Systems and methods for ph control of seawater and / or freshwater

Abstract

Some aspects of the present disclosure are generally related to systems and methods configured for growing microalgae and / or macroalgae, for example, for biomass generation or other applications. In some embodiments, the microalgae and / or macroalgae may be grown using carbon from CO2 generated from biological sources, and thus the microalgae and / or macroalgae may be certified as organically grown in some cases. According to some embodiments, the systems described herein introduce CO2 into the water in which the microalgae and / or macroalgae are grown and optionally, the systems may be configured to monitor and / or adjust a flow rate of the CO2 to regulate a pH of the water. Still other aspects are directed to methods of using the systems, kits including such systems, or the like.

Description

[0001] SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR pH CONTROL OF SEAWATER AND / OR FRESHWATER

[0002] RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 514,323, filed July 18, 2023, entitled “Systems and Methods for pH Control of Seawater and / or Freshwater,” incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0004] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0005] Systems and methods generally related to controlling pH in aquatic environments, for example, for producing microalgae and / or macroalgae and other applications are generally described.

[0006] BACKGROUND

[0007] Generating microalgae and / or macroalgae may be beneficial for a number of reasons, for example, for use as an alternative feed for livestock due to the relatively low amount of emissions related to growing microalgae and / or macroalgae. However, producing microalgae and / or macroalgae in aquatic environments is often limited to the available carbon content in the water, for instance, the CO2 content. That is, as biomass grows, the CO2 in the water is depleted and the growth of the microalgae and / or the macroalgae slows or stops. Replenishing the CO2 is possible, but introducing CO2 to the water changes the pH of the water and, in cases where too much CO2 is added, makes the environment unsuitable for hosting and / or producing further microalgae and / or macroalgae. Accordingly, improved systems and methods for growing microalgae and / or macroalgae are needed.

[0008] SUMMARY

[0009] Systems and methods generally related to controlling pH in aquatic environments, for example, for producing biomass and other application are generally described. The subject matter of the present disclosure involves, in some cases, interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem, and / or a plurality of different uses of one or more systems and / or articles.

[0010] One aspect is generally drawn to a system. In one set of embodiments, the system comprises a first compartment configured to contain at least 10 g, at least 100 g, at least 1 kg, etc. of organisms capable of generating CO2; a second compartment configured to contain water containing microalgae and / or macroalgae therein; and a delivery system configured to transport CO2 from the first compartment to the water in the second compartment.

[0011] In another set of embodiments, the system comprises a first compartment configured to contain at least 10 g, at least 100 g, 1 kg, etc. of organisms capable of generating CO2; a second compartment configured to contain water containing microalgae and / or macroalgae therein; and a delivery system configured to transport CO2 from the first compartment to the water in the second compartment at a rate dependent on a pH of the water and / or on a concentration of CO2 in the headspace of the first compartment.

[0012] Another aspect is generally drawn to a method. In accordance with a first set of embodiments, the method comprises producing CO2 in a first compartment containing at least 10 g, at least 100 g, 1 kg, etc. of organisms capable of generating CO2; and delivering the CO2 from the first compartment to a second compartment containing water.

[0013] The method, in another set of embodiments, comprises producing CO2 in a first compartment containing at least 10 g, at least 100 g, 1 kg, etc. of organisms capable of generating CO2; determining a pH of water contained within a second compartment; and delivering the CO2 from the first compartment to the second compartment at a rate dependent on the pH of the water and / or a concentration of CO2 in the headspace of the first compartment.

[0014] Other advantages and novel features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of various non-limiting embodiments of the disclosure when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures. In cases where the present specification and a document incorporated by reference include conflicting and / or inconsistent disclosure, the present specification shall control.

[0015] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures, which are schematic and are not intended to be drawn to scale unless otherwise indicated. In the figures, each identical or nearly identical component illustrated is typically represented by a single numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled in every figure, nor is every component of each embodiment of the disclosure shown where illustration is not necessary to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure. In the figures:

[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a system for controlling pH in an aquatic system, according to some embodiments;

[0018] FIG. 2 is an image of a first compartment, according to some embodiments;

[0019] FIG. 3 is a plot of daily growth rate of biomass vs CO2 source, according to some embodiments;

[0020] FIG. 4 is a plot of pH vs time in water of a second compartment, according to some embodiments.

