(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)

(19) World Intellectual Property Organization

International Bureau
(10) International Publication Number
(43) International Publication Date
14 October 2010 (14.10.2010) WO 2010/115996 Al

(51) International Patent Classification: AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BR, BW, BY, BZ,
C12M 1/00 (2006.01) CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DO,
DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT,
(21) International Application Number: HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KM, KN, KP,
PCT/EP2010/054757 KR, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LY, MA, MD,
(22) International Filing Date: ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI,
12 April 2010 (12.04.2010) NO, NZ, OM, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, RU, SC, SD,
SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR,
(25) Filing Language: English TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW.
(26) Publication Language: English
(84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every
(30) Priority Data: kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH,
0952391 10 April 2009 (10.04.2009) FR GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG,
ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ,
(71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): ACTA TM), European (AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE,
ALGA [FR/FR]; 70 boulevard Courcelles, F-75017 Paris ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV,
(FR). MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, SK, SM,
TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW,
(72) Inventors; and
ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
(75) Inventors/Applicants (for US only): CONIN, Michel
[FR/FR]; 9, rue Marbeau, F-75 1 16 Paris (FR). Declarations under Rule 4.17:
FRIEDERICH, Alain [FR/FR]; 2 1 1, boulevard Saint-
— of inventorship (Rule 4.1 7(iv))
Germain, F-75007 Paris (FR). KERIHUEL, Anthony
[FR/FR]; 80, rue Saint-Georges, F-44390 Nort-sur-Erdre Published:
(FR). GERUN, Luc [FR/FR]; 30, rue Scribe, F-44000
— with international search report (Art. 21(3))
Nantes (FR). RUIZ, Gael [FR/FR]; 49, rue Felix
Lemoine, F-44300 Nantes (FR). — before the expiration of the time limit for amending the
claims and to be republished in the event of receipt of
(74) Agent: WARCOIN, Jacques; Cabinet Regimbeau, 20, amendments (Rule 48.2(h))
rue de Chazelles, F-75847 Paris Cedex 17 (FR).
(81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every
kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM,

(54) Title: PHOTOBIOREACTOR IN A CLOSED MEDIUM FOR CULTIVATING PHOTOSYNTHETIC MICRO-ORGAN-

1SMS

(57) Abstract: The invention relates to a photobioreactor intended for cultivating photo synthetic micro-organisms, comprising :
(a) a culture enclosure (1) intended to contain the culture medium (3) of the micro-organisms, (b) in which light elements (2) are
immersed comprising light sources (7) placed in sealed enclosures (6) with adapted transparence (AT) so that the light sources (7)
are isolated from the culture medium (3), (c) a system (8) for cooling the light sources (7), and (d) a system (9) for mixing the cu l
ture medium (3).
 PHOTOBIOREACTOR IN A CLOSED MEDIUM FOR CULTIVATING
PHOTOSYNTHETIC MICRO-ORGANISMS
The invention relates to intensive and continuous
culture of micro-algae.
Micro-algae are photosynthetic plant organisms, the
metabolism and growth of which require i.a. CO2, light and
nutriments .
Industrial cultivation of micro-algae finds many
applications .
Micro-algae may be cultivated for exploiting and
purifying carbon dioxide, NOx and/or SOx waste from
certain factories (WO2008042919) .
Oil extracted from micro-algae may be used as a
biofuel (WO2008070281, WO2008055190, WO2008060571) .
Micro-algae may be cultivated for their production
of omega-3 and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Micro-algae may also be cultivated for producing
pigments .
A photobioreactor is defined as a closed system
inside which biological interactions occur in the
presence of light energy, which one attempts to control
b y mastering the culture conditions.
Large scale industrial cultivation of micro-algae
only uses the sun a s a light source. For this, the micro-
algae are often placed in open basins (raceways) with or
without any flow (US2008178739) . Tubular or plate
photobioreactors are also found, consisting of
translucent materials, allowing passage of light rays
into the culture medium in which the micro-algae
circulate (FR2621323) . Other network systems of
three-dimensional transparent tubes allow improvement in
exploitation of the space (EP0874043) .
 These installations are extremely voluminous and
production yields are low given the solar illumination
random factors and night phases detrimental to the growth
of micro-algae.
In order to reduce bulkiness and improve yield,
closed photobioreactors have been developed. They use a s
for them, the availability of artificial illumination 24
hours a day and 7 days a week. This illumination may be
interrupted following sequences specific to the
biological cycles of the relevant algae.
Further, all the micro-algae contained in the
photobioreactor should be exposed to the same optimum
illumination in order to obtain a satisfactory overall
yield.
A first solution of artificial illumination for
solving this problem consists of bringing light from a
light source into the culture medium in proximity to the
micro-algae b y means of optical fibers (US 6,156,561 and
E P 0935991) .
Optical fibers can be associated with other immersed
means bringing light inside the enclosure (JP 2001/178443

