Description:TITLE OF THE INVENTION: AN AUTONOMOUS APPARATUS FOR THE PROLIFICATION OF MICROALGAE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure is generally related to microalgae prolification. Particularly, the present disclosure is related to: an apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae. More particularly, the present disclosure is related to: a scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Microalgae are the source of a variety of active bio components and extracts that are used in a wide range of consumer items, including medications, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, and more.
Microalgae can be prolificated in both an open and a closed environment. Because of its simple procedure, low cost, and low maintenance requirements, open prolification is the most popular technique. Despite these advantages, open pond farming still has a lot of problems, including contamination, biofilm formation, temperature stratification, greater water use, quality degradation, and the like.
Further, the cultivation process is very dependent on the surrounding environment because the pond is open, and it is inevitable that toxins may enter the pond. As a result, during each cycle of prolification, algae farmers see significant variations in the quality of the produce and the level of production.
Many researches and literatures emphasise the value and necessity of closed prolification technique. Although it is verified, the majority of these are only accomplished in lab settings. The idea of enclosed prolification entails an algal medium-holding container of any shape that has motorised circulation and artificial illumination that uses an external light source. Some techniques may track the temperature and pH levels and show them for real-time monitoring of the algae prolification.
Due to the artificial induction of all naturally occurring resources in closed technique, prolification of microalgae in closed technique is unquestionably more expensive than prolificating them in open pond technique.
Despite the fact that the closed prolification technique overcomes the issue, commercial algae farmers hardly ever opt for this strategy. This is a result of the extreme disparity between the costs of the open and closed prolification processes and returns on investment. The reason for this enormous difference is that the current closed prolification techniques are primarily used to store the culture medium and shield them from impurities and other stratification conditions.
Further, the price virtually doubles whenever the algae farmer wants to even marginally expand production capacity, hence the scalability is another issue. Hence, the Commercial algae farmers are hesitant to use the closed technique due to their cost and scalability concerns.
There is, therefore, a need in the art, for: a scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks and shortcomings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, is disclosed. Said apparatus broadly comprises an at least a growth chamber; an at least a collection tank; an enclosing member; a harvesting member; a fluid transport facilitating member; a maximizing member; a pH stabilizing member; a controlling member; an illuminating member; a plurality of wheels; and a supporting member.
Said at least a growth chamber comprises: a plurality of tubular members that are stacked one over the above in a helical configuration by coupling two adjacent tubular members among the plurality of tubular members with a U-shaped member through a coupling member on either side.
A first end of a lowermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members being associated with a fluid transport facilitating member, and a second end of an uppermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members being associated with the at least one collection tank.
In an embodiment, one tubular member among the plurality of tubular members is disposed in higher altitude than its parallel tubular member among the plurality of tubular members. Each tubular member among the plurality of tubular members is tilted at an angle of about 3 degrees to about 5 degrees downward from right to left.
The at least one collection tank is configured as a reservoir for a fluid that is circulated on the plurality of tubular members of the at least one growth chamber. The enclosing member is configured to facilitate the closing of the at least one collection tank.
In an embodiment, said enclosing member broadly comprises: an at least a temperature sensing member; an at least a pH sensing member; an at least a maturity sensing member; and a first flip lid.
The fluid transport facilitating member facilitates the circulation of fluid between the at least one collection tank and the at least one growth chamber.
In an embodiment, said fluid transport facilitating member is an electric self-priming regenerative centrifugal pump operating at 220VAC 50 Hertz single phase power supply with a power of 0.50 HP, and a maximum discharge capacity of about 1950 Liters per hour.
The maximizing member is configured as a hollow structure with two open ends. A first end the maximizing member is configured with a smaller inner diameter than the inner diameter of a second end.
The harvesting member is associated with the first end of the lowermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members of the at least one growth chamber, before the maximizing member, through the first valve. Said harvesting member broadly comprises: an at least a harvesting chamber; an at least a stepper motor; an at least a flat plate; and an at least a pair of solid magnets.
the at least one harvesting chamber is mounted with the first valve through a threaded coupling member, thereby enabling easy mounting and removal of the at least one harvesting chamber. Said first valve is used to control the flow of fluid between the at least one growth chamber and the at least one harvesting chamber.
The pH stabilizing member facilitates the increasing and/or decreasing the pH level of the fluid present in the at least one collection tank, as per the instruction from the controlling member.
The illuminating member is disposed on a vertical frame of the supporting member, and facilitating providing required illumination for the algae in the fluid to undergo photosynthesis. The illumination level illumination level is adjusted, by the controlling member, with the help of the potentiometer.
The controlling member is configured to facilitate the monitoring and controlling the operations of the apparatus.
The supporting member being configured to hold the at least one growth chamber, the at least one collection tank, the harvesting member, and other associated components.
The plurality of wheels is mounted at the bottom of the supporting member, thereby enabling the easy usability and handling of the apparatus.
The apparatus is powered from an external power source.
In an embodiment, said apparatus further comprises: a display member; an input member; and an alerting member. Said display member, said input member, and the alerting member being associated with the controlling member.
The method of working of the apparatus is also disclosed.
