47 results about "Autotroph" patented technology

The invention provides devices and methods for the growth of photoautotrophic organisms. The devices and methods address issues related to the design of bioreactors, selection of a photoautotrophic organism, growth of the photoautotrophic organisms, extraction of biomass products, and/or use of the biomass products as a renewable energy source.

This invention relates to open or close top photobioreactor apparatus for improved productivity with a small footprint, that can be placed in varied temperature zones, above or below ground on land or in water or use in space-station for conducting aqueous aerobic or anaerobic; continues or batch wise cultivation and harvesting of photoautotrophic organism's.

More particularly this invention concerns with a novel means and process for uniform optical dispersion and optical enhancement by utilizing a solar energy collection unit attached to a photo-emitting system which emits full spectrum or specific wavelength light substantially uniformly and radially along its length.

The invention discloses a device for autotrophic nitrogen removal by combining A/O shortcut nitrification of sludge digestion liquid and anaerobic ammonium oxidation of granular sludge and a method thereof. The device of the invention comprises a digestion liquid tank, an A/O shortcut nitrification tank, a sedimentation tank, a middle water tank, an anaerobic ammonium oxidation tank, wherein, the digestion liquid tank is communicated with a first cancellus as an anoxic zone of the A/O shortcut nitrification tank by the inlet pump of the A/O shortcut nitrification tank; the sedimentation tank the upper part of which is communicated with the middle water tank by a water pipe is provided with a central pipe and the anaerobic ammonium oxidation tank is provided with a water bath sleeve and a granular sludge bed. In addition, the method of the invention comprises the following steps of starting the A/O shortcut nitrification tank; starting the anaerobic ammonium oxidation tank of the granular sludge; operating an autotrophic biological nitrogen removal system in series after the starting of the A/O shortcut nitrification tank and the anaerobic ammonium oxidation tank is respectively completed. The device and the method of the invention are applicable to the shortcut nitrification and the nitrogen removal of the sludge digestion liquid in a sewage treatment plant and have the advantages of advanced technology, simple structure of the device, convenient operation and good treatment effect of water purification.

The invention discloses a small ball algae cultivation method with high density and high quality, which comprises the following phases: high-density heterotrophy cultivation, high-density algae liquid dilution and photo-autotroph cultivation. The invention makes the small ball algae reach high-density level within shorter cultivation period, which improves the small ball algae quality.

The invention discloses a device and a method for denitrification of single stage autotroph in low-cellulose nitrate (CN) high-ammonia nitrogen waste water. The device comprises a raw water tank, a water inlet pump, a reactor, a secondary sedimentation tank and a sludge reflux pump, wherein overcurrent holes are arranged in the water flow direction of the reactor in an up-and-down alternative form and connected with various grid chambers, an anoxic zone grid chamber is arranged at the front end of the reactor, and an aerobic zone grid chamber is arranged at the back end of the reactor; the anoxic zone grid chamber is provided with a stirrer and an agitator blade; the aerobic zone grid chamber is provided with the stirrer, the agitator blade, an aeration riser pipe and an intermediate perforated clapboard; and the aeration riser pipe is internally provided with an aeration head, and sponge filling material is filled below the intermediate perforated clapboard, wherein filling ratio is 30-50%. In the method, shortcut nitrification is achieved above the aerobic zone through low dissolved oxygen (DO is 0.5 <-1>mg/L) and free ammonia (FA) inhibition so that ammonia nitrogen is converted to nitrite nitrogen; and anoxicammoxidation biomembrane acts on the lower part of the aerobic zone, the nitrite nitrogen and ammonia nitrogen are converted to nitrogen, thereby achieving denitrification of autotroph. The method has the advantages of low oxygen consumption, less sludge output and no extra carbon source.

