Aurora Algae, Inc.

Aurora Alage, Inc.

Guido Radaelli

Mehran Parsheh

Daniel Fleischer

Jordan Smith

David B Rice

Marko Jukic

Andrew Thompson

Joseph Weissman

Bertrand Vick

Stephen Strutner

David Rice

Megan Hippler

Matthew Caspari

Shahrokh A Naieni

A clarification system may comprise a channel having an inlet and an outlet, a length, bottom, and a height sufficient to contain a liquid having a depth. The clarification system may include one or more gas injectors disposed within the channel, configured to inject gas bubbles into a suspension flowing in the channel. In some embodiments, at least one gas injector injects gas bubbles having average or median size that does not exceed 100 microns in diameter. Some gas injectors inject bubbles having mean size below 50 microns. Some gas injectors inject gas via the precipitation of gas bubbles from a supersaturated liquid including a dissolved gas. Certain embodiments may be configured to form a quiet zone, typically near the top of the flowing suspension, in which turbulence may be minimized or substantially eliminated. Certain systems include a plurality of gas injectors disposed at different lengths along the channel.

Clarification of suspensions

Systems and methods for maintaining the dominance ofin an algae cultivation system are provided. Exemplary methods include applying an effective amount of a disinfectant togrowing in an algae cultivation system. Another method for maintaining the dominance ofin an algae cultivation system includes adjusting a salinity in the algae cultivation system to between approximately 0.5 PPT and 28 PPT. In a further method, the temperature of the algae cultivation system may be adjusted to between approximately 21 and 32 degrees Celsius ('&#xb0; C.'). According to yet another method for maintaining the dominance ofin an algae cultivation system, a salinity in the algae cultivation system may be adjusted to below that of seawater for a first predetermined period of time, and then the salinity in the algae cultivation system may be adjusted to a higher salinity for a second predetermined period of time.

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Systems and methods for reducing an amount of unwanted living organisms within an algae cultivation fluid are provided herein. According to some embodiments, methods may include subjecting the algae cultivation fluid to an amount of cavitation, the amount of cavitation being defined by a pressure differential between a downstream pressure and a vapor pressure, the pressure differential divided by half of a product of a fluid density multiplied by a square of a velocity of an apparatus throat.

Systems and methods for processing algae cultivation fluid

Presented herein are exemplary systems and methods for extracting lipids from a wet algal biomass. An exemplary method comprises lysing a wet algal biomass with an insoluble granular lysing agent to create a lysate, creating a lipid-rich phase in the lysate, and separating the lipid-rich phase from the lysate. An exemplary system comprises a lysing station for creating a lysate from a wet algal biomass and a separation station for creating and separating a lipid-rich phase from the lysate. According to further exemplary systems and methods, ultrasound may be used in place of or in addition to a lysing agent to lyse the wet algal biomass.

Systems and methods for extracting lipids from wet algal biomass

Systems, methods and media for generating fluid flow in an algae cultivation pond are disclosed. Circulation of fluid in the algae cultivation pond is initiated via at least one jet. The circulation of fluid generates a velocity of fluid flow of at least ten centimeters per second in the algae cultivation pond. A head is provided to the at least one jet that overcomes a head loss associated with the velocity of fluid flow of at least ten centimeters per second in the algae cultivation pond.

Systems, methods, and media for circulating fluid in an algae cultivation pond

Exemplary methods include centrifuging a wet algal biomass to increase a solid content of the wet algal biomass to between approximately 10% and 40% to result in a centrifuged algal biomass, mixing the centrifuged algal biomass with an amphiphilic solvent to result in a mixture, heating the mixture to result in a dehydrated, defatted algal biomass, separating the amphiphilic solvent from the dehydrated, defatted algal biomass to result in amphiphilic solvent, water and lipids, evaporating the amphiphilic solvent from the water and the lipids, and separating the water from the lipids. The amphiphilic solvent may be selected from a group consisting of acetone, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanone, dimethyl ether, and propionaldehyde. Other exemplary methods include filtering a wet algal biomass through a membrane to increase a solid content of the wet algal biomass to between approximately 10% and 40% to result in a filtered algal biomass.

Systems and methods for extracting lipids from and dehydrating wet algal biomass

Provided herein are exemplary algae cultivation ponds having the circulation of fluid optimized for such factors as decreased energy consumption, decreased predators/competitors, decreased or eliminated flow dead zones (i.e., stagnant regions), and increased algae biomass production, such as for the production of biofuels and other algae-based products.

Optimization of circulation of fluid in an algae cultivation pond

Systems, methods and media for carbonation of fluid in an algae cultivation pond via the use of backward-facing steps are disclosed. In a first aspect, a method for initiating carbonation of a fluid flow in an algae cultivation pond is disclosed. Fluid flow is initiated over a backward-facing step in the algae cultivation pond. A backflow region is generated in the fluid flow downstream of the backward-facing step. Carbon dioxide is provided to the backflow region.

Backward-facing step

Various aspects provide for extracting siliceous particles. Siliceous particles may include or be derived from diatoms. Certain embodiments provide for segregating suspensions into two or more segregation products. In some cases, a first product includes siliceous particles, and a second product may include hydrophobic species. Certain aspects provide for extracting non-siliceous biomass (e.g., lipids).

Siliceous particles

Systems and methods for maintaining the dominance and increasing the biomass production ofin an algae cultivation system are provided. Exemplary methods include applying an effective amount of ozone togrowing in an algae cultivation system. A further method may include applying a shock amount of ozone above 10 milligrams/liter or higher in the inlet stream flowing into the algae cultivation system. Various exemplary embodiments may include a system for maintaining dominance and increasing the biomass production ofin an algae cultivation system. The system may comprise a processor, and a computer readable storage medium having instructions for execution by the processor. The instructions for execution by the processor cause the processor to maintain dominance and increase biomass production of thein the algae cultivation system.

Systems and methods for maintaining the dominance and increasing the biomass production of nannochloropsis in an algae cultivation system

Methods and compositions are provided for producing purified oil from an organism, whether these organisms are wild type, selectively bred or genetically modified, and are suitable for the large scale production of an oil product. The organism may be an animal, a plant or a microorganism such as yeast, bacteria or algae. The organism is processed to create a biomass which can be extracted to remove the lipids contained within the biomass. The extraction produces a crude extract rich in lipids and containing residual contaminants. These contaminants are removed by contacting the crude extract with a composition that comprises a nanomaterial. Subsequently an oil product is recovered which is substantially free from residual contaminants, such as pigments.

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Oakland, CA, United States of America

Guido Radaelli