and DE 29819259) .
The major drawback i s that with this solution it i s
only possible to attain low (produced light) / (effective
light) yields. Indeed, the intensity is reduced because
of the interfaces between the light sources and the wave
guide and it i s difficult to couple more than one light
source onto the same fiber. Further, optical fibers do
not allow the use of sources with different wavelengths.
Another artificial illumination solution for solving
this problem consists of directly immerging light sources
inside the enclosure of the photobioreactor, such a s for
example fluorescent lamps or LEDs (DE202007013406 and
WO2007047805) .
With this solution it is possible to improve the
energy yield of the illumination method since the light
sources are closer and better coupled to the culture
medium.
However, the use of immersed light sources, in
particular of LEDs, has to be accomplished b y taking into
account two other major problems.
The first is inherent to the penetration of light
into the culture, which is directly related to the
density of the micro-algae. This density increases during
the cultivation process and rapidly leads to extinction
of the light flux in the major portion of the reactor.
The solutions consisting of illuminating the inner wall
of the photobioreactor (DE202007013406) are therefore not
transposable to industrial scale photobioreactors of
several hundred liters by simple homothety, the
absorption wavelength of the light always being
centimetric at the end of the cultivation process.
In order to suppress the shadow areas appearing
during the cultivation process, it is possible to
multiply the light sources in the enclosure and to
implant them sufficiently close to each other in order to
illuminate the culture medium independently of the
variable absorption wavelengths related to the biological
cycle. Upon doing this, the problem is then posed of
managing the thermics of the reactor which has to be
controlled to within a few degrees, and which depends on
the nature of the algae. This management of thermics is
the second major problem which has to be solved. It is
inherent to these first generation reactor structures,
independently of the type of light sources used.
Eventually, the intensive and continuous production
of micro-algae at an industrial scale, cannot be carried
out with this type of methods.
In order to settle these problems, the inventors
have unexpectedly and surprisingly discovered a
particular photobioreactor typology associating immersed
light sources, a cooling system and a system for mixing
the culture medium.
They have shown that with this photobioreactor it i s
possible to optimize the cultivation yield and the
(produced light) / (effective light) yield, and to
therefore reduce energy expenditures.
Therefore, the object of the invention relates to a
photobioreactor intended for cultivating photosynthetic
micro-organisms, preferably micro-algae, comprising:
(a) a culture enclosure (1) intended to contain the
culture medium (3) of the micro-organisms,
(b) in which light elements (2) are immersed,
comprising light sources (7) placed in sealed enclosures
(6) with adapted transparence (AT) so that the light
sources (7) are isolated from the culture medium (3) .
(b) a system (8) for cooling the light sources (7)

and
(c) a system (9) for mixing the culture medium (3) .
The enclosures with « adapted transparence » (AT)

are enclosures which ensure an optimum optical yield in

the wavelengths ensuring photosynthesis, this
transparence may be adapted so as to take into account
the heat transfer fluid which will circulate in the
enclosure so that the successive diopters do not notably
reduce the optical yield.
The culture enclosure (1) conventionally has a
cylindrical or parallelepipedal shape.
Advantageously, the inner walls (27) of the culture
enclosure (1) of the photobioreactor according to the
invention are reflective so as to reduce at the very
most, loss of light rays outside the closed enclosure.
They may be covered with paint or a reflective material .
Thus, the energy expenditure required for cultivating
photosynthetic micro-organisms i s reduced.
Advantageously, the cooling system consists of a
heat transfer fluid (15) circulating in the sealed
enclosures (6), said enclosures being connected to a
cooling device exterior to the sealed enclosures for the
heat transfer fluid (15).

