Tank Design
Our patented tank design significantly increases the volume that is sufficiently lit for algal growth. This allows cultures to grow even denser before light becomes limiting.
LEDs
Our custom LED spectrum is optimized for algae. Fanless LEDs and waterproof drivers deliver long life in harsh environments.
User Interface
With touchscreen controls, optimizing culture parameters is literally at your fingertips. Proprietary software logs and graphs culture conditions in real-time, allowing users to adjust critical parameters to optimize production.
pH Control
Our bioreactors constantly measure pH using an integrated probe, and automatically add carbon dioxide to maintain the desired pH. The pH can be easily changed at any time using the touchscreen controls, or remotely from an enabled device.
Temperature
Each reactor has closed loop temperature control. A heat exchanger and temperature control unit heat or cool your culture to maintain the desired temperature. This provides the freedom to grow temperate or tropical species in our PBRs.
Density Sensor
Our proprietary density sensor gives operators insight into what is happening with algae inside the photobioreactor. Users can manipulate vital parameters and see responses in real-time, allowing for more productive, reliable, and longer lasting algae cultures.
Media Filtration
Water entering the bioreactor passes through several levels of filtration to remove contaminant organisms. Water is first ultrafiltered, and then UV sterilized before passing through a final 0.1µm absolute capsule filter.
Harvest
The bioreactors can automatically harvest semi-continuously, continuously or on a programmed schedule. They automatically refill from harvest with the desired volume of fresh media. At any point samples can be taken for analysis, or the entire reactor can be harvested as a batch.
Circulation
Air and CO2 are passed through a micron filter then sparged into the bottom of the tank, creating an airlift that circulates water throughout the tank. The aeration moves algae between brightly lit and cell shaded areas to ensure cells have regular access to light.
Cleaning & Sterilizing
Industrial Plankton's bioreactors are built with biosecurity in mind, using triclamps, autoclavable tubing, and a built in cleaning system. Cleaning is done in stages: first a detergent spray cycle is used to remove biofilms, then a bleach spray cycle to sterilize.
Inoculation
Inoculation is simple, just hook up an inoculant carboy or flask to the machine's harvest peristaltic pump, then press a button to draw the culture into the bioreactor without ever coming in contact with the outside world, reducing the chance of contamination by outside organisms.
PLC Based Control
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) are used throughout the world to automate mission critical industrial processed. Our PLCs deliver consistent reliable control, ensuring all vital parameters are constantly controlled, monitored, and logged.
How it Works
1. Order & Install
Your algae equipment ships directly from our facility. Uncrate and set it up in less than 4 hours
2. Inoculation
Inoculate with a small volume of clean algae using biosecure disconnects
5. Clean
Run the clean-in-place (CIP) system to clean the reactor before repeating inoculation
3. Scale Up
Add nutrients and water automatically, while temperature and pH are constantly regulated to optimize algae growth
4. Harvest
The PBR automatically harvests continuously for months, or the entire batch can be harvested at any time