MX2013011700A - Photobioreactor for the production of biodiesel. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention refers to a photobioreactor for the production of novel biodiesel, which produces the same or a higher amount of microalgae, saving the used space (400 m2) and improving the light system compared to the conventional and current photobioreactors of the state of the art. The main purpose of the invention is to provide a photobioreactor for the production of biodiesel for producing microalgae using a tank system, tubes and fish tanks making use of the three types of photobioreactors, since the present photobioreactor for the production of biodiesel provides the control of temperature, nutrients, light, carbon source and purified water at all moment, allowing the microalgae to be free of pollutants and to have all they require for a quick growth. This invention is produced in a one-hundred part of a traditional system, either an open system (tank) or a close system (tubes, fish tanks). In addition, the invention has a system for extracting oil, that do not involve th e use of temperatures, solvents and/or expensive machinery for obtaining the desired product, also having an automation system for turning the operation of the photobioreactor into more agile.

Description

PHOTOBIORREACTOR FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIODIESEL.

DESCRIPTION, TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a photobioreactor for the production of biodiesel through the use of aquatic phototrophic or photosynthetic organisms, for the case of the present photobioreactor the phototrophic organism of which use is microalgae. Particularly, the present invention consists of a system of tanks positioned below the ground and aerifico tubes, which are limited by hollow acrylic walls, which in conjunction with an LED lighting system, level meters, heat sensors environmental and internal, electric pumps and light intensity meters, provide the conditions of light, temperature and medium necessary for the growth of microalgae.

BACKGROUND There are many applications that have been found for the products extracted from microalgae, recently it has been observed its potential as producers of oils that could be used as raw material for the production of biofuel.

As an example of this, mention is made below of some systems used for the production of microalgae that are already in the state of the art: Plastic or glass tubes of triangular shape: This type of system allows gases such as C02 and O2 to flow from the lower part of the hypotenuse and the algae, in conjunction with the culture medium, flow in the opposite direction. The problem with this type of system is that the microalgae grow and do not remain completely homogeneous in the culture medium. , 1 Tubular photobioreactors in horizontal form: This system consists of acrylic tubes in which a culture medium is circulated horizontally in conjunction with the algae, so that the latter do not precipitate and all receive the same amount of light and nutrients.

Although the system allows to maintain all the homogeneous fluids as well as the invention of the Photobioreactor for the creation of Biodiesel, the structure that makes it up is completely diverse since it does not have an automated system and does not allow carrying out within the same system the extraction of the oil from the microalgae. 1 Vertical column of bubbles: Through this system the circulation of the culture medium is generated in conjunction with the algae in a column vertical through the flow of gases like carbon dioxide. It is illuminated through tubes of light along the tube, which aims to reduce the cost of growing algae on a large scale and make it simpler. This system to be a closed system involves a high cost of installation and maintenance if you want to have a high performance of the photobioreactor.

Fermentation equipment: Some companies obtained algae oil without photosynthetic growth, feeding the algae with sugars that later fermented. One of these companies is called Solazyme, a biotechnology company that is developing techniques to produce fuel for cars and airplanes based on algae.

These equipment by its structure, process and result make the fermentation equipment is completely different from that of the present invention.

Ponds for the production of microalgae for biodiesel or bioethanol: This bioreactor can be carried out in two types of environment, outdoors or greenhouse, known in the state of technology as open systems or closed systems. The problem presented by open bioreactor systems is the complexity of the control of C02 as well as that of nutrients, both elements of great importance for the production of microalgae.

In the case of closed bioreactor systems, the durability of the system will depend on the material used for it, implying This is a high cost of installation and maintenance if you want to have a high performance of the photobioreactor. i Photobioreactor of Multilayer Tubes patent No. kr20100010060: This system consists of a set of cylindrical photobioreactors that contain 10 reaction chambers with microalgae, a flexible LED light source inserted in specific places in the reaction chamber, a gas dispenser located in the bottom of the camera together with a light intensity control switch.