Advantageously, the heat transfer fluid (15) is

selected for its transparence in the range of wavelengths
from 0.3 micron to 1 micron and it should not have any
significant absorption in this range of wavelengths. Its
optical index is selected b y one skilled in the art in
order to optimize coupling between the light sources (7)

immersed therein and the other diopters located on the

path of the light before reaching the culture medium.
The heat transfer fluid (15) circulates in the light
elements (2), preferably in the direction of the height
of the light element (2) and of the culture enclosure
(1), i.e. from bottom to top and from top to bottom (see
Fig. 4) . Either it circulates sideways between two light
elements through a tube (16) or each light element has
its own circulation. If the heat transfer fluid (15) is

injected into the upper portion of the light elements, it

circulates towards the bottom of the light elements and
then towards another light element in which it circulates
upwards. The means for conveying the heat transfer fluid,
allow it to optimally circulate over the whole height of
the light elements in order to cool all the light sources
(7) uniformly.
The heat transfer fluid directly cools the light
sources (7) by contact. It i s itself directed towards and
cooled b y the cooling system of the photobioreactor of
the invention, external to the culture enclosure (1) .
Heat control of this fluid further allows the culture
enclosure to be thermostated.
Advantageously, the sealed enclosures (6) include
two substantially parallel vertical walls (4) between
which are placed the light sources (7) and additional
walls (5) which will seal the enclosures.
The photobioreactor of the invention may further
comprise a system for injecting gas (17) in particular CO 2
into the culture enclosure (1) .
The culture enclosure (1) of the photobioreactor
according to the invention may be dimensioned for various
industrial or laboratory applications.
The dimensions of a culture enclosure (1) at the
scale of the laboratory are of a few tens of centimeters
to a few hundred centimeters for the height and the
diameter (cylindrical enclosure) or the width
(parallelepipedal enclosure) . The volume of the culture
enclosure (1) at the scale of the laboratory is of at
least one cubic meter (m 3 ) . Advantageously, the culture
enclosure (1) i s an industrial culture enclosure (1).

The dimensions of a culture enclosure (1) at an

industrial scale i s of several meters.
 The volume of a culture enclosure (1) at an
industrial scale is larger than one cubic meter. The
culture enclosure (1) i s made in a material adapted for
containing the culture medium, either metal or polymer
for example, and preferentially selected from the group
formed by PMMA, polycarbonate or stainless steel.
Provision may also be made for enclosures in a
construction material of the concrete type for example.
Advantageously, each location of the culture medium
(3) present in the culture enclosure (1) of the
photobioreactor according to the invention is found at
less than 7 cm, preferably less than 5 cm, more
preferably less than 3 cm from a light source. Thus, the
production of biomass b y the micro-algae i s promoted by
optimum, either continuous or pulsed illumination. One
skilled in the art will select the shape of the light
elements (2), the number of light elements (2), the
arrangement of the light elements (2), the number of
light sources (7) per unit surface area in order to
obtain this advantageous distance between each location
of the culture medium (3) and a light source (7) and will
optimally select the quality of the light elements.
A small unit volume of the culture medium (3) of
less than one cubic millimeter (mm 3 ) is called a
« location of the culture medium » .
Advantageously, the distance between both walls (4)

of the light elements (2) of the photobioreactor of the

invention is less than 15 cm, preferably 10 cm, more
preferably 6 cm.
Advantageously, the light sources of the
photobioreactor according to the invention are LEDs
and/or OLEDs. These light sources are advantageous
because they do not consume much energy. They may either
illuminate continuously or with flashes. With them, it i s
possible to produce variable illumination sequences at
will (illumination/extinction) . The light modulation
frequency may attain 100 kHertz. Moreover, this type of
element also allows continuous control of the light
intensity whether it is continuous or pulsed. They emit
at one or several wavelengths. Advantageously, they emit
at wavelengths corresponding to the chlorophyllian
pigments. Advantageously, they emit at wavelengths
comprised between 350 and 800 nm, preferably between 400
and 700 nm, more preferably at wavelengths comprised in
the intervals 400-450 nm and 640-700 nm. Advantageously,
it is understood that the electric structure of the
illuminating element will possibly allow each LED or OLED
to be controlled individually, b y which a light flux at
different wavelengths may be made available either
simultaneously or not. A s this was stated earlier, each
light source may have its own illumination sequence and
be controlled in intensity. With the whole of these
degrees of freedom, it will be possible to approach
optimum culture conditions for the micro-organisms, which
are different for each type of micro-organism. In a
particularly advantageous way, they emit at wavelengths
corresponding to the chlorophyllian pigments and operate
in a flash mode in order to optimize the illumination
sequences depending on the biological parameters of the
algae used, and to minimize the energy consumptions.
The light sources (7) may be directly attached onto
the internal face (10) of the sealed enclosures (6) of
the light elements or else they may be attached onto
arrays themselves attached in sealed enclosures (6).
 Advantageously, the density of the light sources (7)