[0021] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Some aspects of the present disclosure are generally related to systems and methods configured for growing microalgae and / or macroalgae, for example, for biomass generation or other applications. In some embodiments, the microalgae and / or macroalgae may be grown using carbon from CO2 generated from biological sources, and thus the microalgae and / or macroalgae may be certified as organically grown in some cases. According to some embodiments, the systems described herein introduce CO2 into the water in which the microalgae and / or macroalgae are grown and optionally, the systems may be configured to monitor and / or adjust a flow rate of the CO2 to regulate a pH of the water. Still other aspects are directed to methods of using the systems, kits including such systems, or the like.

[0023] Producing microalgae and / or macroalgae within aquatic environments requires a carbon source, typically dissolved CO2. As the microalgae and / or macroalgae grow, the concentration of CO2 in the water depletes, which may slow or prevent the growth of the microalgae and / or macroalgae due to the lack of carbon. Accordingly, replenishing the CO2 (e.g., as a source of carbon) may promote and / or maintain the growth of microalgae and / or macroalgae. Introducing CO2 into water acidifies the water due to the equilibrium between the dissolved CO2, carbonic acid (H2CO3),HCO3‘, and CO32'. Introducing too much CO2 may drive the pH to acidic levels and accordingly can be detrimental to the microalgae and / or macroalgae. Thus, some aspects of the present disclosure are generally related to systems configured to maintain a carbon source for an aquatic environment for growth of microalgae and / or macroalgae, e.g., while maintaining a habitable pH in the water.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows one such exemplary system 100. Here, system 100 comprises a first compartment 110 containing organisms capable of generating CO2 115. In some cases, there may be relatively large amounts of such organisms present, e.g., 10 g, at least 100 g, at least 1 kg, or more. The system 100 in this example also comprises a second compartment 120 containing water 125 containing microalgae and / or macroalgae 130 therein. The system comprises a delivery system 140, wherein the delivery system 140 is configured to transport CO2 from the first compartment 110 to the water 125 in the second compartment 120. The delivery system 140 may be coupled with a fan 150, which may facilitate the transport of the CO2 from the first compartment 110 to the water 125 of the second compartment 120. As described elsewhere herein, the delivery system 140 may transport the CO2 from the first compartment 110 to the water in the second compartment 120 at a rate such that the pH of the water 125 in the second compartment 120 remains suitable for microalgae and / or macroalgae 130 to reside and / or grow. In some cases, the system 110 may comprise pH sensor 160 in the water 125 of the second compartment 120, which may monitor the pH of the water 125 in the second compartment 120. In some such embodiments, the measurements from the pH sensor may be relayed to processor 165, which may control the speed of fan 150 and thus the flow rate of the CO2 from the first compartment 110 to the water 125 of the second compartment 120.

[0025] Certain aspects of the present disclosure are related to using the methods for growing microalgae and / or macroalgae. In some embodiments, the methods may comprise generating CO2 in the first compartment, delivering the CO2 to the water in the second compartment, monitoring a pH of the water in the second compartment, and / or adjusting a flow rate of the CO2 based on the pH of the water in the second compartment.

[0026] A variety of compartments may be used. Such containers may include articles defining a volume in which something may be contained. In some cases, the compartments may be constructed of relatively rigid materials. Non-limiting examples of materials for rigid compartments include but are not limited to glass, silica, and acrylic. Other materials are also possible. In some cases, the compartments may be relatively flexible. In some cases, the compartment may comprise flexible materials such as polyethylene, nylon, and / or polyester. Other materials are also possible. If more than one compartment is present, both compartments may be rigid, or both may be flexible. In some embodiments, at least one of the compartments may be flexible (e.g., the first compartment) and the other compartment may be rigid, or the compartments may independently exhibit the same or different degrees of rigidity, depending on the application. In some cases, one or more of the compartments may be watertight.