The invention discloses a low-carbon urban sewage biological phosphorus removal and autotrophic biological nitrogen removal device and a low-carbon urban sewage biological phosphorus removal and autotrophic biological nitrogen removal method. The device comprises a raw water tank, a biological phosphorus removal and half shortcut nitrification reactor, a secondary sedimentation tank, an intermediate water tank and an anammox reactor, wherein the biological phosphorus removal and half shortcut nitrification reactor is a university of cape town (UCT) reactor without internal returning of digestive fluid; the secondary secondary sedimentation tank is a radial-flow sedimentation tank; and the anammox reactor is an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The method comprises: introducing urban sewage first to the anaerobic zone of the biological phosphorus removal and half shortcut nitrification reactor for phosphorus release, then to an anoxic zone of the biological phosphorus removal and half shortcut nitrification reactor for denitrification and phosphorus absorption and finally to an aerobic zone for aerobic phosphorus absorption and half shortcut nitrification; subjecting mixed liquid containing ammonia nitrogen and nitrite nitrogen to sludge and water separation in the secondary sedimentation tank; and introducing the water to the anammox UASB reactor for autotrophic biological nitrogen removal under anammox action. When the method is used, process aeration can be reduced, energy consumption can be reduced, and carbon source is saved. The method is suitable for treating low-carbon sewage.

A dual compartment bioreactor system includes a heterotrophic bioreactor, an autotrophic bioreactor, and a membrane between the autotrophic bioreactor and the heterotrophic bioreactor. The autotrophic bioreactor includes a transparent outer wall. Each population benefits from the products of the metabolism of the other. Methods for wastewater treatment and algal production utilize the system.

A robust methodology is described herein for determining the algae biomass photoautotrophic yield (in gram of biomass synthesized per μmole of absorbed photons), which is useful for reliable biomass productivity estimates for selecting, comparing, and optimizing algae cultures for large-scale production. Another method is provided herein to increase dissolved inorganic carbon concentration and alleviate limitations common in aerated small-scale batches. This carbonate addition method allows for a more accurate determination of the algae culture photoautotrophic yield under small-scale experimental conditions. Also provided herein is a method for estimating a light spectrum-dependent scatter-corrected algae-specific absorption cross section, which permits the use of Beer's law to estimate the fraction of photons absorbed by a given algae culture. Determination of the algae photoautotrophic yield and absorption cross section enable a full photobioreactor parameterization and the resulting capacity to achieve highly controlled nutrients-supply conditions.

The invention discloses a method and a device for removing nitrate in aquaculture seawater through heterotrophism and autotrophy series connection denitrification. The device comprises a heterotrophic organism denitrification unit, an autotrophic organism denitrification unit and an outlet water filtering unit, wherein the heterotrophic organism denitrification unit comprises a heterotrophic denitrification bioreactor; the autotrophic organism denitrification unit comprises an autotrophic denitrification bioreactor; the outlet water filtering unit comprises a solid filtering device; aquaculture seawater to be treated is sequentially introduced into the heterotrophic denitrification bioreactor, the autotrophic denitrification bioreactor and the solid filtering device, and the removal of nitrate in the aquaculture seawater can be realized. The method and the device have the advantages that on the premise of maintaining high-concentration dissolved oxygen of inlet water, the removal of nitrate in circulation aquaculture seawater is realized; the generation of nitrous acid in the outlet water is strictly controlled; the consumption of organic carbon sources and the generation quantity of sulfate radicals are reduced; the treatment cost is reduced.

The invention discloses an authigenic ferric salt chemical phosphorus removal-anaerobic ferrous oxidization biological denitrification integrated device. The device is provided with a chemical flocculation settling area, a ferrous salt supplement area, a nitrogen and phosphorus removal area and a three-phase separation area from bottom to top, wherein the chemical flocculation settling area is provided with a solid-liquid separation phosphorus removal area and a slowly flocculating phosphorus removal area, the ferrous salt supplement area is provided with a zero-valent iron filling area, the nitrogen and phosphorus removal area is provided with a rapidly settling phosphorus removal area and a ferrous oxidization biological nitrogen removal area from inside to outside, the three-phase separation area is provided with a gas release area and a settling area, and the settling area is provided with a biological sludge discharge port, a reflux port, an overflow weir and a water outlet. According to the device, the matrix of the phosphorus removal process and the nitrogen removal process can be recycled; by using biological denitrificatio and authigenic ferric salt chemical phosphorus removal agent, the cost for removing phosphorus is lowered; zero-valent iron such as cheap iron residue/scrap iron is dissolved by acid ferric salt phosphorous removal reaction solution so as to provide ferrous salt matrix for biological denitrification, and the purpose of processing waste with waste is achieved; by using autotroph for denitrification, the problem of insufficient carbon source in biological denitrification of wastewater is effectively solved.

