Spirulina Algae Photobioreactor (2017)

https://www.mikechatzidakis.com/home/2017/7/29/spirulina-algae-photobioreactor

by seesawtron • 6 years ago

66 19 6 years ago

uppopallo2• 6 years ago

This was just mentioned in this talk about spacecraft life support systems: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25590724

I suppose you got it from there as well?

It's surprising how simple a setup this turns out to be, for creating a working bioreactor that produces oxygen.

ranma42• 6 years ago

Also interesting on the spacecraft angle: Apparently spirulina will grow in dilute urine as a growth medium: "Attempts were made to culture Spirulina platensis in human urine directly to achieve biomass production and O2 evolution, for potential application to nutrient regeneration and air revitalization in life support system. The culture results showed that Spirulina platensis grows successfully in diluted human urine, and yields maximal biomass at urine dilution ratios of 140~240" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1361757/

SomaticPirate• 6 years ago

This is quite interesting for improving indoor air quality as well. We know high levels of CO2 cause a cognitive decrease. Maybe the solution is a bioreactor in every meeting room?

deegles• 6 years ago

Someone would have to do the math on how much spirulina + light you’d need to process e.g. a conference room’s worth of adult’s CO2

Palomides2• 6 years ago

enough algae to balance out one person's daily CO2 generation is in the hundreds of gallons, it's a fun idea but wildly impractical compared to opening a window or using a fan

elric• 6 years ago

Define "high levels"?

baybal22• 6 years ago

More likely a calcium hydroxide, or a lithium scrubber, as amine scrubbers will make you smell like a submariner.

labawi2• 6 years ago

Is a bioreactor an amine scrubber?

intrepidhero• 6 years ago

There are a lot of purported uses[1] for algae. The OP talks about oxygen generation[2] and food[3]. I've personally been really interested in cultivating algae as a source of carbon neutral jet fuel[4], specifically for personal energy independence. And, finally as fertilizer[5]. I haven't had time to do any experimentation yet but I'm excited to see that a DIY approach is so accessible.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae#Uses [2] https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/scholars_day_conference/202... [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirulina_(dietary_supplement) [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae_fuel [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seaweed_fertiliser

rripken2• 6 years ago

I remember a great article in Make Magazine that described growing Spirulina. I believe it was this article by Dr. Aaron Wolf Baum:

http://www.algaelab.org/2011/05/09/algaelab-diy-spirulina-ar...

A recent post (11/20/2020) on that blog announces that Dr Baum has started GreenSpring Farms in Brentwood,CA and is selling fresh Spirulina.

https://www.freshspirulina.com/our-spirulina

Spirulina Algae Photobioreactor (2017)

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