Mixotrophic Bioreactor with Turning Vane for Light and Carbon Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current large-scale production systems for microorganisms are inefficient in utilizing mixotrophic culture conditions, leading to suboptimal yields and high costs, as they are adapted from phototrophic and heterotrophic systems, which do not fully leverage the potential of mixotrophic microorganisms for growth and product production.
Innovation Solution
A large-scale mixotrophic bioreactor system that includes both lit and dark portions, with a circulation system to manage light exposure, organic carbon supply, and gas distribution, utilizing a multi-functional turning vane for fluid guidance, heat exchange, and parameter measurement, allowing for efficient cultivation of mixotrophic microorganisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If shallow culture depths are used in large scale ponds for phototrophic cultures to allow light penetration, then light availability to microorganisms is improved, but land use efficiency and volume to surface area ratio deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The culture system is segmented into multiple vertical levels or zones within the pond structure, allowing light to penetrate to different depths while maintaining a compact footprint. This segmentation enables better utilization of both light availability and land area by creating distinct cultural zones at different depths.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a two-dimensional shallow pond design to a three-dimensional vertical culture structure. By utilizing the vertical dimension more effectively through stacked or multi-level culture chambers, the system maintains high light availability while dramatically improving land use efficiency and volume to surface area ratio.
2Reliability
If large scale fermenters are used for heterotrophic culturing to provide sealed axenic conditions, then contamination control is improved, but capital costs and mechanical mixing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and eliminates the need for expensive sealed fermenter vessels and complex mechanical mixing systems by implementing a open pond design with improved flow dynamics. Contamination control is maintained through strategic design elements rather than complete sealing, reducing capital costs while preserving axenic conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
Mechanical mixing systems are replaced with natural convection currents, wind-driven flow, or passive circulation mechanisms. This substitution eliminates the need for expensive motors, shafts, and seals while maintaining adequate mixing for heterotrophic culture conditions, thereby reducing capital and operational costs.
3Stability of the object's composition
If mechanical mixing is used in large scale fermenters to distribute gases and organic carbon, then distribution uniformity is improved, but shear stress on microorganisms increases
Solution Approach 1:
Mechanical mixing is replaced with fluid dynamic approaches such as controlled flow patterns, convection currents, or gas sparging that achieve uniform distribution of gases and organic carbon without the high shear stresses associated with mechanical impellers. This substitution maintains distribution uniformity while protecting shear-sensitive microorganisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses gas sparging or hydraulic flow patterns to achieve mixing and distribution. By introducing gases through diffusers or using hydraulic principles to create circulation patterns, the system achieves uniform distribution of nutrients and gases without mechanical contact, thereby minimizing shear stress on microorganisms.
4Device complexity
If open ponds are used for phototrophic cultures to reduce capital costs, then capital cost is reduced, but culture depth and light penetration efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from horizontal expansion to vertical utilization of space. By creating multi-level or stacked culture chambers within a compact footprint, the system achieves greater effective culture depth and volume without proportionally increasing land area, thereby improving light penetration efficiency while maintaining the capital cost advantages of open pond systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The culture system is divided into multiple vertical zones or modules that can be stacked or arranged to maximize light utilization. Each segment is optimized for specific depth requirements, allowing the overall system to achieve high culture depth efficiency while maintaining the simplicity and low capital cost of modular open pond construction.
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 system enhances growth rates and product yields of mixotrophic microorganisms by optimizing light and organic carbon utilization, reducing capital costs, and minimizing shear stress, while maintaining controlled culture conditions, thus addressing the limitations of existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
an arched turning vane in each U-bend portion
Implementation Method 2
a circulation system configured to circulate the culture of mixotrophic microorganisms between the at least one lit portion and the at least one dark portion
Implementation Method 3
The at least one heat exchanger may be disposed in the at least one arched turning vane
Data Source
AI summary
Bioreactor systems for culturing mixotrophic microorganisms in open cultures on a large scale are disclosed herein. Embodiments of the system comprise organic carbon delivery systems and submersible thrusters suspended on adjustable support structures.