The disclosed apparatus offers at least the following advantages: is portable; is simple in construction; is cost-effective (about Rs. 35000); is scalable; is efficient; is user-friendly; and/or micro algae can be cultivated without any environmental dependencies, overcoming the off-season demand and hence algae production is possible throughout the year, even in rainy days.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 and Figure 2 illustrates a scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 3 illustrates a coupling member, and a retrofit fastening member of a scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 3.1 illustrates the dispositioning of a plurality if tubular members of a scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 4 illustrates an at least a harvesting member of a scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 5 illustrates a detachable coupling member of a scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 6 illustrates an enclosing member of an at least a collection tank of a scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
Figure 7 illustrates an illuminating member of a scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Throughout this specification, the use of the words “comprise” and “include”, and variations, such as “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes”, and “including”, may imply the inclusion of an element (or elements) not specifically recited. Further, the disclosed embodiments may be embodied, in various other forms, as well.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “apparatus” is to be construed as: “a set of technical components (also referred to as “members”) that are communicatively and/or operably associated with each other, and function together, as part of a mechanism, to achieve a desired technical result”. For example, the apparatus may be configured as a photobioreactor; the communicative and/or operable associations may be described (in this specification). Alternatively, or in addition, the communicative and/or operable associations may be illustrated (in the drawings).
Throughout this specification, the use of the words “communication”, “couple”, and their variations (such as communicatively), is to be construed as being inclusive of: one-way communication (or coupling); and two-way communication (or coupling), as the case may be, irrespective of the directions of arrows, in the drawings.
Throughout this specification, where applicable, the use of the phrase “at least” is to be construed in association with the suffix “one” i.e. it is to be read along with the suffix “one”, as “at least one”, which is used in the meaning of “one or more”. A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the phrase “at least one” is a standard term that is used, in Patent Specifications, to denote any component of a disclosure, which may be present (or disposed) in a single quantity, or more than a single quantity.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “plurality” is to be construed as being inclusive of: “at least one”.
Throughout this specification, where applicable, the use of the phrase “at least one is to be construed in association with a succeeding component name.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “fluid” is to be construed as “a composition of: water; culture medium; and live microalgae”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “prolification”, and its variations, is to be construed as being inclusive of: “inoculation; cultivation; harvesting; and/or the like, by a scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae”.
Throughout this specification, the word “sensor” and the phrase “sensing member” are used interchangeably. The disclosed sensing members may be of any suitable type known in the art.
Throughout this specification, the words “microalgae”, “micro algae”, and “algae” are used interchangeably.
Throughout this specification, the words “the” and “said” are used interchangeably.
Throughout this specification, the phrases “at least a”, “at least an”, and “at least one” are used interchangeably.
Throughout this specification, the disclosure of a range is to be construed as being inclusive of: the lower limit of the range; and the upper limit of the range.
Also, it is to be noted that embodiments may be described as a method. Although the operations, in a method, are described as a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in parallel, concurrently, or simultaneously. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A method may be terminated, when its operations are completed, but may also have additional steps.
A scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae (also referred to as “apparatus”), is disclosed. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated, in Figure 1 and Figure 2, said apparatus broadly comprises: an at least a growth chamber (1); an at least a collection tank (6); a harvesting member; a controlling member (11); and a supporting member (15; for example; a supporting frame).
Said at least one growth chamber (1) broadly comprises a plurality of tubular members that are stacked one over the above in a helical configuration. Each tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members is disposed on (supported on, or installed on) the supporting member (15) with the help of a retrofit fastening member (3).
Said helical configuration is achieved by coupling (or connecting) two adjacent tubular members among the plurality of tubular members with a U-shaped member (4) through a coupling member (2) on either side. A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the number of rows of the plurality of tubular members (i.e., number of tubular member rows in the plurality of tubular members) may vary depending on the requirement, thereby enabling the easy scalability of the apparatus.
A first end of a lowermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members is associated with (or connected with, or coupled with) a fluid transport facilitating member (9). Similarly, a second end of an uppermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members is associated with (or connected with, or coupled with) the at least one collection tank (6).
The plurality of tubular members is stacked in such a way that one tubular member among the plurality of tubular members is disposed slightly in higher altitude than its parallel tubular member among the plurality of tubular members. The height difference between the two tubular members among the plurality of tubular members about one fifth of the diameter of said two tubular members.
For example, as illustrated in Figure 3.1, if a diameter of said two tubular members is about 63mm, the height difference between the two tubular members among the plurality of tubular members may ranges between about 12mm and about 13mm.
Each tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members is configured in such a way that, the uppermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members is tilted at an angle of about 3 degrees to about 5 degrees downward from right to left (in reference with Figure 1). Similarly, the rest of the tubular member among the plurality of tubular members are also configured at the same angle.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, each tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members is of hollow transparent tubular structure with: an outer diameter of about 63 mm, an inner diameter of about 60 mm, and a length of about 2 meters.
The coupling member (2) used to connect (or couple) the tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members with the U-shaped member (4) is illustrated in Figure 3. Said coupling member (2) is configured with open ends and having an O-ring (2.1) on the middle of the body. The inner diameter of the coupling member (2) is equal to that of the outer diameter of the tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members. The inner height of the O-ring (2.1) is equal to that of the thickness of the tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members. Said O-ring (2.1) facilitates the separating of the tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members and the U-shaped member (4) that are connected with (or coupled with) it from each other.
The retrofit fastening member (3) used to dispose each tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members on the supporting member (15) is illustrated in Figure 3. Said retrofit fastening member (3) is fitted with (or fastened with) the supporting member (15) through a pair of fastening facilitating members (3.1). Further, the retrofit fastening member (3) comprises a holding member (3.2) that facilitates the holding of the tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members disposed on it firmly.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, said holding member (3.2) is in a semi-circular configuration, with an inner diameter is equal to or slightly lesser than the outer diameter of the tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members disposed on it, thereby enabling press fit.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the retrofit fastening member (3) can be retrofitted with the supporting member (15) without any alteration on the supporting member (15).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the supporting member (15) is made of lightweight and sturdy material such as aluminium profile. Said supporting member (15) is configured to hold (or support) the at least one growth chamber (1), the at least one collection tank (6), the controlling member (11), the harvesting member, and other associated components. The height of the supporting member (15) can be adjusted as per requirement (i.e., according to the number of tubular member rows in the plurality of tubular members).