[0027] The compartments may be any of a variety of sizes. In some cases, a container may be selected to be suitable for containing organisms or microalgae and / or macroalgae contained by the system, for example, including amounts such as described in more detail elsewhere herein. For example, in some cases, each of the dimensions of the compartment may independently be at least 1 cm, at least 10 cm, at least 25 cm, at least 50 cm, at least 1 m, at least 10 m, or at least 50 m. In some embodiments, each of the dimensions of each of the compartments may independently be no more than 100 m, no more than 50 m, no more than 10 m, no more than 1 m, no more than 50 cm, no more than 25 cm, or no more than 10 cm. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible.

[0028] While generally described above as having two compartments, the system may comprise more than two compartments. For example, the system may comprise a third compartment, a fourth compartment, a fifth compartment, and so forth. Compartments beyond the first and second compartment may be used for similar purposes as the first and / or the second compartment, for example, containing organisms capable of generating CO2 and / or containing microalgae and / or macroalgae, and thus may increase the throughput of the system in some cases. In some embodiments, further compartments may have functions that differ from the first and / or second compartment. For example, in some cases, other compartments may be used for further processing and / or storing of the microalgae and / or the macroalgae.

[0029] According to some embodiments, the system further comprises a delivery system configured to transport CO2 from the first compartment to the water in the second compartment. At least a portion of the CO2 transported to the water may dissolve in the water. Those of ordinary skill in the art will know of any of a number of systems for controlling gas flows and flow rates. For example, any of a variety of systems for controlling gas flow rates are possible. In some cases, the delivery system may comprise a delivery system, such as a fan, an air pump, an artificial pressure differential, or the like.

[0030] In some embodiments, a sensor for measuring the CO2 concentration in the first compartment may be used to determine the concentration of CO2 in the air transported from the first compartment to the water of the second compartment. The sensor may be one that determines CO2 directly, and / or the sensor may be one that determines CO2 indirectly, for example, the sensor may be a pH sensor able to determine the pH of the water in the second compartment (since, as discussed herein, CO2 may affect the pH due to the formation of carbonic acid).

[0031] In some embodiments, the flow rate of the CO2 may be dependent on, e.g., the CO2 amount or concentration in the first compartment, the amount or concentration of CO2 in the headspace of the second compartment, and / or the pH of the water. For example, in some cases, the CO2 flow rate may be increased and / or decreased based on a pH determined for the water in which the microalgae and / or macroalgae are grown, or on the amount or concentration of CO2. As discussed, CO2 may dissolve or react in water to form carbonic acid, which may impact the pH of the water. Accordingly, the flow rate of CO2 can be adjusted, in some such embodiments, to regulate the pH of the water.

[0032] In some cases, control of the CO2 flow rate from the first compartment to the second compartment may be automated. For example, the system may comprise a delivery system, such as a fan, an air pump, an artificial pressure differential, or the like. In some cases, the flow rate of gas as controlled by the delivery system may be determined based on CO2, for example, determined directly using a CO2 sensor, indirectly using a pH sensor, etc. In some embodiments, a processor may be used to control the delivery system based on the CO2 determination. Other embodiments are also possible. For example, in one embodiment, a flow rate of the CO2 may be manually changed in accordance with pH measurements. While the foregoing example recites a pH sensor, note that other methods for measuring pH are possible, in accordance with some embodiments, and are described in more detail elsewhere herein.

