Methods and systems for the cultivation and pre-harvesting of algal biomass

A method for the cultivation and pre-harvesting of algal biomass comprising the following steps is described: A) introducing a culture medium forming a algal biomass into a photobioreactor; B) promote the growth of biomass; C) separating a fraction of the biomass-containing culture and recirculating it through first continuous filtration means, obtaining a permeated culture fraction and a pre-concentrated rejection culture fraction; D) separating a part of the pre-concentrated reject culture fraction, and E) passing all the part of the pre-concentrated reject crop fraction resulting from step d) through second filtration means. A system for carrying out the indicated method is also described, comprising: a photobioreactor, first continuous filtration means and second filtering means.

Applicants:  UNIV DE VALÈNCIA [ES]; UNIV POLITÈCNICA DE VALÈNCIA [ES]

Inventors: BOUZAS BLANCO ALBERTO [ES]; VIRUELA NAVARRO ALEXANDRE [ES]; RUIZ MARTINEZ ANA [ES]; ROBLES MARTINEZ ANGEL [ES]; SECO TORRECILLAS AURORA [ES]; DURAN PINZON FREDDY [CO]; FERRER POLO JOSE [ES]; RIBES BERTOMEU JOSEP [ES]; RUANO GARCIA MARIA VICTORIA [ES]; GOMEZ GIL TAO ANTONIO [ES]

Priorities: ES201531942A·2015-12-30

Application: ES201531942A·2015-12-30

Publication: ES2621054A1·2017-06-30

Published as: ES2621054A1; ES2621054B2; WO2017114989A1

This invention provides a method for the cultivation and harvesting of algal biomass that increases the performance of the system compared to other systems to date. This objective is achieved through the following two strategies: a) minimizing the residence time of algal biomass in light-free areas and b) establishing a pair of values of hydraulic residence time and cellular residence time that maximizes the use of solar energy and therefore the performance of the system in terms of biomass production.