The at least one collection tank (6) is configured as a reservoir for a fluid that is circulated on the plurality of tubular members of the at least one growth chamber (1). A top portion of said at least one collection tank (6) is associated with (or connected with, or coupled with) the second end of an uppermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members through a first detachable coupling member (5). Similarly, a bottom portion of the at least one collection tank (6) is associated with (or connected with, or coupled with) the first end of a lowermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members through the fluid transport facilitating member (9), a second detachable coupling member (19), a maximizing member (10), and a first valve (13).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one collection tank (6) further comprises a fifth valve (18). Said fifth valve (18) facilitates collecting of sample fluid (for testing or other purposes) from the at least one collection tank (6), without affecting the performance and/or operations of the apparatus.
An input end of the fluid transport facilitating member (9) is connected with (or associated with) the at least one collection tank (6) with the help of a first smaller-dia tubular member through a second valve (17). Similarly, an output end of the fluid transport facilitating member (9) is connected to the maximizing member (10) with the help of the second detachable coupling member (19) and a second smaller-dia tubular member.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the fluid transport facilitating member (9) is configured to facilitate the circulation of fluid between the at least one collection tank (6) and the at least one growth chamber (1).
Further, a third valve (16) is perpendicularly mounted between (or connected between, or coupled between) the second valve (17) and the input end of the fluid transport facilitating member (9).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, said second valve (17) and said third valve (16) are two-way ball valves of about 32mm.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, said second valve (17) and said third valve (16) are configured to be used as inputs for feeding of (or pouring of, or inputting of): water, culture medium, live algae, steam, buffer solution, and/or the like.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the buffer solution is used to increase and/or decrease the pH level. The buffer solution used may include, but is not limited to, Sodium carbonate, Ammonium hydroxide, Calcium hydroxide, Magnesium hydroxide, and/or the like. A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the buffer solution used may vary with respect to the microalgae prolificated in the apparatus.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the culture medium may include, but is not limited to, BBM medium, ASN III Medium, F/2 medium, CHU-10 medium, CFTRI medium, and/or the like. A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the culture medium used may vary with respect to the microalgae prolificated in the apparatus.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, for example, while prolificating Arthrospira platensis, CFTRI medium is used as a culture medium, Sodium Bicarbonate is used as a buffer solution to increase the pH level, and an acidic solution majorly containing food grade Phosphoric acid is used as a buffer solution to decrease the pH level.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the diameter of the first smaller-dia tubular member, and the second smaller-dia tubular member is about 32 mm.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the maximizing member (10) is configured as a hollow structure with two open ends. A first end of the maximizing member is configured with a smaller inner diameter (for example, 32 mm) than the inner diameter of a second end (for example, 63 mm). Since, the maximizing member (10) is disposed at the output end of the fluid transport facilitating member (9), the pressure at the input end is increased than that of the output side.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the fluid transport facilitating member (9) is an electric self-priming regenerative centrifugal pump. Said fluid transport facilitating member (9) operates at 220VAC 50 Hertz single phase power supply with a power of 0.50 HP, and a maximum discharge capacity of about 1950 Liters per hour.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one collection tank (6) is closed with an enclosing member (7). Said enclosing member (7) is a configured as a threaded lid, and made of polypropylene material.
Said enclosing member (7), as illustrated in Figure 6, broadly comprises: an at least a temperature sensing member (7.3); an at least a pH sensing member (7.2); an at least a maturity sensing member (7.1); and a first flip lid (7.4).
Said at least one temperature sensing member (7.3), said at least one pH sensing member (7.2), and said least one maturity sensing member (7.1) are mounded on (or disposed on) the enclosing member (7), and are made to immersed into the fluid present inside the at least one collection tank (6).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one pH sensing member (7.2) facilitates the sensing of pH level of the fluid present in the at least one collection tank (6), in real-time, with the sensed data being transmitted to the controlling member (11).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one temperature sensing member (7.3) facilitates the sensing of the temperature of the fluid present in the at least one collection tank (6), in real-time, with the sensed data being transmitted to the controlling member (11).
During prolification, the ambient temperature (i.e., the temperature outside the apparatus) and the temperature of the fluid present in the at least one collection tank (6) will not be the same. The temperature difference is due to the metabolism of the microalgae prolificated. The temperature of the fluid can be controlled by controlling the ambient temperature (i.e., temperature of the indoor where the apparatus is deployed).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one maturity sensing member (7.1) facilitates the sensing of the maturity of algae in the fluid present in the at least one collection tank (6), in real-time, with the sensed data being transmitted to the controlling member (11).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, said first flip lid (7.4) is configured to facilitate the feeding of (or pouring of, or inputting of): water, culture medium, live algae, steam, buffer solution, and/or the like into the at least one collection tank (6) without disturbing the enclosing member (7).
The fluid is kept in a continues circulation between said at least one collection tank (6) and said at least one growth chamber (1). While filling the at least one growth chamber (1) with the fluid, the fluid transport facilitating member (9) is turned on, and the at least one growth chamber (1) is filled gradually by ensuring the at least one collection tank (6) is filled not more than one third of its total volume, at an instance.
