodiments of this application; Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a self-powered rotary photobioreactor provided for some embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is another overall structural schematic diagram of a self-powered rotary photobioreactor provided for some embodiments of this application.

[0016] Icons: 1. Reaction tank; 2. Support frame; 3. Stirring unit; 4. LED light; 5. Aeration device; 6. Solar unit; 7. Connecting rod; 8. Fixing ring; 9. Rotary bearing; 10. Rotating fan blade; 11. Rotating rod; 12. Stirring rod; 13. Blower; 14. Aeration disc; 15. Solar panel; 16. Battery; 17. Nutrient solution inlet pipe; 18. Discharge pipe; 19. Telescopic spring. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings represent the same components. It should be noted that the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0018] Compared to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, feasible embodiments within the scope of this application may have fewer components, other components not shown in the drawings, different components, differently arranged components, or components with different connections, etc. Furthermore, two or more components in the drawings may be implemented in a single component, or a single component shown in the drawings may be implemented as multiple separate components.

[0019] This application discloses a self-powered rotary photobioreactor, comprising a reaction tank 1, a support frame 2, a stirring unit 3, an LED lamp 4, an aeration device 5, and a solar energy unit 6. The reaction tank 1 is connected to the support frame 2 via a connecting rod 7. A fixing ring 8 is provided at the end of the connecting rod 7, which engages with the outer wall of the reaction tank 1 to secure it. The reaction tank 1 is a cylindrical transparent tank. A rotating bearing 9 is located at the center of the top cover of the reaction tank 1. The stirring unit 3 includes a rotating fan 10, a rotating rod 11, and a stirring rod 12. The rotating bearing 9 is fixedly connected to the rotating rod 11. The rotating fan 10 is fixed above the rotating rod 11, and a stirring rod 12 is fixed below the rotating rod 11. The rod 12 and the rotating fan 10 can drive the stirring rod 12 to rotate, thereby agitating the microalgae in the reaction tank 1 and improving the survival rate of the microalgae. An LED light 4 is fixed inside the top cover of the reaction tank 1. The solar unit 6 can provide power to the LED light 4 to ensure sufficient light inside the reactor. The aeration device 5 includes a blower 13 and an aeration disc 14. The blower 13 is fixed on the support frame 2, and the aeration disc 14 is located at the bottom of the reaction tank 1. The blower 13 and the aeration disc are connected through an air pipe to achieve a uniform and fine bubble distribution, thereby greatly improving the CO2 absorption efficiency. The solar unit 6 includes a solar panel 15 and a battery 16. The battery 16 is electrically connected to the blower 13 and the LED light 4.

[0020] The fixing ring 8 is composed of interlocking semicircles, which are fixed by snap-fit ​​connections. The connecting rod 7 is equipped with a telescopic spring 19, which provides the reaction tank 1 with a certain amount of swaying allowance. When the rotating fan 10 rotates, it can cause the reaction tank 1 to sway slightly, preventing microalgae from sticking to the wall. In another embodiment of this application, the support frame 2 is located on both sides of the reaction tank 1 to improve the support effect of the support frame 2 on the photobioreactor.

[0021] Specifically, the top cover of the reaction tank 1 is equipped with a nutrient solution inlet pipe 17, and the side wall of the reaction tank 1 is equipped with a liquid outlet pipe 18. Valves are provided on the nutrient solution inlet pipe 17 and the liquid outlet pipe 18. The liquid outlet pipe 18 is used to discharge the liquid in the photobioreactor, while the nutrient solution inlet pipe 17 is used to continue to add nutrient solution to it to provide energy for the continued growth of microalgae.

[0022] The bottom of the reaction vessel 1 is spherical, and the support frame 2 is provided with a groove, allowing the bottom of the reaction vessel 1 to swing around the groove.

[0023] Specifically, the LED light 4 includes four LED light strips and multiple LED beads set on the four LED light strips. The LED light 4 is used to irradiate the inside of the photobioreactor to ensure the amount of light supplied inside the reactor.