[0033] The organism capable of generating CO2 contained in the first compartment may be any of a variety of different types of organisms. In some embodiments, the organism generates CO2 during respiration. In some cases, the organism may generate CO2 by decomposing organic matter and / or by fermentation. According to some embodiments, the organism comprises a fungus, bacteria, and / or a yeast. Various species of fungi and / or bacteria are possible. For example, in some cases, the organism comprises mycelia. Other exemplary fungal species may be from, but are not limited to, the families Acaulosporaceae, Ancylistaceae, Bartheletiaceae, Basidiobolaceae, Blastocladiaceae, Ceraceosoraceae, Choanephoraceae, Chytridiaceae, Chytriomycetaceae, Cladochytriaceae, Completoriaceae, Cunninghamellaceae, Diversisporaceae, Endochytriaceae , Entomophthoraceae, Eremascaceae, Erysiphaceae, Gasterellaceae, Gigasporaceae, Glomeraceae, Glomerellaceae, Kickxellaceae, Lichtheimiaceae, Mixiaceae, Neocallimastigaceae, Nowakowskiellaceae, Phycomycetaceae , Physodermataceae, Pilobolaceae, Piptocephalidaceae, Pseudeurotiaceae, Pyxidiophoraceae , Quambalariaceae, Saksenaeaceae, Sigmoideomycetaceae, Syncephalastraceae , Synchytriaceae , Uleiellaceae, Valsaceae, or Volvocisporium. Exemplary bacterial species may be from, but are not limited to, the families Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Bacillaceae, Streptococcaceae, Micrococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae , Clostridiaceae, Mycobacteriaceae, Neisseriaceae, Staphylococcaceae , Rhiz.obiaceae. Moraxellaceae, Bacteroidaceae, Legionellaceae, Helicobacteraceae, Vibrionaceae, Nitrosomonadaceae, Campylobacteraceae, and Mycoplasmataceae . CO2 generating organisms from other families are also possible. In some embodiments, multiple species, e.g., from one or more families, may be present within the first compartment. In addition, in some cases, the CO2 generating organisms within the first compartment may not be precisely known.

[0034] Various amounts of organisms capable of generating CO2 may be present in the first compartment, and the amount may be selected, for example, based on a desired flow rate and / or concentration of CO2. In some embodiments, the desired flow rate may be related to the removal rate of CO2 to the second compartment, and thus may be related to the amount of microalgae and / or macroalgae growing in the second compartment.

[0035] In some cases, the first compartment contains at least 10 g of the organisms, at least 20 g of the organisms, at least 50 g of the organisms, at least 100 g of the organisms, at least 200 g of the organisms, at least 500 g of the organisms, at least 1 kg of the organisms, at least 2 kg of the organisms, at least 3 kg of the organisms, at least 5 kg of the organisms, at least 8 kg of the organisms at least 10 kg of the organisms, at least 100 kg of the organisms, at least 1,000 kg of the organisms, at least 10,000 kg of the organisms, at least 20,000 kg of the organisms, at least 30,000 kg of the organisms, at least 50,000 kg of the organisms, or at least 100,000 kg of the organisms. In some cases, the first compartment may contain no more than 500,000 kg of the organisms, no more than 300,000 kg of the organisms, no more than 100,000 kg of the organisms, no more than 50,000 kg of the organisms, no more than 30,000 kg of the organisms, no more than 10,000 kg of the organisms, no more than 5,000 kg of the organisms, no more than 3,000 kg of the organisms, no more than 1,000 kg of the organisms, no more than 500 kg of the organisms, no more than 300 kg of the organisms, no more than 100 kg of the organisms, no more than 50 kg of the organisms, no more than 30 kg of the organisms, no more than 10 kg of the organisms, no more than 8 kg of the organisms, no more than 5 kg of the organisms, no more than 3 kg of the organisms, no more than 2 kg of the organisms, no more than 1 kg of the organisms, no more than 500 g of the organisms, no more than 200 g of the organisms, no more than 100 g of the organisms, no more than 50 g of the organisms, or no more than 20 g of the organisms, etc. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., at least 1 kg and no more than 10 kg). Other ranges are also possible.

[0036] In addition, in certain cases, the first compartment contains at least 10 g of the organisms and a growth medium, at least 20 g of the organisms and growth medium, at least 50 g of the organisms and growth medium, at least 100 g of the organisms and growth medium, at least 200 g of the organisms and growth medium, at least 500 g of the organisms and growth medium, at least 1 kg of the organisms and growth medium, at least 2 kg of the organisms and growth medium, at least 3 kg of the organisms and growth medium, at least 5 kg of the organisms and growth medium, at least 8 kg of the organisms and growth medium at least 10 kg of the organisms and growth medium, at least 100 kg of the organisms and growth medium, at least 1,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, at least 10,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, at least 20,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, at least 30,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, at least 50,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, or at least 100,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium. In some cases, the first compartment may contain no more than 500,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 300,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 100,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 50,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 30,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 10,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 5,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 3,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 1,000 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 500 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 300 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 100 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 50 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 30 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 10 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 8 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 5 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 3 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 2 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 1 kg of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 500 g of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 200 g of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 100 g of the organisms and growth medium, no more than 50 g of the organisms and growth medium, or no more than 20 g of the organisms and growth medium, etc. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., at least 1 kg and no more than 10 kg). Other ranges are also possible. Non-limiting examples of growth media include soil, compost, biosolids, organic substrates, or liquid media (e.g., cell culture, aquaculture, hydroponic media, or the like).