on the internal face of the light elements of the

photobioreactor according to the invention or on the
arrays i s preferably from 1 to 40,000/m 2, advantageously
in order to obtain a completely illuminating surface.
The arrays of light sources (7) may be attached to
the substantially parallel vertical walls (4) or to the
additional walls (5) which will seal the enclosures (6).

Advantageously, the arrays extend over the height of

the light elements. Advantageously, the arrays (18) are
positioned at equal distance from each other, preferably
at less than 10 cm, more preferably at less than 5 cm
from each other. Advantageously, the arrays of light
sources may be positioned back to back, which provides
hemispherical illumination. In this configuration, the
light emitted in an equatorial stratum directly
penetrates the reactor. This stratum is limited in the
vertical direction (top and bottom) by Brewster's
incidence. The reflected photons (beyond the Brewster
angle) may advantageously be recycled by positioning
reflection mirrors (x2) close to the light sources (top
and bottom) . For planar light elements, provision may be
made for a reflection mirror all around the diode in
order to reduce the illumination angle of the source and
to thereby obtain a better produced light/transmitted
(not reflected) light ratio. The best choice i s to use a
heat transfer liquid, for which the index is that of
glass, which will ensure total transmission of the light
without resorting to clever focusing devices.
The mixing system (9) has two main functions; it
should promote homogenization of the temperature of the
culture medium on the one hand. On the other hand, it
should allow homogenization of the illumination of the
micro-organisms. Indeed, with this mixing, the
micro-organisms pass from the illuminated areas to the
non-illuminated areas and vice versa.
The mixing of the culture medium is achieved by
various techniques; the most current technique presently
i s called an « air-lift » . Kinds of mechanical stirrings
may also b e used: Archimedes screw, marine propeller, of
the Rushton type, hydrofoil, etc.
Advantageously, the mixing technique used i s the one
called « air lift » which consists of injecting a
pressurized gas, for example air, into the low portion of
the culture enclosure (1) . The air, with a lower density
than the liquid, rapidly moves upwards as bubbles. The
liquid and the micro-algae are carried away b y the upward
movement of the bubbles. The air injection may b e carried
out vertically but also obliquely in order to cause
liquid to b e transported from one wall to the other of
the culture medium promoting mixing of the nutriments and
of CO2 necessary for the micro-algae. This movement of the
culture liquid also ensures a mean illumination to all
the micro-algae during their upward motion. The micro-
algae then fall back into the volumes where there i s no
upward motion of air bubbles. In this way, a closed
travel loop of the culture medium has been achieved. This
technique allows mixing with low energy consumption and
slightly stressing for the micro-algae.
The mixing of the culture medium may be partly
achieved b y a standard air-lift system, which essentially
imparts a vertical pulse, completed b y an original system
of lateral injection (CO2 + air) distributed with «
feeders » (30) over the height of the reactor (tube or
plates) . « Feeder » designates here a duct or tube
allowing gas or water to be transported from the source
right up to the location where injection of gas or water
i s desired. Said « feeders » (30) will be set up in the
culture area against the walls (4) of the light elements
(2) (plates or cylinders). The injection nozzles (29) are
distributed on « feeder (s) » (30) . Their number a s well
as their inclination will depend on the type of pulse
which one wishes to impart to the micro-organisms
(transverse pulse, vertical pulse or pulse) allowing a
global movement to be imparted to the biomass, with which
the algae may periodically move from one edge to the
other of the reactor, with an upward movement.
Advantageously, this capacity for handling the transverse
movement of the biomass will be used for homogenizing the
illumination of the latter, i.e. preferentially oriented
upwards with a specific inclination. Further in this
reactor configuration, it is possible to adapt the
intensity of the transverse pulse so that the transit
time of the micro-organisms between the illuminated and
non-illuminated areas leads to spatially producing the
illumination cycle required for the growth of certain
types of algae (illumination time/extinction time) .
Advantageously, in the high portion of the culture
enclosure (1), a volume of culture i s taken regularly or
continuously, which is straightaway replaced by the
injection of an equivalent volume of water containing
nutritious elements in the low portion of the culture
enclosure (1) or in the « feeder (s) » (30) . With this
method it i s possible to contribute to the reduction of
the energy required for inducing circulation of the
liquid in the reactor.
 Thus, the currents of liquids induced b y the various
injections of air or water in the feeders (30) cyclically
transport the algae in proximity to the light elements
(2) and around the light elements (2) .
The cooling system (8) allows extraction of the heat
released by the light sources (7) while adjusting the
temperature of the culture medium (3) of the
photobioreactor (see Figs. 3 and 4) . It also allows
circulation of the heat transfer fluid (15) in the light
elements (2) .
The cooling system (8) may consist in a heat
exchanger. For example, this heat exchanger consists in
means for conveying (19) the hot heat transfer liquid
(15) towards the outside of the culture enclosure (1),