The least one maturity sensing member (7.1) facilitates to determine the maturity level of algae present in the fluid. Said at least one maturity sensing member (7.1) uses light to measure the suspended particles in the fluid by measuring the difference between the light transmittance and scattering rate. The difference between the transmittance and scattering shows the amount of total algal cells suspended in the fluid. Increased cells suspended in the fluid means increased maturity.
Said least one maturity sensing member (7.1) broadly comprises: an at least a monochromatic light transmitter (7.1.1); and an at least a receiver (7.1.2). As shown in Figure 6, said at least one monochromatic light transmitter (7.1.1) is disposed on a first leg, and towards a second leg, where the at least one receiver (7.1.2) is disposed.
The harvesting member, as illustrated in Figure 4, broadly comprises: an at least a harvesting chamber (12); an at least a stepper motor (12.2); an at least a flat plate (12.3); and an at least a pair of solid magnets (12.4).
The at least one harvesting chamber (12) is associated with the first end of the lowermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members of the at least one growth chamber (1), before the maximizing member (10), through the first valve (13).
The at least one harvesting chamber (12) is mounted with (or associated with) the first valve (13) through a threaded coupling member, thereby enabling easy mounting and/or removal of the at least one harvesting chamber (12).
The at least one harvesting chamber (12) is disposed vertically below the lowermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members of the at least one growth chamber (1). Said at least one harvesting chamber (12) is configured to facilitate collecting of the fluid with matured algae. The matured algae from the fluid collected in the at least one harvesting chamber (12) is separated through a contactless flocculation process.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one harvesting chamber (12) is configured as a narrow cylindrical beaker with a diameter of about 120mm and a height of about 600mm.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first valve (13) is a three-way ball valve of about 63mm. Said first valve (13) is used to control the flow of fluid between the at least one growth chamber (1) and the at least one harvesting chamber (12).
The at least one stepper motor (12.2) is mounted on the supporting member (15) below the at least one harvesting chamber (12), without touching the at least one harvesting chamber (12). The at least one flat plate (12.3) is rotatably mounted on an output shaft of the at least one stepper motor (12.2). Each solid magnet among the at least one pair of solid magnets (12.4) is disposed on either end of the at least one flat plate (12.3), as shown in Figure 4.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, a gap between the at least one pair of solid magnets (12.4) that is disposed on the at least one flat plate (12.3) and the bottom of the at least one harvesting chamber (12) is about 2mm.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the dimension of the at least one flat plate (12.3) is: about 75mm length, about 25mm width, and about 2mm thickness.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one pair of solid magnets (12.4) are round-shaped solid neodymium magnets with a diameter of about 20mm.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, said at least one harvesting chamber (12) broadly comprises: a second flip lid (12.1); a magnetic bead (12.5); and a fourth valve (12.6).
Said second flip lid (12.1) is disposed on the top of the at least one harvesting chamber (12), and is configured to facilitate feeding of flocculant into the at least one harvesting chamber (12). The magnetic bead (12.5) is placed freely inside the at least one harvesting chamber (12) at its bottom.
Said fourth valve (12.6) is disposed on the bottom edge of the at least one harvesting chamber (12), and is configured to facilitate collecting of the matured algae, from the at least one harvesting chamber (12), in slurry form.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the fourth valve (12.6) is a Polypropylene valve with about an ½ inch mouth.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the magnetic bead (12.5) is a solid magnetic rod of length about 75mm. Said magnetic bead (12.5) is coated, for a thickness of about 1mm, with a smooth and non-reactive material, in an octagonal configuration.
The magnetic bead (12.5) can create more friction due to rotation, and can react with chemical, hence cannot be used directly inside the at least one harvesting chamber (12). Therefore, to maintain the safety and performance of the apparatus, said magnetic bead (12.5) is coated with the smooth and non-reactive material.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the smooth and non-reactive material is polytetrafluoroethylene.
Whenever the at least one stepper motor (12.2) is turned ON, the at least one flat plate (12.3) disposed with at least one pair of solid magnets are rotated. Said rotation of the at least one flat plate (12.3) creates a circular magnetic field, which attracts the magnetic bead (12.5) placed freely inside the at least one harvesting chamber (12), thereby enabling the magnetic bead (12.5) to rotate along with the at least one flat plate (12.3). Said rotation of the magnetic bead (12.5) creates a swirl within the at least one harvesting chamber (12), thereby enabling proper and equal agitation throughout the volume of the fluid. This agitation separates the matured algae at the bottom of the at least one harvesting chamber (12), and the culture medium at its top. The agitation is made contactless to avoid any chances of contaminants entering into the at least one harvesting chamber (12) during the process of separation.
The first detachable coupling member (5) is used connect the uppermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members with the at least one collection tank (6). The second detachable coupling member (19) used to connect the lowermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members with the fluid transport facilitating member (9). The configuration of a detachable coupling member is illustrated in Figure 5.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, said detachable coupling member broadly comprises: a first connector (5.1); a second connector (5.3); a casket (5.2); and a coupling member (5.4).
Said first connector (5.1) and said second connector (5.3) facilitate connecting of tubular members that are to be coupled with each other. The casket (5.2) is disposed between the first connector (5.1) and the second connector (5.3), and acts as a leak proof. The coupling member (5.4) facilitates the coupling of first connector (5.1) tightly with the second connector (5.3). Said coupling member (5.4) is threaded with the first connector (5.1), after passing through the second connector (5.3).
The controlling member (11) is configured to facilitate the monitoring and controlling the operations of the apparatus.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the controlling member (11) is a microcontroller.
The apparatus further comprises a pH stabilizing member. Said pH stabilizing member is configured to facilitate the increasing and/or decreasing the pH level of the fluid present in the at least one collection tank (6), as per the instruction from the controlling member (11).