[0037] In addition, it should be understood that other sources of CO2 are also possible, e.g., in addition to and / or instead of the first compartment. In some embodiments, for example, CO2 that is introduced to the water of the second compartment may be sourced from the atmosphere. In some cases, the CO2 may be industrially or abiologically generated. For instance, the CO2 may be produced by oxidizing a fuel, or by performing certain types of chemical reactions that generate CO2. In some cases, the CO2 may be supplied, e.g., from a gas canister. Accordingly, in some such cases, the organisms in the first compartment may be absent. In some cases, combinations of CO2 sources are possible, for example, organisms capable of generating CO2 and / or atmospheric CO2 may be present in the first compartment and transported from the first compartment to the water of the second compartment.

[0038] According to some embodiments, the system may be configured to grow microalgae and / or macroalgae in the second compartment. In some embodiments, the microalgae and / or macroalgae in the second compartment may be grown using carbon from CO2 primarily generated by the organisms in the first compartment. In some cases, the microalgae and / or macroalgae in the second compartment may be grown using carbon from essentially only CO2 generated by the organisms in the first compartment.

[0039] The microalgae and / or macroalgae may comprise any of a number of species of algae. For example, in some cases, the microalgae and / or macroalgae may comprise Asparagopsis. In some embodiments, the microalgae and / or macroalgae may comprise cyanobacteria. Other examples of microalgae and / or macroalgae include, but are not limited to, macroalgae in the following families: Acinetosporaceae, Agaraceae, Ahnfelitaceae, Alariaceae, Arthrospira, Bacillariophyceae, Bangiaceae, Bomiemaisoniaceae, Caulerpacaea, Chlorella, Chlorophyceae, Chordariaceae, Cladophoraceae, Codiaceae, Compsopogonales, Cyanidioschyzonaceae, Cyanidiaceae, Cylindrospermum, Delesseriaceae, Desmarestiaceae, Dictyotaceae, Dinophyceae, Dumontiaceae, Erythropeltales, Euglenophyceae, Fucaceae, Furcellariaceae, Gelidiellacaeae, Gigartinaceae, Gracilariaceae, Halimedacaea, Haylmedacaea, Laminariaceae, Naccariaceae, Namiochloropsis, Noelaerhabdaceae, Palmariaceae, Phaeophyceae, Phyllophoraceae, Phragmonemataceae, Porphyridiaceae, Pterocladiaceae, Rhodomelaceae, Rhodochaetales, Rhizophyllidacaeae, Rhodomelaceae, Rufusiaceae, Sargassacaea, Sphacelariaeceae, Stylonemataceae, or Ulvaceae. In addition, in some cases, more than one type of macroalgae may be present in an second compartment.

[0040] The amount of microalgae and / or macroalgae produced in the system may vary based on any of a number of factors, for example, the number of compartments, the CO2 concentration, and / or the size of the compartments. Other factors may contribute to the amount of microalgae and / or macroalgae produced in the system. In some cases, the system may grow microalgae and / or macroalgae at a rate of at least 0.05 g / day, at least 0.1 g / day, at least 0.15 g / day, at least 0.2 g / day, at least 0.25 g / day, at least 0.5 g / day, at least 1 g / day, at least 10 g / day, at least 100 g / day, at least 1 kg / day, at least 5 kg / day, at least 10 kg / day, at least 100 kg / day, at least 500 kg / day, or at least 1,000 kg / day. In some embodiments, the system may grow microalgae and / or macroalgae at a rate of no more than 1,000 kg / day, no more than 500 kg / day, no more than 100 kg / day, no more than 10 kg / day, no more than 5 kg / day, no more than 1 kg / day, no more than 100 g / day, no more than 10 g / day, or no more than 1 g / day. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible.

