Microalgae Culture Chamber Using Gas-Lift Circulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing culture devices for microalgae require energy-intensive water pumps to circulate culture solution, increasing energy consumption, which is undesirable for cost-effective biofuel production and carbon neutrality.
Innovation Solution
A culture device with a main body portion, joint member, guide unit, and circulation unit configuration that generates a culture solution flow without the need for a water pump by supplying gas from a lower side to an upper side, promoting even gas and light distribution for microalgae photosynthesis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a water pump is used to circulate the culture solution, then the microalgae can be effectively cultured with sufficient gas and light supply, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the water pump from the system entirely, extracting the energy-consuming component while maintaining the culture solution circulation function through an alternative mechanism (gas flow-driven circulation). This resolves the contradiction by eliminating the direct energy consumption associated with mechanical pumping while preserving microalgae culture efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical water pump system with a gas flow-driven circulation system. Instead of using mechanical energy to pump the culture solution, the system uses gas flow (likely CO2 supply for photosynthesis) to drive circulation through buoyancy and flow-induced movement, substituting mechanical energy with a process-driven approach that consumes no additional energy.
2Productivity
If a water pump is installed to circulate culture solution, then photosynthesis can be promoted through even distribution of gas and light, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the water pump component from the system, simplifying the device configuration by removing unnecessary mechanical parts. The culture solution circulation is achieved through the gas supply system itself, reducing device complexity while maintaining photosynthesis efficiency through continued even distribution of gas and light.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas supply system serves dual functions: providing CO2 for photosynthesis and driving culture solution circulation simultaneously. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate water pump, reducing device complexity while maintaining the beneficial effects of solution circulation for even gas and light distribution.
3Productivity
If a water pump is used for culture solution circulation, then microalgae can be cultured effectively, but the introduction energy increases which is undesirable for carbon neutrality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the water pump that consumes introduction energy, eliminating the energy loss associated with mechanical circulation. The system achieves culture solution circulation through gas flow-driven mechanisms that do not require external energy input, thereby reducing introduction energy while maintaining microalgae culture effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas supply system serves itself by using the same gas flow that is necessary for photosynthesis to also drive the culture solution circulation. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate energy-consuming pumping mechanisms, reducing introduction energy while maintaining culture effectiveness through natural flow-driven circulation.
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 device efficiently cultures microalgae with reduced energy consumption by generating a culture solution flow through a simple configuration, ensuring even gas and light distribution, and promoting photosynthesis without the need for additional pumping mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
the gas is supplied to the guide unit from a lower side to an upper side when the main body portion is installed at an installation location
Implementation Method 2
when the gas flows through the guide unit, a culture solution flow is generated in which the culture solution inside the circulation unit flows into the guide unit from the guide unit inlet port
Data Source
AI summary
A culture device by which microalgae can be satisfactorily cultured using a simple structure while suppressing an increase in energy consumption, and a culture method. A main body of this culture device comprises an accommodation part which accommodates contents and to which gas is supplied. The inner wall faces of the accommodation part are joined together to form a joined part which extends along the gas supply direction. A guide part and a circulation part, which are adjacent to each other across the joined part, are each along the extending direction of the joined part and communicated with each other via a guide part inlet and a guide part outlet. A gas supply port enables gas supply toward the guide part.