Although this system is similar to the type of artificial lighting used in the invention of Photobioreactor for the creation of Biodiesel, it can not carry out the same microalgae development process since the structure that makes up one of them is completely diverse, and in this case the patent in question does not have the extraction system of the microalgae oil, it only focuses on the development and growth of the same.

Photobioreactor in V system and method of use WO2012166883 (A l) 2012- 12-06: This system has the objective of high productivity in aquatic cultures for the growth of algae. This system is a type of bioreactor which by its composition does not have any resemblance to the present invention.

Photobioreactor and algae growth method AU2012203478 (A l) 2012-07-05: This system consists of a container with opposite sides adapted for the cultivation of fluid. Some of the containers are interconnected with aeration and fluid temperature control. The problem presented by the patent in question is that the lighting is not carried out in all the containers, this derived from the way in which the faces of the containers are composed, contrary to the Photobioreactor for the creation of Biodiesel, which Due to its composition and structure it allows the containers to be illuminated through natural light or through LED lighting. i Another aspect to be highlighted is that the described patent does not have an automated system or extraction of the oil from the microalgae.

Model-based controls for use in bioreactors MX2010014547: This system consists of a control model based on S to control the functioning of the Photobioreactor as well as the growth of algae. This model can account for future conditions such as climate, product price, supply and demand and some other important variables to operate the reactors. This system therefore does not affect the novelty of the present invention of the Photobioreactor for the creation of Biodiesel, since these are two systems that due to their nature, structure and end are completely different.

Treatment in three stages for the treatment of organisms in wastewater 208810007209: This system has as objective the treatment of wastewater, through the injection of gas which through compression is achieved the growth of the algae. This system although it is focused on algae growth, does not resemble the present invention of the Photobioreactor for the creation of Biodiesel, since its structure lacking elements such as a LED lighting system, tubes, fish tanks, a water purifier or an extraction system Oil can not perform what as a whole is the present invention of the Photobioreactor for the creation of Biodiesel.

Photobioreactor in pipes 200410020978: This system is composed of an arrangement of tubes through which light is given to microalgae. Although the described patent has a pipe arrangement similar to that of the present invention of the Photobioreactor for the creation of Biodiesel, that simple fact is not sufficient to affect the novelty of the same, since by themselves they can not do what they do the present invention of the Photobioreactor for the creation of Biodiesel since it has an integral structure in which the arrangement of tubes requires other elements to be able to carry out the growth of the microalgae and be able to carry out the oil extraction process.

TECHNICAL PROBLEM TO BE RESOLVED Among the existing designs for the production of phototrophic organisms, open systems and closed systems can be distinguished. In the former, the crop is exposed to the atmosphere and is carried out in shallow tanks (15-30 cm), in which the culture medium is normally driven by rotary vanes. They generally require large areas of land (500-5000 m). The main advantages are its relatively low cost and its simplicity both in construction and in the operation, however, they have many limitations such as the ease of contamination by other organisms, evaporation losses, land occupation, etc. But undoubtedly one of the great disadvantages of this type of crop is the low efficiency in the use of light by organisms due to the attenuation of the same as it penetrates deep.

To try to solve these problems arose the cultivation in closed or photobioreactor systems where it is possible to carry out a more exhaustive control of the conditions thus improving cell growth and production and avoiding contamination. However, despite the advantages of closed photobioreactors, they have important limitations in aspects such as mass transfer, temperature control, oxygen accumulation, lighting control, cleaning difficulties and energy consumption. .

That is why currently the efforts in the field of the cultivation of phototrophic organisms focuses on the improvement of biomass production systems, with the aim of obtaining a design that meets the necessary conditions so that the biotechnological applications of this type of organisms are viable in the market. i In order to achieve a good distribution of light within the photobioreactor, certain designs using artificial light sources have been developed. However, the high cost of the production of photosynthetic organisms derives mainly from energy consumption by use of artificial light sources and the necessary agitation to keep the system in suspension.