[0041] As described above, in some embodiments, the microalgae and / or macroalgae in the second compartment may be grown using carbon from CO2 primarily generated by the organisms in the first compartment. In some cases, the microalgae and / or macroalgae in the second compartment may be grown using carbon from essentially only CO2 generated by the organisms in the first compartment. Accordingly, the microalgae and / or the macroalgae produced in the second compartment, in some cases, may be grown using CO2 generated from biological sources. In some such cases, the microalgae and / or the macroalgae may be certified organic in accordance with the 2021 edition of 7 U.S.C. Ch. 94. In some embodiments, the microalgae and / or the macroalgae are agriculturally produced (e.g., not wild grown).

[0042] In some cases, the microalgae and / or macroalgae may be grown according to an organic plan submitted to a certifying agent and verified (e.g., a certified organic plan). In some embodiments, the organic plan is reviewed and meets the requirements as put forth by the 2021 edition of 7 U.S.C. Ch. 94. For example, the microalgae and / or macroalgae produced in the system described herein may contain at least 50 percent of organically produced ingredients by weight, excluding water and salt. In some cases, organically produced ingredients may refer to biologically sourced ingredients, for example, CO2 generated from an organism.

[0043] Some aspects of the present disclosure are generally directed to methods of using the system described elsewhere herein. In some cases, the first compartment contains organisms capable of generating CO2, for example, at least 10 g of organisms, at least 100 g of organisms, at least 1 kg of organisms, or other amounts such as those described herein.

[0044] In some embodiments, the organisms produce CO2 in the first compartment, for example, by respiration, fermentation, and / or decomposition of biomass. In some cases, the produced CO2 may be delivered from the first compartment to the water contained in the second compartment, e.g., using a delivery system, thus providing a carbon source to biomass in the water of the second compartment. In some embodiments, the CO2 is bubbled through the water of the second compartment. In other cases, the CO2 may be exposed to the surface of the water. Other methods of CO2 delivery are also possible. In some cases, the CO2 may be delivered from the first compartment to the second compartment in any of a variety of methods. For example, CO2 may be actively transported by a delivery system, for example, a fan and / or an air pump. In some cases, a pressure differential may be used to transport the CO2. In some embodiments, a carrier gas (e.g., O2, atmospheric air, N2, etc.) may be flowed between the first compartment and the water of the second compartment, and the carrier gas may function to transport CO2 generated in the first compartment to the water of the second compartment.

[0045] In some cases, the system is configured to deliver CO2 generated in the first compartment to the water of the second compartment to provide a carbon source to the microalgae and / or macroalgae contained in the water of the second compartment. However, delivering CO2 may affect the pH of the water within the second compartment, which may impact the effectiveness of the system for supporting algal life and / or growth. For example, in some embodiments, a pH of at least 7, at least 7.2, or at least 7.4 may be maintained in the water of the second compartment. In some cases, a pH of no more than 8, no more than 7.8, or no more than 7.7 may be maintained in the water of the second compartment. In some cases, the pH of the water may be at least 7.4 and no more than 7.7 for growing the microalgae and / or macroalgae. Other pH ranges may also be acceptable.

[0046] Accordingly, in some cases, the pH of the water in the second compartment may be monitored and determined. The pH of the water in the second compartment may be monitored using any of a variety of methods. For example, optical methods, electrochemical methods, and mass spectrometric methods may be used, among other methods. Methods for monitoring the pH of the water in the second compartment include, but are not limited to, a colorimetric pH indicator, a pH-sensitive fluorescent tracer, an electrochemical pH sensor, coupling a mass spectrometer to the second compartment, and / or sampling the water from the second compartment and determining a pH ex- situ.