Said pH stabilizing member broadly comprises: a pair of containers (8); a first pump (8.1); and a second pump (8.2). Said first pump (8.1) is associated with a first container among the pair of containers (8), and said second pump (8.2) is associated with a second container among the pair of containers (8). Said pair of containers (8) are mounted on (or disposed on) the supporting member (15). The pair of containers (8) facilitate storing of buffer solution.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, each container among the pair of containers (8) can hold about 1 litter of buffer solution.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first pump (8.1) and the second pump (8.2) are 12 V DC pumps.
The controlling member (11) compares the data received, in real-time, from the at least one pH sensing member (7.2) with a predefined value. If the real-time data is less than the predefined value, the controlling member (11) instructs the first pump (8.1) to turn ON, and supply a predefined quantity of buffer solution for every predefined interval, from the first container among the pair of containers (8), to the at least one collection tank (6). While the buffer solution is being added, the at least one pH sensing member (7.2) also senses the pH level of the fluid correspondingly, in real-time, to check if the pH level reaches the predefined value or not. Once the real-time data reaches the predefined value, the first pump (8.1) is turned OFF by the controlling member (11).
For example, for prolification of Arthrospira platensis, Sodium Bicarbonate is used in the first container among the pair of containers (8) as a buffer solution.
Similarly, if the real-time data is greater than the predefined value, the controlling member (11) instructs the second pump (8.2) to turn ON, and supply the predefined quantity of buffer solution for every predefined interval, from the second container among the pair of containers (8), to the at least one collection tank (6). While the buffer solution is being added, the at least one pH sensing member (7.2) also senses the pH level of the fluid correspondingly, in real-time, to check if the pH level reaches the predefined value or not. Once the real-time data reaches the predefined value, the second pump (8.2) is turned OFF by the controlling member (11).
For example, for prolification of Arthrospira platensis, an acidic solution majorly containing food grade Phosphoric acid is used in the second container among the pair of containers (8) as a buffer solution.
Reason for providing a time gap between each addition of buffer solution is to enable the fluid to react with the buffer solution before overfeeding. Hence, super stable PH levels are maintained within the fluid to safeguard algal and to maintain the optimal conditions to ensure its quality.
A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the predefined pH value may vary with respect to the microalgae prolificated in the apparatus. Hence, the predefined pH value can be defined and set by the user, as per requirement.
For example, during prolification of Arthrospira platensis, the predefined value of pH is set as about 9.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the predefined quantity is about 2ml and the predefined interval is about 2 minutes.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the apparatus further comprises an illuminating member and a potentiometer. Said illuminating member, as illustrated in Figure 7, is disposed on a vertical frame of (15.1) of (or attached on, or mounted on) the supporting member (15). Since being disposed on the inner side of helically configured plurality of tubular members, said illuminating member facilitates to provide required illumination for the algae in the fluid to undergo photosynthesis, and helps to enhance the speed of photosynthesis as well.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, said illuminating member broadly comprises a mounting frame (20.1), and a plurality of illuminating strips (20.2). Said mounting frame (20.1) facilitates the disposing of (or attaching of, or mounting of) the illuminating member on the vertical frame (15.1). Each illuminating strip among the plurality of illuminating strips (20.2) is disposed on either side of each vertical member (as illustrated in Figure 7) of the mounting frame (20.1).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the illuminating member is detachably attached with (or mounted with) the vertical frame of (15.1) of the supporting member (15).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of illuminating strips (20.2) are LED strip lights.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the illuminating member is turned ON and turned OFF, by the controlling member (11), at a light-dark cycle of about 15 hours-about 9 hours, respectively (i.e., turned ON [light] for about 15 hours, and turned OFF [dark] for about 9 hours).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, to achieve the photosynthesis at the enhanced and best possible rates, the illumination level of the illuminating member is maintained between about 450 nanometers and about 630 nanometers. The illumination level of said plurality of illuminating strips is adjusted, by the controlling member (11), with the help of the potentiometer.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the apparatus further comprises a plurality of wheels (14). Said plurality of wheels (14) are mounted (or disposed) at the bottom of the supporting member (15), thereby enabling the easy usability and handling of the apparatus.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, each wheel among the plurality of wheels (14) are provided with a fool level adjuster to make it as a fixed stand at desired height.
The apparatus is powered from an external power source.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the apparatus further comprises: a display member; an input member; and an alerting member. Said display member, said input member, and the alerting member are associated with the controlling member (11).
The method of prolification of microalgae, with (or through) the disclosed apparatus shall now be explained.
The apparatus is switched ON after connecting with the external power source.
Initially, the third valve (16) is kept closed, and the first valve (13) and the second valve (17) are kept open to allow the fluid from the at least one collection tank (6) to flow to the growth chamber (1).
Water is added to the at least one collection tank (6) through the first flip lid (7.4). Once the water reaches the one that of the volume of the at least one collection tank (6), the controlling member (11) is switched ON.
The controlling member (11) turns ON the fluid transport facilitating member (9) to pump the water from the at least one collection tank (6) to the growth chamber (1).
Water is added continuously to the at least one collection tank (6), until the water reaches to the uppermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members in the growth chamber (1), and flows back to the at least one collection tank (6).
The culture medium is added to the at least one collection tank (6) through the first flip lid (7.4).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, for example, an about 1 litre of culture medium is added for about 100 litres of water.
