Compact Photobioreactor with Integrated LED Lighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current photobioreactors for hobbyists and small commercial entities lack efficient and reliable indoor cultivation systems without sunlight and require extensive cleaning, leading to contamination risks and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A compact photobioreactor design with integrated LED lighting around the circumference of a plastic bag liner inside a clear container, using a cap system with quick connect fittings and sub-micron filtered air to minimize contamination and space requirements, allowing for easy sterilization and disposal of the plastic bag liner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If external fluorescent lights are used to illuminate the culture vessel, then the photobioreactor can be operated indoors without sunlight, but the space requirement increases and the light path is reduced leading to poor illumination uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the light source directly into the culture vessel by affixing LED lights to the outer circumference of the container, merging the illumination function with the culture housing. This eliminates the need for separate external light banks and reduces the overall space footprint while providing optimal light distribution to the culture medium.
2Reliability
If the culture vessel is thoroughly cleaned after each culture to prevent contamination, then contamination risk is reduced, but the process becomes time-consuming and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable plastic bag liners that contact the culture medium. These liners can be obtained pre-cleaned and used directly without sterilization, eliminating the need for time-consuming cleaning and sterilization processes between cultures. After use, the entire liner is discarded, ensuring contamination prevention without time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic bag liners are prepared and cleaned in advance by the manufacturer before being supplied to the user. This preliminary cleaning action transfers the cleaning task from the user (who would need to clean between uses) to the manufacturer, allowing the user to simply deploy pre-cleaned liners without spending time on cleaning procedures.
3Ease of operation
If a cap system with quick connect fittings is used to allow easy tube changes between cultures, then the ease of operation increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cap incorporates multiple bulkheads with quick-connect fittings that serve multiple functions: aeration tube connection, dosing tube connection, and easy disconnection for culture changes. This multi-functional design consolidates several tube connection points into a single cap component, enabling easy operation without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides effective and uniform illumination, reduces space needs, simplifies the culture process, and minimizes contamination risks through integrated lighting and airtight cap systems, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of indoor photobioreactor operations.
Implementation Method 1
integrated LED lighting around the circumference of a plastic bag liner
Implementation Method 2
These organisms use light to generate organic compounds from carbon dioxide to provide energy and other substances to maintain growth, reproduction and survival
Implementation Method 3
The air admitted into the culture container can be passed through a sub-micron, in-line air filter
Data Source
AI summary
A photobioreactor device for growing photosynthetic organisms, organisms that feed on photosynthetic organisms and hydroponics is disclosed. The device may include a lighting system integrated around the circumference of the device. In embodiments, a cap configured to seal the container has ports configured to permit passage of fluid out of or into a container without removing the cap. In some embodiments, organisms are grown in a disposable bag secured between the cap and the container.