For these reasons, it has recently been tried to use sunlight, since it supposes a great economic and environmental advantage. i Currently the only source of light with which it could be economically viable to produce certain derivatives of microalgae as oils for the production of biodiesel, in outdoor crops, is sunlight. The main problems encountered in this respect are the cyclic variations of illumination and the excessive intensity of radiation in the superficial layers of the crop, producing photoinhibition. To solve these problems, the possibility of capturing, concentrating and redistributing light conveniently within the crop has been studied. In fact, until a few years ago it was thought that the only way to provide sunlight in crops with high volumetric productivity was through its capture, concentration and redistribution. However, this type of technique makes the process more expensive and i Some cases reduce the efficiency due to the energy losses presented.

In order to introduce light into the interior of the photobioreactor, designs using optical fiber have emerged, such as the one shown by Ogbonna et al. in his article "An integrated solar and artificial light system for the inlernal illuminaüon of photobioreactors" Journal of Biotechnology (1 999), but it is a system that is very expensive and presents certain technical difficulties that would be necessary to solve.

The present invention seeks to solve the aforementioned drawbacks by creating ??? photobioreactor that improves the efficiency of the current farming systems.

The invention consists of 16 tanks of 36000 liters each positioned below the ground, an invention which in turn is coupled to an acrylic pipe arranged horizontally in 1 5 rows of 10 tubes each, joined between each acrylic tube by a Nylamid flange. These tubes are added with LED strips (light emitting diode) to provide light conditions during the night, automatically activating. The area is delimited by hollow acrylic walls (fish tanks or containers); together, the cistern, the piping system and the tanks are communicated by passing the culture medium of the cistern to the pipes, from the pipes to the fish tanks and back to the cisterns. This arrangement brings together the three types of photobioreactors (closed, open and in tube) providing an increase in the efficiency of microalgae and minimizing the space used to one hundredth of the land that would occupy normal systems.

The aforementioned invention consists of an automated system that controls the entire prs, from the filling of the tank, temperature control, pH control, medium addition, light intensity control, level control and agitation, ending with the extraction of microalgae oil. Thanks to the automated system it is possible to control the whole prs through a computer making the prs more efficient.

Finally, the Photobioreactor has a system for extracting oil from microalgae, which is designed to allow oil extraction to be more economical and easier to prs.

The present invention combines the three types of photobioreactors to form a synergy improving the growth of microalgae, i taking advantage of the largest possible volume of medium and reducing the area occupied by the reactor.

The main aspect of the present invention is the automation of the photobioreactor that controls the essential conditions for the best growth of the microalgae, besides that the same system recirculates the water after having extracted the oil from the microalgae, making the prs efficient and environmentally friendly.

The automatic control of the photobioreactor will provide a continuous data system that allows the time of a failure to locate the i problem through the computer, shortening the maintenance and repair times of the Photobioreactor.

The extraction system that has the same photobioreactor, allows the separation of the oil is easier and is carried out within the same prs since you do not have to use a different machinery to carry out the extraction, with which costs are reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIGURE 1. It is a tank that is responsible for sending in doses the necessary amount of culture medium (food).

FIGURE 2. A water purification system by reverse osmosis and germicide to have purified water during the prs.

FIGURE 3. Hydraulic concrete cistern which has low power cold light submersible LED lights on all walls (3A). In the upper part there are holes to place transparent acrylic tubes sealed at the bottom for the incorporation of natural light into the cistern (3C). i The bottom of the cistern has a slope of 20 ° which derives in a channel located in the central part, at one end of said channel there is a pump for the removal of solids. (3B) FIGURE 4. Peanut-type blower for bubbling in the cistern to oxygenate the micro-algae culture.

FIGURE 5. Flow pump to send water and microalgae from one point to another.

FIGURE 6. Valves for the passage of liquids to make closing and opening of the i lines of the tubes that are interconnected in the photobioreactor.

FIGURE 7. Arrangement of acrylic tubes in order of 15 vertical and 10 horizontal tubes which are connected by flanges.

FIGURE 8. Acrylic wall that serves as a fish tank or container for microalgae.