for example pipes connected to the upper end of the

culture enclosure (1) coupled with a pump (20) and a
cooler (21) consisting of circulating the hot heat
transfer liquid in the opposite direction to the cold
water (see Fig. 4). Advantageously, the heat transfer
liquid (15) flows out of the culture enclosure (1) at one
of its ends, at the top or at the bottom and enters the
culture enclosure (1) through the other end. The cold
heat transfer liquid (15) returns into the culture
enclosure (1) via means for conveying it (22), for
example pipes.
All the light elements (2) of the photobioreactor of
the invention may have an identical shape or a different
shape. Advantageously, they all have an identical shape.
All the light elements (2) of the photobioreactor of
the invention may have identical or different dimensions.
Advantageously, they all have identical dimensions.
 The light elements of the photobioreactor of the
invention may appear in many forms insofar that they
extend approximately over the whole height of the culture
enclosure (1) and insofar that they may be connected
through one end of the culture enclosure (1) to the
cooling system.
They may have a parallelepipedal shape (14) . They
then have the advantage of being easy to clean. They then
comprise two plates with adapted transparence
corresponding to the walls (4), one of the sides of which
has a length approximately equal to the height of the
culture enclosure (1) . These plates are attached to each
other through other walls (5) with adapted transparence
which will seal the thereby formed parallelepiped filled
with heat transfer liquid (15) (see Fig. 5) . The two
plates of material with suitable transparence are then
distant from each other by less than 10 cm, preferably
less than 8 cm, more preferably less than 6 cm. The light
sources (7) are preferably attached onto the walls (4) or
(5) and positioned at equal distance from the plates. The
external face (24) of the plates is in contact with the
culture medium (3) .
According to this parallelepipedal embodiment, the
mixing system (9) b y « air lift » consists of injecting
air between the plates in the low portion of the culture
enclosure, preferably at equal distance from the two
plates, each injection system being separated b y at least
15 cm, preferably 10 cm, more preferably 6 cm. A s this
has been described above, it may be completed with a
mixing system giving the possibility of transmitting to
the biomass a transverse pulse of any orientation. The
advantages of this system have been described above.
 The light elements may also for example appear as
hollow cylinders (11) (see Figs. 1 and 2) . They then
comprise two tubes (12) with adapted transparence
(corresponding to the walls (4)) having two different
diameters, fitted into each other. The difference between
both diameters of both tubes (12) i s of less than 1 0 cm,

preferably less than 6 cm, more preferably less than 3

cm. Both of these tubes (12) are attached to each other
through other walls (5) , preferably with adapted
transparence, which will seal off the space between the
tubes filled with heat transfer fluid (15) (see Fig. 5) .
The light sources (7) are attached on the faces (25) of
the tubes (12) or at equal distance from the faces (25)