The live algae are added to the at least one collection tank (6) through the first flip lid (7.4), after about 2 minutes of adding the culture medium.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, for example, for about 100 litres of water and for about 1 litre of culture medium, an about 1 litre of live algae (i.e., matured and concentrated live algae) is added. A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that adding more live algae enables quick algal maturity within the apparatus.
Once after the completion of manual adding, the fluid is circulated continuously between the growth chamber (1) and the at least one collection tank with the help of the fluid transport facilitating member (9). Due to the internal pressure, the configuration of the growth chamber (1), and the discharge rate of the fluid transport facilitating member (9), the fluid creates wave like formation within the growth chamber (1) while flowing. This wavy pattern improves the agitation of algae in the fluid, enhances the photosynthesis, and avoids the formation of bio-filming and thermal stratification conditions. Since the heat and light are equally distributed among the fluid, the possibilities of dark zones are eliminated.
Operating parameters such as predefined value for pH, temperature, etc. can be customised in the controlling member (11) with help of the input member and the display member.
The controlling member (11) turns ON the illuminating member. The illuminating member is turned ON and turned OFF, by the controlling member (11), at a light-dark cycle of about 15 hours-about 9 hours, respectively (i.e., turned ON [light] for about 15 hours, and turned OFF [dark] for about 9 hours).
The controlling member (11) starts monitoring the apparatus, in real-time. The pH data, temperature data, etc. collected by the controlling member (11) are displayed to a user through the display member.
The pH level of the fluid tends to vary depending of the maturity level of the algae. The variation in pH shall be corrected by the controlling member (11) with the help of the pH stabilizing member.
The process continuous for few days till the algae gets matured for harvesting.
If the controlling member (11) determines the algae is mature enough to harvest based on the data received from the at least one maturity sensing member (7.1), an alert is generated through the alerting member periodically.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, for example, for about 100 litres of water, about 1 litre of culture medium, and about 1 litre of live algae, the algae in the apparatus gets matured and the harvesting can be started form about 7th day.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the alert generated includes, but is not limited to, a beep sound, recorded voice, and/or the like.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the controlling member (11) determines the algae is matured, if the data received from the at least one maturity sensing member (7.1) goes beyond 7 in the pre-set range of 1 to 10.
The fluid in the growth chamber (1) is directed to the at least one harvesting chamber (12), with the help of the first valve (13), until the at least one harvesting chamber (12) gets filled.
The flocculant is added into the at least one harvesting chamber (12) through the second flip lid (12.1), and the contactless flocculation process is actuated through the controlling member (11) with help of the input member and the display member.
When the contactless flocculation process is actuated, the at least one stepper motor (12.2) is turned ON. Whenever the at least one stepper motor (12.2) is turned ON, the at least one flat plate (12.3) disposed with at least one pair of solid magnets are rotated. Said rotation of the at least one flat plate (12.3) creates a circular magnetic field, which attracts the magnetic bead (12.5) placed freely inside the at least one harvesting chamber (12), thereby enabling the magnetic bead (12.5) to rotate along with the at least one flat plate (12.3). Said rotation of the magnetic bead (12.5) creates a swirl within the at least one harvesting chamber (12), thereby enabling proper and equal agitation throughout the volume of the fluid. This agitation separates the matured algae at the bottom of the at least one harvesting chamber (12), and the culture medium at its top.
The matured algae settled at the bottom of the at least one harvesting chamber (12) is drained out through the fourth valve (12.6), and the separated culture medium is disposed.
The necessary steps are repeated accordingly to continue the prolification of microalgae.
To drain the apparatus for cleaning, the third valve (16) and the second valve (17) are kept open, the first valve (13) is opened towards the at least one harvesting chamber (12) by keeping the fourth valve (12.6).
The apparatus is switched OFF, if the process is completed, and/or not in use.
Fluid circulation within the growth chamber (1) creates algal deposition all corners of the growth chamber (1). Further, frequent cleaning of the growth chamber (1) may not be possible as the fluid is always in circulation. Hence the apparatus is equipped with a self-cleaning methodology to clean the tubes during the circulation process itself.
Since the centrifugal method of pumping is deployed in the fluid transport facilitating member (9), a set of blades are used to push the fluid upwards. When the high-pressure fluid is made in contact with the blades of the fluid transport facilitating member (9), and the fluid already have protein cells within them, few of the protein cells break and creates bubbles on the fluid. These bubbles are formed in the top layer of the fluid and when the fluid is circulated in the wave pattern, these bubbles acts like a brush to clean the top surface of the growth chamber (1) without leaving any algal deposits on the tubes, thereby eliminating the formation of bio-fouling that arises due to the algal deposits and dead algal strains.
The microalgae strain Chlorella vulgaris prolificated in the apparatus, and the wet algal slurry collected from the apparatus is tested for the bio-compound levels. The crude protein level in the biomass has seen a spike at about 67.42%. The carotenoid and chlorophyll levels are about 5.08mg/g and about 28.52mg/g, respectively. Further, the contaminants such as salmonella, E. coli, staphylococcus, etc., are completely absent. Hence, it is evident that algal biomass cultivated in the disclosed apparatus has increased active bio-compounds and zero contaminants.
The disclosed apparatus (and/or the method) offers at least the following advantages: is portable; is simple in construction; is cost-effective (about Rs. 35000); is scalable; is efficient; is user-friendly; and/or micro algae can be cultivated without any environmental dependencies, overcoming the off-season demand and hence algae production is possible throughout the year, even in rainy days.
The money spent for prolificating of about 1 Kg of algae biomass is drastically reduced while scaling the apparatus, though the operating and capital cost are increased by 50%. Due to improved algae quality and stable and uninterrupted production capacity, the net revenue of the user is increased by about 50%, and thereby facilitating the return of investment about 1.5 times quicker.