FIGURE 9. Rotary drum tank for separating liquids from solids.

FIGURE 10. Micro alga solar dryer. i When each of the elements described above is integrated, the photobioreactor is structured as observed and is described in Figure 11.

FIGURE 11. It shows a diagram that integrates each of the components described in the previous figures where the line A is feeding the culture medium, through a metering pump (Fig. 1) of medium towards the tank (Fig. 3). ), this line consists of a stainless steel pipe. Later through line B, which consists of stainless steel pipe, the water purifying filter (Fig. 2) supplies the cistern (Fig. 3) by using a pump (Fig. 5). i From the cistern (Fig. 3). it feeds, by means of a pump (Fig. 5), the arrangement of acrylic tubes (Fig. 7) along line C, controlling the flow that leaves the tank through proportional valves (Fig. 6). From the pipe arrangement (Fig. 7) it passes again to the cistern (Fig. 3) through the line ü by means of a pump (Fig. 5) to the aquariums of acrylic wall (Fig. 8), by means of a pump (Fig. 5) through line E.

From the acrylic wall tanks (Fig. 8) it passes through the line F towards the rotary drum filter (Fig. 9) line M. Subsequently from the drum filter i rotating (Fig. 9) the microalgae are separated from the water by line G by means of a pump (Fig. 5) to the extraction system to extract the oil from the microalgae, returning the water to the cistern (Fig. 3). ) through line H.

Finally through line J through a pump (Fig. 5) the microalgae without oil are sent to the solar dryer (Fig. 10) for later use, and line I sends the oil for further purification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The characteristic details of this photobioreactor for the production of biodiesel are clearly shown in the following description as well as in the figures that are attached to this writing, following the same reference signs to indicate the components that make up the photobioreactor and how they fit each of each other, as well as with the systematized process characteristic of the invention.

The invention consists of 16 hydraulic concrete cisterns (Fig. 3) of 36000 liters each, positioned below the ground which in turn are coupled to an arrangement of acrylic tubes in order of 1 5 rows of vertical tubes and 10 horizontal tubes each, joined between each acrylic tube by a flange of Nylamid (Fig. 7). These tubes are added with LED strips (light emitting diode) to provide light conditions during the night, automatically activating. The area is delimited by hollow acrylic walls (fish tanks or containers); as a whole, the cistern, the pipe system and the tanks are communicated by passing the culture medium of the cistern to the pipes, from the pipes to the tanks and back to the cisterns.

This arrangement allows to generate an increase in the efficiency of the microalgae and to minimize the space used to one hundredth part of the land that the photobioreactors that are already in the state of the art would occupy.

Figure 1 1 is an integral perspective of each of the components that make up the photobioreactor where line A is feeding the culture medium, through a dosing pump (Fig. 1).

Later through line B, which consists of a stainless steel pipe, by means of the water purifying filter (Fig. 2), which carries out the process of purification by reverse osmosis and germicides, supplies the cistern (Fig. 3) by using a flow pump (Fig. 5).

The cistern (Fig. 3) is fed, by means of a flow pump (Fig. 5), the arrangement of acrylic tubes (Fig. 7) by line C, controlling the flow leaving the cistern through of valves for the passage of liquids (Fig. 6) to close and open the lines of acrylic tubes that are interconnected in the photobioreactor. From the arrangement of acrylic tubes (Fig. 7) it passes again to the cistern (Fig. 3) through the line D by means of a flow pump (Fig. 5), destined to the fish tank wall. acrylic (Fig. 8), by means of the flow pump (Fig. 5) through line E. i From the acrylic wall tanks (Fig. 8) it passes through line F towards the rotating drum filter (Fig. 9). After the rotary drum filter (Fig. 9) the microalgae are separated from the water by the G line by means of the flow pump (Fig. 5) to the extraction system to extract the oil from the microalgae, returning the water to the cistern (Fig. 3) through line H, allowing the recirculation of the water within the same photobioreactor.

Finally, along the J line, through the flow pump (Fig. 5), the microalgae without oil are sent to the splar dryer (Fig. 10) for later use, and the oil is sent via line I for further purification. .