of the tubes (12) . According to this embodiment of the

light elements (2) with the shape of a hollow cylinder,
another cylindrical light element (13) may be added along
the axis of the hollow cylinders (11) (see Fig. 1) . Light
sources (7) are then placed in its centre in order to
thereby optimize the illumination of the micro-algae. The
height of the cylinders is approximately equal to the
height of the culture enclosure (1) while the height of
the hollow cylinders is smaller than that of the
cylinders .
The light elements may also appear as cylinders
(26), their height being approximately equal to the
height of the culture enclosure (1) . Their diameter i s of

less than 20 cm, preferably less than 10 cm, more

preferably less than 5 cm. They are filled with heat
transfer liquid. The light sources (7) are placed in its
centre.
The light elements of the three preceding
embodiments may be combined, i.e. light elements
according to the three preceding embodiments may be
present in the culture enclosure (1) of the
photobioreactor according to the invention. In
particular, it is possible to introduce into the space
between the hollow cylinders (11), cylindrical elements
(13) having light sources (7) placed in its centre.
The suitable materials with adapted transparence for
making the light elements (2) are PMMA (methyl

polymethacrylate) , Plexiglas®, glass, polycarbonate, PMMA

plates, with or without light diffusers which allow
homogenization of the point-like light sources.
Suitable heat transfer fluids are silicon oil,
perf luorinated oil or air.
Preferably, perf luorinated oil is used as a heat
transfer fluid (15), which has the following advantages:
it is chemically inert towards the arrays of
photodiodes,
- it further has very high electric resistivity,
- it does not absorb light in the wavelengths of the
visible range,
- it has an optical index close to that of glass (or

Plexiglas®) .
Another object of the invention is the use of a
photobioreactor according to the invention for
cultivating photosynthetic micro-organisms, preferably
micro-algae .
Other features and advantages of the invention will
become better apparent upon reading the description of
embodiments of the invention. The description refers to
the following appended figures.
F i gures
Fig. 1: Diagram of the principle of the cylindrical
photobioreactor .
Fig. 2 : Diagram of the cylindrical photobioreactor with
light elements a s a hollow cylinder and a s a cylinder.
Figs . 3 and 4 : Presentation of the cooling system of the
light source and of the system for controlling the
temperature of the photobioreactor.
Fig. 5: Diagram of a light element as a hollow plate
(14) .
Fig. 6: Diagram of a light element a s a hollow cylinder
and a s a cylinder.
Fig. 7 : Diagram of the parallelepipedal photobioreactor
with light elements a s a hollow plate.
Fig. 8: Diagram of a light element a s a hollow plate with
feeders (30) and nozzles (29) .
Fig. 9 : Zoom of Fig. 8.

The photobioreactor according to the invention will

be explained with reference to the figures.
According to a first embodiment, the light elements
and the reactor (see Figs. 5 and 6) are parallelepipedal.
The light elements then consist in two plates (4) with
adapted transparence attached to each other through other
walls with adapted transparence (5) . Both plates have a
height smaller than the height of the culture enclosure
(1) and a length comprised between 25 and 65 cm. Both
plates are distant by 5 cm. The light sources (7) are
LEDs. They are attached on arrays positioned back to back
at the centre of the plates in an amount of at least
300 LEDs/m 2 . The light elements are positioned so that
their length and their width are parallel to the length
and the width of the culture enclosure (1) . The light
elements are distant from each other b y 6 cm. The mixing
system (9) b y « air lift » consists in injecting air in
air injection points (28) located at an equal distance
from two plates, at the bottom of the culture enclosure
(1), each injection point (28) being distant b y 12 cm.
According to a second embodiment, the light elements
(2) appear a s hollow cylinders (11) (see Figs. 1 and 2) .
They comprise two tubes (12) with adapted transparence
having a diameter of 15 cm and a diameter of 20 cm,

fitted into each other, the height of the tubes (12)

being approximately equal to the height of the culture

enclosure (1) . Both of the tubes (12) are attached to
each other through other walls (5) . The light sources (7)

