SUPPLYING BIOREACTOR GASEOUS EFFLUENT TO COMBUSTION PROCESS
There is provided a process of growing a phototrophic biomass in a reaction zone. The reaction zone includes an operative reaction mixture. The operative reaction mixture includes the phototrophic biomass disposed in an aqueous medium. Gaseous exhaust material is produced with a gaseous exhaust material producing process, wherein the gaseous exhaust material includes carbon dioxide. Reaction zone feed material is supplied to the reaction zone of a photobioreactor such that any carbon dioxide of the reaction zone feed material is received by the phototrophic biomass so as to provide a carbon dioxide-enriched phototrophic biomass in the aqueous medium. A discharge of the gaseous exhaust material from the gaseous exhaust material producing process is supplied to the reaction zone feed material and defines a gaseous exhaust material reaction zone supply. The carbon dioxide-enriched phototrophic biomass disposed in the aqueous medium is exposed to photosynthetically active light radiation so as to effect photosynthesis. A reaction zone gaseous effluent being discharged from the reaction zone is recovered. The recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent is contacted with combustible material in a combustion zone to effect combustion of the combustible material.
1 . A process of growing a phototrophic biomass in a reaction zone, wherein the reaction zone includes an operative reaction mixture, wherein the operative reaction mixture includes the phototrophic biomass disposed in an aqueous medium, comprising:
producing gaseous exhaust material with a gaseous exhaust material producing process, wherein the gaseous exhaust material includes carbon dioxide;
supplying reaction zone feed material to the reaction zone such that any carbon dioxide of the reaction zone feed material is received by the phototrophic biomass so as to provide a carbon dioxide-enriched phototrophic biomass in the aqueous medium, wherein a discharge of the gaseous exhaust material from the gaseous exhaust material producing process is supplied to the reaction zone feed material and defines a gaseous exhaust material reaction zone supply, wherein the gaseous exhaust material reaction zone supply includes carbon dioxide;
exposing the carbon dioxide-enriched phototrophic biomass disposed in the aqueous medium to photosynthetically active light radiation so as to effect photosynthesis;
recovering a reaction zone gaseous effluent being discharged from the reaction zone; and
contacting the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent with combustible material in a combustion zone to effect combustion of the combustible material.
2 . The process as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent is supplied to the combustion zone.
3 . The process as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent includes diatomic oxygen.
4 . The process as claimed in claim 3 ;
wherein the diatomic oxygen is gaseous.
5 . The process as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent is enriched in gaseous oxygen relative to the gaseous exhaust material reaction zone supply.
6 . The process as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein the combustion zone is disposed in a combustion process unit operation.
7 . The process as claimed in claim 6 ;
wherein the combustion process unit operation includes any one of a fossil fuel-fired power plant, an industrial incineration facility, an industrial furnace, an industrial heater, an internal combustion engine, and a cement kiln.
8 . The process as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein the contacting of the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent with a combustible material is effected while the gaseous exhaust material is being produced by the gaseous exhaust material producing process.
9 . The process as claimed in claim 8 ;
wherein the contacting of the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent with a combustible material is effected while the gaseous exhaust material reaction zone supply is being supplied to the reaction zone feed material.
10 . The process as claimed in claim 9 ;
wherein the contacting of the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent with a combustible material is effected while the reaction zone feed material is being supplied to the reaction zone.
11 . The process as claimed in claim 10 ;
wherein the exposing of the carbon dioxide-enriched phototrophic biomass disposed in the aqueous medium to photosynthetically active light radiation is effected while the contacting of the recovered reaction zone gaseous effluent with a combustible material is being effected.