Most microalgae are obligate photoautotrophs and their growth is strictly dependent on the generation of photosynthetically-derived energy. In this study it is shown that the microalga Phaeodaclylurn tricornutum can be engineered to import glucose and grow in the dark through the introduction of genes encoding glucose transporters. Both the human and Chlorella kessleri glucose transporters facilitated the uptake of glucose by P. tricornutum, allowing the cells to metabolize exogenous organic carbon and thrive, independent of light. This is the first successful trophic conversion of an obligate photoautotroph through metabolic engineering, and it demonstrates that methods of cell nourishment can be fundamentally altered with the introduction of a single gene. Since strains transformed with the glucose transport genes are able to grow non-photosynthetically, they can be exploited for the analysis of photosynthetic processes through mutant generation and characterization. Finally, this work also represents critical progress toward large-scale commercial exploitation of obligate phototrophic algae through the use of microbial fermentation technology, eliminating significant limitations resulting from light-dependent growth.

The invention relates to a device and a method for treating pharmaceutical waste water through synchronous biological denitrification and devulcanization and autotrophic biological denitrification. The device is provided with a synchronous denitrification and devulcanization pool, an anaerobic methane generation pool, a partial nitrosification pool, an autotrophic biological denitrification pool and a water outlet pool. The method comprises the steps that: 1) anaerobic digested sludge is added to the synchronous denitrification and devulcanization pool; 2) outlet water of the synchronous denitrification and devulcanization pool enters the anaerobic methane generation pool; 3) outlet water of the anaerobic methane generation pool enters the partial nitrosification pool; 4) outlet water of the partial nitrosification pool enters the autotrophic biological denitrification pool through a middle settling pool; and 5) mixed liquid in the autotrophic biological denitrification pool flows into the water outlet pool after the sludge and water separation in a final setting pool. Through the cooperative action of the synchronous biological denitrification and devulcanization, anaerobic methane generation and autotrophic biological denitrification processes, the deep treatment of the pharmaceutical waste water is realized, and the method and the device are suitable for the standard reaching treatment and the regeneration of the pharmaceutical waste water. The device structure and the operation method are perfect, the energy is saved, the cost is low, the waste water treatment effect is good, and the efficiency is high.

The invention discloses a novel partial-nitrosation anaerobic ammoxidation integrated reactor which comprises a main reaction area, an upper three-phase separator and an air ascending chamber, wherein the main reaction area is internally sequentially provided with a sludge fluidization area, a middle biomembrane area and an upper biomembrane area from bottom to top, and the main reaction area is externally sequentially provided with a bottom water inlet, an air inlet and an upper water outlet from bottom to top; a three-phase separator area internally sequentially comprises a biomembrane area and an air collecting chamber from bottom to top; and the three-phase separator is externally provided with a sediment area. The novel partially-nitrosation anaerobic ammoxidation integrated reactor disclosed by the invention can realize the subarea culture of nitrosation and anaerobic ammoxidation in a single reactor, thereby preventing the influence of certain environment factors on anaerobic ammoxidation bacteria and nitrosation bacteria; and the novel partially-nitrosation anaerobic ammonia oxidation integral reactor realizes the combination of various areas through a self-reflux function, thereby realizing the denitrification of wastewater autotrophs.