are LEDs. They are attached on arrays (18) in an amount

of at least 140 LEDs/m 2 . The light arrays (18) are
positioned back to back between both tubes at an equal
distance from each of them. The light arrays (18) are
uniformly distributed over the circumference of the space
between the tubes. Another light element as a cylinder
(13) i s present in the centre of each light element as a
hollow cylinder (11) . The light elements as a hollow
cylinder (11) have a smaller height than that of the
light elements a s a cylinder (12) . LEDs are also attached
to the centre of the cylindrical light element (12) in an
amount of at least 140 LEDs/m 2 . The mixing system (9) by «
air-lift » consists of injecting air into the low portion
of the culture enclosure (1) .
 CLAIMS
1 .A photobioreacteur intended for continuous
cultivation of photosynthetic micro-organisms, preferably
micro-algae, comprising:
(a) a culture enclosure (1) intended to contain the
culture medium (3) of the micro-organisms,
(b) in which light elements (2) are immersed comprising
LEDs and/or OLEDs as light sources (7) placed in sealed
enclosures (6) with adapted transparence (AT) so that the
light sources (7) are isolated from the culture medium
(3),

(c) a system (8) for cooling the light sources (7), and
(d) a system (9) for mixing the culture medium (3) .
2. The photobioreactor according to claim 1,

characterized in that the mixing system (9) comprises an

injection of gas into the low portion of the culture
enclosure (1) and a lateral injection of gas with
"feeders" (30) vertically distributed along the walls (4)

of the light elements (2) .

3. The photobioreactor according to any of the
preceding claims, characterized in that the mixing system
(9) comprises taking regularly or continuously a volume
of culture in the high portion of the culture enclosure
(1) which i s straightaway replaced by the injection of an
equivalent volume of water containing nutritions elements
in the low portion of the culture enclosure (1) or in the
"feeders" (30) .
4 . The photobioreactor according to any of the
preceding claims, characterized in that the internal
walls (27) of the culture enclosure (1) are reflective.
5. The photobioreactor according to any of the
preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling
system (8) consists of a heat transfer fluid (15)

circulating in sealed enclosures (6), said enclosures

being connected to an exterior device for cooling the
heat transfer fluid (15) to the sealed enclosures (6).

6. The photobioreactor according to any of claims 1

to 5 , each location of the culture medium (3) being found
at less than 7 cm from a light source (7) .
7 . The photobioreactor according to any of claims 1
to 6, the LEDs or OLEDs being used at wavelengths
corresponding to the chlorophyllian pigments and
operating in a flash mode in order to optimize the
illumination sequences according to the biological
parameters of the algae used, and to minimize energy
consumptions .
8. The photobioreactor according to any of claims 1
to 7, characterized in that the light elements (2) are
laid out as hollow cylindrical elements (11) or
parallelepipedal elements (14).
9. The photobioreactor according to claim 8,

characterized in that the sealed enclosures (6) include

two substantially parallel vertical walls (4) between
which the light sources (7) are placed, wherein
additional walls (5) will seal the enclosures (6).

10. The photobioreactor according to any of claims 8

and 9, characterized in that the light elements (2) laid
out a s hollow cylindrical elements (11) include along the
axis of the cylinders at least one cylindrical light
element (13) .
11. The use of a photobioreactor according to any of
the preceding claims for cultivating photosynthetic
micro-organisms, preferably micro-algae.
 12. The use according to claim 11, characterized in
that a culture volume i s regularly or continuously taken
from the top portion of the culture enclosure (1) while
an equivalent volume of water containing nutritive
elements i s injected straightaway into the low portion of
the culture enclosure (1) and into the feeders (30) .
 NATIONAL SEARCH REPORT
International application No

PCT/EP2010/054757
A. CLASSIFICATION O F SUBJECT MATTER
INV . C12M1/00
ADD.