The photobioreactor consists of an automated system that controls the entire process, from the filling of the tank, temperature control, pH control, medium addition, light intensity control, level control and agitation, ending with oil extraction of microalgae Thanks to the automated system it is possible to control the whole process through a computer making the process more efficient, allowing to have a continuous data system that allows, at the time of presenting a failure, to locate the problem through the computer, thus shortening the maintenance and repair times of the Photobioreactor.

With the present invention, microalgae are produced in large quantity, since the present photobioreactor for the production of biodiesel provides the control of temperature, nutrients, light, carbon source and purified water at all times, thereby allowing the microalgae to be free. of contamination and that they have all the elements they require for their rapid growth (LED light placed in cisterns, sunlight through the parallel pipes and the cistern, a nutrient dispenser and carbon source by air and the culture medium ) obtaining a large quantity of oil for its subsequent application in biofuels. And such property is shown by measuring the amount of mass produced in different periods of time. 1 POSSIBILITY OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION The present Photobioreactor for the production of biodiesel is developed to supply the large-scale production demand of phototrophic or photosynthetic organisms (microalgae) from which oil and carbohydrates are mainly obtained for their transformation into biodiesel and bioethanol respectively as well as photosynthetic pigments and protein . i

Claims (7)

1. A photobioreactor for the production of biodiesel through the use of phototrophic or aquatic photosynthetic organisms (microalgae) 5 characterized by a system of 16 hydraulic concrete cisterns of 36,000 liters each; Acrylic tubes in order of 1 5 rows of vertical tubes and 10 horizontal tubes each, joined between each acrylic tube by a Nylamid flange; a natural lighting system and LED; a control system that allows the automation of process 10. and an oil extraction system; whose area is delimited by hollow acrylic walls (containers or fish tanks).

2. The cistern system of the Photobioreactor for the production of biodiesel claimed in 1, are positioned below 15 of the earth. i

3. The system of acrylic tubes of the Photobioreactor for the production of biodiesel claimed in .1, is in order of 1 5 rows of vertical tubes and 10 horizontal tubes each, joined between each 0 tube of acrylic by a flange of Nylamid, characterized by being added with LED strips (light emitting diode) to provide the conditions of light during the night, activating automatically.

4. The LED lighting system of the Photobioreactor for the production of 5 biodiesel claimed in 1, consisting of level meters, environmental and internal heat sensors, electric pumps and luminous intensity meters, which are added to the acrylic tubes to provide light conditions.

5. The set that integrates the photobioreactor for the production of biodiesel claimed in 1, composed of tanks, pipes and tanks or containers that combine the three types of photobioreactors (closed, open and tube).

6. The photobioreactor automation system for the production of biodiesel claimed in 1, which is characterized by controlling the filling of the tank, temperature control, pH control, addition of medium, control of light intensity, level control and agitation, finalizing with the extraction of oil from the microalgae, granting the essential conditions for the best growth of the microalgae, and which consists of the following steps: Step 1. By means of a water purification system you have purified water which is sent to the cistern. Step 2. In a tank you have the culture medium in which the nutrients are dosed as required according to the growth and the type of microalgae used. Step 3. The inoculum (seed) is placed and the air blower is turned on to provide C02 to the microalgae and the feed pump to the transparent acrylic tubes to obtain solar illumination and return to the cistern, at the same time the LED lamps of the the cistern to allow to have all the necessary elements (light, nutrients and C02) for an optimal exponential growth of the microalgae. Step 4. The solids removal pump is turned on and the microalgae are sent to the fish tanks. Step 5 Once inside the tanks, the oil extraction system of the microalgae is switched on. Step 6 The compounds (biomass, water and oil) are sent to separation for their subsequent processes, making the process efficient and friendly to the environment.

7. Extraction system that is within the same Photobioreactor for the production of biodiesel claimed in 1, characterized in that the separation of the oil is carried out without having contact with microalgae and with a low energy consumption.