A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the apparatus, and its various components, may be made of any suitable materials known in the art. Likewise, a person skilled in the art will also appreciate the fact that the configuration of the apparatus, and its various components, may be varied, based on requirements.
It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the above description is for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting. Various modifications, additions, alterations, and improvements, without deviating from the spirit and the scope of the disclosure, may be made, by a person skilled in the art. Such modifications, additions, alterations, and improvements, should be construed as being within the scope of this disclosure.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
1 – Growth Chamber
2 – Coupling Member
3 – Retrofit Fastening Member
3.1 – Pair of Fastening Facilitating Members
3.2 – Holding Member
4 – U-Shaped Member
5 – First Detachable Coupling Member
6 – At Least One Collection Tank
7 – Enclosing Member
7.1 – At Least One Maturity Sensing Member
7.2 – At Least One pH Sending Member
7.3 – At Least One Temperature Sensing Member
7.4 – First Flip Lid
8 – Pair of Containers
8.1 – First Pump
8.2 – Second Pump
9 – Fluid Transport Facilitating Member
10 – Maximizing Member
11 – Controlling Member
12 - At Least One Harvesting Chamber
12.1 – Second Flip Lid
12.2 – At Least One Stepper Motor
12.3 – At Least One Flat Plate
12.4 – At Least One Pair of Solid Magnet
12.5 – Magnetic Bead
12.6 – Fourth Valve
13 – First Valve
14 – Plurality of Wheels
15 – Supporting Member
15.1 – Vertical Frame
16 – Third Valve
17 – Second Valve
18 – Fifth Valve
19 – Second Detachable Coupling Member
20.1 – Mounting Frame
20.2 – Plurality of Illuminating Strips , Claims:1. A scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, comprising:
an at least a growth chamber (1) that comprising:
a plurality of tubular members that are stacked one over the above in a helical configuration by coupling two adjacent tubular members among the plurality of tubular members with a U-shaped member (4) through a coupling member (2) on either side, with:
each tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members being disposed on a supporting member (15) with the help of a retrofit fastening member (3), with:
said retrofit fastening member (3) being fitted with the supporting member (15) through a pair of fastening facilitating members (3.1); and
said retrofit fastening member (3) comprising a holding member (3.2) that facilitating holding of the tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members disposed on it firmly;
a first end of a lowermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members being associated with a fluid transport facilitating member (9);
a second end of an uppermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members being associated an at least a collection tank (6);
one tubular member among the plurality of tubular members being disposed in higher altitude than its parallel tubular member among the plurality of tubular members; and
each tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members being tilted at an angle of 3 degrees to 5 degrees downward from right to left;
the at least one collection tank (6) that is configured as a reservoir for a fluid that is circulated on the plurality of tubular members of the at least one growth chamber (1), with:
a top portion of said at least one collection tank (6) being associated with the second end of an uppermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members through a first detachable coupling member (5);
a bottom portion of the at least one collection tank (6) being associated with the first end of a lowermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members through the fluid transport facilitating member (9), a second detachable coupling member (19), a maximizing member (10), and a first valve (13);
an enclosing member (7) that facilitating closing of the at least one collection tank (6), said enclosing member (7) comprising:
an at least a temperature sensing member (7.3) that facilitating sensing of temperature of the fluid present in the at least one collection tank (6), in real-time, with the sensed data being transmitted to the controlling member (11);
an at least a pH sensing member (7.2) that facilitating sensing of pH level of the fluid present in the at least one collection tank (6), in real-time, with the sensed data being transmitted to the controlling member (11);
an at least a maturity sensing member (7.1) that facilitating sensing of the maturity of algae in the fluid present in the at least one collection tank (6), in real-time, with the sensed data being transmitted to the controlling member (11), with:
said least one maturity sensing member (7.1) comprising: an at least a monochromatic light transmitter (7.1.1) and an at least a receiver (7.1.2), with: said at least one monochromatic light transmitter (7.1.1) being disposed on a first leg, and towards a second leg, where the at least one receiver (7.1.2) is disposed; and
a first flip lid (7.4) that facilitating feeding of: water, culture medium, live algae, steam, and buffer solution, into the at least one collection tank (6) without disturbing the enclosing member (7), with:
said at least one temperature sensing member (7.3), said at least one pH sensing member (7.2), and said least one maturity sensing member (7.1) are mounded on the enclosing member (7), and are made to immersed into the fluid present inside the at least one collection tank (6);
the fluid transport facilitating member (9) that facilitating the circulation of fluid between the at least one collection tank (6) and the at least one growth chamber (1), with:
an input end of the fluid transport facilitating member (9) being connected with the at least one collection tank (6) with the help of a first smaller-dia tubular member through a second valve (17);
an output end of the fluid transport facilitating member (9) being connected to the maximizing member (10) with the help of the second detachable coupling member (19) and a second smaller-dia tubular member; and
a third valve (16) being perpendicularly mounted the second valve (17) and the input end of the fluid transport facilitating member (9);
the maximizing member (10) that is being configured as a hollow structure with two open ends, with:
a first end the maximizing member being configured with a smaller inner diameter than the inner diameter of a second end;
a harvesting member that is associated with the first end of the lowermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members of the at least one growth chamber (1), before the maximizing member (10), through the first valve (13), said harvesting member comprising:
an at least a harvesting chamber (12) that is disposed vertically below the lowermost tubular member among the plurality of tubular members of the at least one growth chamber (1), said at least one harvesting chamber (12) facilitating collecting of the fluid with matured algae, and comprising:
a second flip lid (12.1) that is disposed on the top of the at least one harvesting chamber (12), and facilitating feeding of flocculant into the at least one harvesting chamber (12);