[0047] In some embodiments, monitoring the pH of the water in the second compartment may be used to adjust the flow rate of the CO2 from the first compartment to the water of the second compartment, e.g., using a delivery system. For example, increasing the concentration of dissolved CO2 in water generally increases the concentration of carbonic acid (H2CO3), and thus generally acidifies the water. Accordingly, if the pH of the water in the second compartment is relatively low (e.g., less than 7.4), the flow rate of CO2 from the first compartment to the water of the second compartment may be adjusted to be lower to slow or prevent further acidification of the water. Alternatively, if the pH is relatively high (e.g., greater than 7.7), the flow rate of CO2 may be increased.

[0048] In some cases, if the pH of the water is not appropriate for supporting the presence and / or growth of the microalgae and / or macroalgae (e.g., less than 6 or greater than 11), buffers, acids, and / or bases may be added to the water of the second compartment to adjust the pH of the water of the second compartment to a range such as at least 7.4 and no more than 7.7.

[0049] In some embodiments, the determining and / or monitoring of the pH of the water may be performed in real time and may be used to provide real-time feedback to adjust the flowrate of the CO2 from the first compartment to the water of the second compartment. Such methods may be implemented in certain cases by one or more controllers, e.g., including at least one processor operatively coupled to the various controllable portions of a pH controlling system for growing microalgae and / or macroalgae as disclosed herein. The method may be embodied as computer readable instructions stored on non-transitory computer readable memory associated with at least one processor such that when executed by at least one processor the additive manufacturing system may perform any of the actions related to the methods disclosed herein. Additionally, it should be understood that the disclosed order of the steps above is exemplary and that the disclosed steps may be performed in a different order, simultaneously, and / or may include one or more additional intermediate steps not shown as the disclosure is not so limited.

[0050] According to some embodiments, the microalgae and / or macroalgae generated in the second compartment of the system may be harvested for use as biomass. Using microalgae and / or macroalgae as a biomass source, e.g., for feeding for livestock may advantageously decrease the amount of carbon emissions associated with raising livestock when compared to using traditional feed stock. In some cases, as described above, the harvested microalgae and / or macroalgae may be grown in line with a certified organic plan and thus may be certified organic when sold. Other uses of the microalgae and / or macroalgae are also possible in certain embodiments. U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 514,323, filed July 18, 2023, entitled “Systems and Methods for pH Control of Seawater and / or Freshwater,” is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0051] The following examples are intended to illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention, but do not exemplify the full scope of the invention.

[0052] EXAMPLE 1

[0053] The following describes an exemplary embodiment of the systems described herein.

[0054] FIG. 2 is an image of a plastic box 200 comprising a variable number of bags containing mycelia 210, a fan 220, a CO2 ppm reader 230, and an air pump 240. The plastic box is in fluid communication with at least one compartment containing water containing microalgae and / or macroalgae and a pH sensor. The pH sensor measures the pH of the water in the second compartment, which is used to regulate the flow rate of CO2 between the first compartment and the water in the second compartment to maintain a carbon source and a pH suitable for growing and maintaining microalgae and / or the macroalgae in the water.

[0055] FIG. 3 shows a plot of daily growth rate of microalgae and / or macroalgae as a function of CO2 source. When the CO2 source is the controlled mycelia source 310 described above, the daily growth rate of the microalgae and / or the macroalgae is higher than in the cases wherein the CO2 source is synthetic and included as a gas stream 320 or a control of ambient air 330. This demonstrates that the present system improves growth rate of microalgae and / or macroalgae.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows the pH of the water in the second compartment of the system as a function of time over 525 hours. After an initial equilibration period, the pH of the water in the second compartment remains in a desired range of approximately 7.4 and 7.7, thus contributing to the improved growth rates observed in FIG. 3.

[0057] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and / or structures for performing the functions and / or obtaining the results and / or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and / or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and / or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings of the present invention is / are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. The present invention is directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, and / or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, and / or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, and / or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present invention.

[0058] The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”

[0059] The phrase “and / or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and / or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified unless clearly indicated to the contrary. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and / or B,” when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A without B (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B without A (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.