The invention provides a biological nitrogen removal combination device. The biological nitrogen removal combination device comprises a water inflow water tank, an oxygen-poor denitrification tank, an aerobiotic nitrification tank, a middle settling tank and an autotroph nitrogen removal tank, all of which are sequentially connected. The device has the effects that by the adoption of the device, part of organic matter having the adverse effect on anaerobic ammonium oxidation bacteria can be consumed, meanwhile, nitrate nitrogen generated in the autotroph nitrogen removal tank is removed, the overall nitrogen removal effect of a system is improved, and the total nitrogen removal rate is increased to 90%-97% from 80%-85%. The oxygen consumption of the autotroph nitrogen removal tank during oxidation of ammonia and nitrogen is reduced by 80%-95%, aeration intensity is reduced accordingly, and the influences of DO on the anaerobic ammonium oxidation bacteria are lowered. The content and activity of the anaerobic ammonium oxidation bacteria and ammonia oxidizing bacteria in sludge of the autotroph nitrogen removal tank are improved. The nitrogen volume removal load rate of the device can reach 2.5-10 kg/(m<3>.d), gas-solid-liquid three-phase separation is completed in one reactor, no settling tank needs to be independently arranged, and reactor units are reduced.

The present disclosure relates to a method for separation of solid particles from a waterbody. Preferably, the present disclosure relates to a method, wherein a combination of chemicals including coagulant(s) and flocculant(s) are employed for said separation of solid particles, wherein suitable examples of solid particles are living organisms and non-living matter, wherein living organisms include autotrophs such as phototrophs, which are either microscopic or macroscopic in nature (algae). The disclosure thus particularly relates to method of chemical coagulation and flocculation for separating solid particles, preferably either algae or bacteria or both from a waterbody. The present disclosure also provides for an alternate method, wherein the aforesaid method of coagulation and flocculation is combined with electro-coagulation and/or pH modulation strategies for separation of said solid particles in any sequence.

The invention discloses a water treatment method and device based on a photoautotroph film. The whole body of the device is arranged from eastern to western along the flow direction and successively comprises a pre-precipitation area, a treatment area and a water discharging area, wherein the three areas are adjacently connected, and weirs are arranged among the three areas; an water inlet pipe is arranged on the side wall of the pre-precipitation area, and a return pipe is provided with a reflux valve; bionic biological film carriers are evenly planted in a treatment pool, and the bionic biological film carriers consist of main carriers and carrier floating balls, wherein the main carriers are mutually connected and fixed at the bottom of treatment pool, and the carrier floating balls are light and transparent; water enters the pre-precipitation area through the water inlet pipe to preliminarily remove inorganic particles, and then overflows to the treatment area for treatment by weirs and flows into the water discharging area through the weirs; part of the treated water in the water discharging area flows back to the pre-precipitation area through the return pipe under the action of a reflux pump, and the reflux ratio is controlled by the reflux valve; and the rest water is discharged by a water discharging pump in the water discharging area. In the invention, the illumination utilization ratio is high, a precipitation pool does not need to be arranged additionally, and the occupied area is reduced; and besides the energy consumption required by reflux, light energy is asingle energy source of the device, and the device has the characteristics of low carbon content and low energy consumption.

The invention comprises a photoautotrophic organism, generally having simpler nutritional requirements than heterotrophic organisms, utilized as a chassis for the heterologous expression and function of enzymes, or derivatives of said enzymes, that show activity toward the degradation/detoxification of toxins known to be associated with and specific to harmful algal blooms. As an example, a cyanobacterial strain (Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803) modified to express Sphingomonas sp. USTB-05 MlrA enzyme functionality, showing the capability of degrading microcystins (results shown here) and nodularins, is presented. Under modelled natural conditions, results indicate that heterologous enzymatic activity against microcystin-LR is more stable over time when utilizing a photoautotrophic chassis in comparison to use of a heterotrophic bacterial strain. In addition, both the viability and cell density of the photoautotrophic host is maintained for a significantly longer period of time, compared to a heterotrophic host.

According to embodiments of the present invention, a bioreactor for growing photoautotrophic organisms is provided. The bioreactor includes a vessel configured to receive the photoautotrophic organisms, the vessel having a longitudinal axis, which a circumferential wall extends around said axis, wherein said circumferential wall is translucent so as to enable light to enter the vessel from the outside for acting on the photoautotrophic organisms, wherein a device for providing an uneven distribution of the light intensity within said vessel along said axis is provided.