According Io International Patent Classification (IPC) or to both national classification and IPC

B. FIELDS SEARCHED
Minimum documentation searched (classification sysiem followed by classification symbols)
C12M C12N

Documentation searched other lha π minimum documentation to the extent lhal such documents are included in the fields searched

Electronic data base consulted during the international search (name of data base and. where practical, search terms used)

EPO-Internal , WPI Data

C. DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT

Category' Citation of document, with indication, where approp πate of the relevant passages Relevant to claim No

US 3 303 608 A (HANNAN PATRICK J ) 1-12

14 February 1967 (1967-02-14)
column 2 , line 8 - line 56; figure 1

U S 3 986 297 A (ICHIMURA SHOJI ET AL) 1-12

19 October 1976 (1976-10-19)
column 3 , line 14 - line 64

WO 00/23562 A (IFREMER [FR]; MULLER FEUGA 1-12

ARNAUD [FR]) 27 April 2000 (2000-04-27)
page 4 , line 25 - page 7 , line 20

Further documents are listed in the continuation of Box C See patent lamily annex

' Special categones o l cited documents

"A" document defining the general state of the art which is not
considered to be of particular relevance
Ε " earlier document but published on o r after the international
filing date
'L" document which may throw doubts on pnonty cla ιm(s) or
which is cited to establish the publication date of another
citation or other special reason (as specified)
"O" document referring to an oral disclosure use, exhibition or
other means
"P" documenl published prior to the international filing date but
later than the pnonty date claimed
"T" later document published after the international filing date
or pnonty date and not in conflict with the application but
cited to understand the pnnciple o r theory underlying the
invention
"X" document o l particular relevance, the claimed invention
cannot be considered novel o r cannot be considered to
involve an inventive step when the document is taken alone
"Y" document of particular relevance, the claimed invention
cannot be considered to involve a n inventive step when the
document is combined with one o r more other such docu¬
ments, such combination being obvious to a person skilled
in the art
"&" document member of the same patent family

Date of the actual completion of the international search Date of mailing of the inlernational search report

23 July 2010 02/08/2010

Name and mailing address of the ISA/ Authonzed officer
European Patent Office P B 5818 Patentlaan 2
NL - 2280 HV Ri|swijk
TeI (+31-70) 340-2040,
Fax (+31-70) 340-3016 Clement, Jean-Paul

Form PCT/ISA/210 (second sheet) (April 2005)

 A I
International application No

PCT/EP2010/054757
C(Cont ιnuallon). DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT

Category* Citation of document with indication where appropnate ol the relevant passages Relevant to claim No

DATABASE WPI Week 199603 1-12

Thomson Scientific, London, GB; AN
1996-028657
XP002558291
& RU 2 035 505 C l (DOKA STOCK CO)
20 May 1995 (1995-05-20)
* abstract

US 5 104 803 A (DELENTE JACQUES [US] ET 1-12

AL) 14 April 1992 (1992-04-14)
column 5 , line 53 - column 8 , line 6

US 6 399 367 B l (POLLOCK ROBERT [US] ET 1-12

AL) 4 June 2002 (2002-06-04)
claim 1

WO 91/18970 A l (INGBUREAU D KUIPER B V 1-12

[NL]) 12 December 1991 (1991-12-12)
page 4 , line 12 - line 19

WO 2007/047805 A2 (SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO 1-12

[SA]; ARAMCO SERVICES CO [US]; SHEPPARD
NORMAN J ) 26 April 2007 (2007-04-26)
cited in the application
page 14, line 13 - line 16

US 2009/047722 A l (WILKERSON BRIAN D [US] 1-12

ET AL) 19 February 2009 (2009-02-19)
paragraph [0087]

Form PCT/ISA/210 (continualion ol second sheet) (April 2005)

 RNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT
International application No
Information on patent family members
PCT/EP2010/054757
Patent document Publication Patent family Publication
cited in search report date member(s) date

US 3303608 A 14-02-1967 NONE

US 3986297 A 19-10-1976 NONE

WO 0023562 A 27-04-2000 AT 236245 T 15-04-2003

DE 69813042 Dl 08-05-2003
EP 1121414 Al 08-08-2001
US 6492149 Bl 10-12-2002

RU 2035505 Cl 20-05-1995 NONE

US 5104803 A 14-04-1992 NONE

US 6399367 Bl 04-06-2002 WO 02069695 A l 12-09-2002

US 2003000133 A l 02-01-2003

WO 9118970 Al 12-12-1991 NL 9001277 A 02-01-1992

WO 2007047805 A2 26-04-2007 US 2007092962 A l 26-04-2007

US 2009047722 Al 19-02-2009 NONE

Form PCT/ISA 10 (paleni family annex) (April 2005)