[0060] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and / or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and / or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of’ or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0061] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and / or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

[0062] Some embodiments may be embodied as a method, of which various examples have been described. The acts performed as part of the methods may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include different (e.g., more or less) acts than those that are described, and / or that may involve performing some acts simultaneously, even though the acts are shown as being performed sequentially in the embodiments specifically described above.

[0063] Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.

[0064] In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of’ and “consisting essentially of’ shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising: a first compartment configured to contain at least 10 g of organisms capable of generating CO2; a second compartment configured to contain water containing microalgae and / or macroalgae therein; and a delivery system configured to transport CO2 from the first compartment to the water in the second compartment.

2. A system, comprising: a first compartment configured to contain at least 10 g of organisms capable of generating CO2; a second compartment configured to contain water containing microalgae and / or macroalgae therein; and a delivery system configured to transport CO2 from the first compailment to the water in the second compartment at a rate dependent on a pH of the water and / or on a concentration of CO2 in the headspace of the first compartment.

3. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the organisms comprise a fungus.

4. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the first compartment contains at least10 g of fungus.

5. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the organisms comprise mycelia.

6. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the organisms comprise yeast.

7. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the microalgae and / or macroalgae is certified organic in accordance with 7 U.S.C. Ch. 94 § 6513.

8. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the delivery system comprises a fan.

9. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the delivery system comprises an air pump.

10. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the delivery system comprises an artificial pressure differential.

11. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the delivery system is configured to bubble CO2 through the water of the second compartment.

12. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the delivery system comprises a sensor for determining CO2 in the air in the second compartment.

13. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the delivery system comprises a sensor for determining pH in the water in the second compartment.

14. The system of any preceding claim, further comprising a processor to regulate a flow rate of the CO2 from the first compartment to the second compartment.

15. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the first compartment is configured to contain at least 100 g of organisms.

16. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the first compartment is configured to contain at least 1 kg of organisms.

17. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the first compartment is configured to contain at least 100 g of organisms and growth medium.

18. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the first compartment is configured to contain at least 1 kg of organisms and growth medium.

19. The system of any of claims 17 or 18, wherein the growth medium comprises soil.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first compartment contains at least 10 g of soil.

21. The system of any one of claims 17-20, wherein the growth medium comprises a liquid growth medium.

22. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the second compartment is watertight.

23. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the water is seawater.

24. A method, comprising: producing CO2 in a first compartment containing at least 10 g of organisms capable of generating CO2; and delivering the CO2 from the first compartment to a second compartment containing water.

25. A method, comprising: producing CO2 in a first compartment containing at least 10 g of organisms capable of generating CO2; determining a pH of water contained within a second compartment; and delivering the CO2 from the first compartment to the second compartment at a rate dependent on the pH of the water and / or a concentration of CO2 in the headspace of the first compartment.

26. The method of any one of claims 24 or 25, wherein the organisms comprise a fungus.

27. The method of any one of claims 24-26, wherein the organisms comprise mycelia.

28. The method of any one of claims 24-27, wherein the organisms comprise yeast.

29. The method of any one of claims 24-28, comprising delivering the CO2 using a fan.

30. The method of any one of claims 24-29, comprising delivering the CO2 using an air pump.

31. The method of any one of claims 24-30, comprising delivering the CO2 using an artificial pressure differential.

32. The method of any one of claims 24-31, further comprising harvesting at least a portion of the microalgae and / or macroalgae from the second compartment.

33. The method of any one of claims 24-32, comprising bubbling the CO2 through the water of the second compartment.

34. The method of any one of claims 24-33, comprising producing CO2 in a first compartment containing at least 100 g of organisms capable of generating CO2.

35. The method of any one of claims 24-34, comprising producing CO2 in a first compartment containing at least 1 kg of organisms capable of generating CO2.

36. The method of any one of claims 24-35, comprising producing CO2 in a first compartment containing at least 100 g of organisms and growth medium.

37. The method of any one of claims 24-36, comprising producing CO2 in a first compartment containing at least 1 kg of organisms and growth medium.

38. The method of any one of claims 36 or 37, wherein the growth medium comprises soil.

39. The method of any one of claims 36-38, wherein the growth medium comprises a liquid growth medium.

40. The method of any one of claims 36-39, wherein the water is seawater.

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