a magnetic bead (12.5) that is placed freely inside the at least one harvesting chamber (12) at its bottom; and
a fourth valve (12.6) that is disposed on the bottom edge of the at least one harvesting chamber (12), and facilitating collecting of the matured algae, from the at least one harvesting chamber (12), in slurry form, with:
said matured algae collected in the at least one harvesting chamber (12) being separated through a contactless flocculation process;
an at least a stepper motor (12.2) that is mounted on the supporting member (15) below the at least one harvesting chamber (12), without touching the at least one harvesting chamber (12),
an at least a flat plate (12.3) that is rotatably mounted on an output shaft of the at least one stepper motor (12.2);
an at least a pair of solid magnets (12.4) with: each solid magnet among the at least one pair of solid magnets (12.4) is disposed on either end of the at least one flat plate (12.3),
a pH stabilizing member that facilitating increasing or decreasing the pH level of the fluid present in the at least one collection tank (6), as per the instruction from the controlling member (11), said pH stabilising member comprising:
a pair of containers (8) that facilitating storing of buffer solution, and are mounted on the supporting member (15);
a first pump (8.1) that is associated with a first container among the pair of containers (8); and
a second pump (8.2) that is associated with a second container among the pair of containers (8);
an illuminating member that is disposed on a vertical frame (15.1) of the supporting member (15), and facilitating providing required illumination for the algae in the fluid to undergo photosynthesis, said illuminating member comprising: a mounting frame (20.1), and a plurality of illuminating strips (20.2), with:
said mounting frame (20.1) facilitating disposing of the illuminating member on the vertical frame (15.1);
each illuminating strip among the plurality of illuminating strips being disposed on either side of each vertical member of the mounting frame (20.1);
said illuminating member being turned ON and turned OFF, by the controlling member (11), at a light-dark cycle of 15 hours-9 hours, respectively; and
the illumination level of said plurality of illuminating strips being adjusted, by the controlling member (11), with the help of the potentiometer;
the controlling member (11) that is configured to facilitate the monitoring and controlling the operations of the apparatus;
the supporting member being configured to hold the at least one growth chamber (1), the at least one collection tank (6), the harvesting member, and other associated components; and
a plurality of wheels (14) that are being mounted at the bottom of the supporting member (15), thereby enabling the easy usability and handling of the apparatus.
2. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
said apparatus comprising: a display member; an input member; and an alerting member, with: said display member, said input member, and the alerting member being associated with the controlling member (11).
3. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
each tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members is of hollow transparent tubular structure with: an outer diameter of 63 mm, an inner diameter of 60 mm, and a length of 2 meters.
4. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
the coupling member (2) being configured with open ends and having an O-ring (2.1) on the middle of the body with:
the inner diameter of the coupling member (2) being equal to that of the outer diameter of the tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members;
the inner height of the O-ring (2.1) being equal to that of the thickness of the tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members; and
said O-ring (2.1) facilitating separating of the tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members and the U-shaped member (4) that are connected with it from each other.
5. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
said holding member (3.2) being in a semi-circular configuration, with an inner diameter being equal to or slightly lesser than the outer diameter of the tubular member (1.1) among the plurality of tubular members disposed on it, for enabling press fit.
6. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
the fluid transport facilitating member (9) is an electric self-priming regenerative centrifugal pump operating at 220VAC 50 Hertz single phase power supply with a power of 0.50 HP, and a maximum discharge capacity of about 1950 Liters per hour.
7. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
the diameter of the first smaller-dia tubular member, and the second smaller-dia tubular member is 32 mm.
8. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
the second valve (17) and the third valve (16) are used as inputs for feeding of: water, culture medium, live algae, steam, and buffer solution.
9. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 7, wherein:
said second valve (17) and said third valve (16) are two-way ball valves of about 32mm.
10. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
the at least one harvesting chamber (12) being mounted with the first valve (13) through a threaded coupling member, thereby enabling easy mounting and removal of the at least one harvesting chamber (12), with: said first valve (13) being used to control the flow of fluid between the at least one growth chamber (1) and the at least one harvesting chamber (12).
11. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
said at least one harvesting chamber (12) being configured as a narrow cylindrical beaker with a diameter of 120mm and a height of 600mm.
12. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein: the first valve (13) is a three-way ball valve of 63mm.
13. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
a gap between the at least one pair of solid magnets (12.4) that is disposed on the at least one flat plate (12.3) and the bottom of the at least one harvesting chamber (12) is 2mm.
14. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
the at least one pair of solid magnets (12.4) are round-shaped solid neodymium magnets with a diameter of 20mm.
15. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
the dimension of the at least one flat plate (12.3) is: 75 mm length, 25mm width, and 2mm thickness.
16. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
the fourth valve (12.6) is a Polypropylene valve with an ½ inch mouth.
17. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein:
the magnetic bead (12.5) is a solid magnetic rod of length 75mm, and coated, for a thickness of 1mm, with a smooth and non-reactive material, in an octagonal configuration.
18. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 16, wherein: the smooth and non-reactive material is polytetrafluoroethylene.
19. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 16, wherein: the first pump (8.1) and the second pump (8.2) are 12 V DC pumps.
20. The scalable and autonomous apparatus, for the prolification of microalgae, as claimed in Claim 16, wherein:
said at least one collection tank (6) comprising a fifth valve (18) that facilitating collecting of sample fluid from the at least one collection tank (6), without affecting the performance and operations of the apparatus.