[0024] The reaction vessel 1 is made of transparent acrylic material, which ensures sunlight supply inside the reaction vessel 1 during the day.

[0025] Specifically, the photobioreactor also includes a monitoring module, which includes a pH sensor, a dissolved oxygen sensor, and a light sensor. The monitoring module is located on the inner wall of the reaction vessel 1 and is connected to a monitoring terminal via wireless communication.

[0026] In use, this utility model utilizes wind and solar power to power the entire photoreactor, eliminating the need for external power supply and saving energy. It uses wind power to drive the stirring shaft to rotate, while using solar cells to power the LED supplemental lighting, blower 13, or monitoring module within the system, achieving efficient photobiological conversion under conditions without external power supply, improving light utilization, and eliminating external energy consumption. The upper part is equipped with a rotating fan blade 10 and a flexible solar panel 15. The rotating fan blade 10 drives the stirring unit to agitate the internal microalgae, preventing microalgae from adhering to the wall and sinking to the bottom. The internal LED light 4 can significantly improve illumination, and the aeration device 5 can improve CO2 absorption and photosynthetic efficiency. This device is particularly suitable for microalgae cultivation and carbon fixation processes under conditions without external power, such as in the wild, on islands, and rooftop greenhouses, and has the advantages of being green and energy-saving, low-maintenance, and highly automated.

[0027] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "coaxial", "bottom", "one end", "top", "middle", "other end", "upper", "side", "top", "inner", "front", "center", "both ends", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0028] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first," "second," "third," or "fourth" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features.

[0029] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "setting", "connection", "fixing", "screw connection", etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal connection of two components or the interaction between two components. Unless otherwise explicitly limited, those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0030] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A self-powered rotary photobioreactor, comprising a reaction tank (1), a support frame (2), a stirring unit (3), an LED lamp (4), an aeration device (5), and a solar energy unit (6), characterized in that, The reaction vessel (1) is connected to the support frame (2) via a connecting rod (7). The end of the connecting rod (7) is provided with a fixing ring (8), which fits into the outer wall of the reaction vessel (1). The reaction vessel (1) is a cylindrical transparent vessel. A rotating bearing (9) is provided at the center of the top cover of the reaction vessel (1). The stirring unit (3) includes a rotating fan (10), a rotating rod (11), and a stirring rod (12). The rotating bearing (9) is fixed to the rotating rod (11). A rotating fan (10) is fixed above the rotating rod (11). A stirring rod (12) is fixed below the rotating rod (11), and an LED light (4) is fixed inside the top cover of the reaction tank (1). The aeration device (5) includes a blower (13) and an aeration disc (14). The blower (13) is fixed on the support frame (2), and the aeration disc (14) is located at the bottom of the reaction tank (1). The blower (13) and the aeration disc (14) are connected through an air pipe. The solar unit (6) includes a solar panel (15) and a battery (16). The battery (16) is electrically connected to the blower (13) and the LED light (4).

2. The self-powered rotary photobioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixing ring (8) is made up of interlocking semicircles, wherein the semicircles are fixed by buckle connection.

3. The self-powered rotary photobioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting rod (7) is provided with a telescopic spring (19).

4. The self-powered rotary photobioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reaction vessel (1) is provided with a nutrient solution inlet pipe (17) on its top cover and an outlet pipe (18) on its side wall. Valves are provided on the nutrient solution inlet pipe (17) and the outlet pipe (18).

5. A self-powered rotary photobioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the reaction vessel (1) is spherical, and the support frame (2) is provided with grooves.

6. The self-powered rotary photobioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The LED lamp (4) includes an LED lamp (4) strip and multiple LED beads disposed on the LED lamp (4) strip.

7. A self-powered rotary photobioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reaction vessel (1) is made of transparent acrylic material.

8. A self-powered rotary photobioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The photobioreactor also includes a monitoring module, which includes a pH sensor, a dissolved oxygen sensor, and a light sensor. The monitoring module is located on the inner wall of the reaction vessel (1) and is connected to the monitoring terminal via wireless communication.

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