Closed Photobioreactor System For Continued Daily In Situ Production Of Ethanol From Genetically Enhanced Photosynthetic Organisms With Means For Separation And Removal Of Ethanol

1 . A photobioreactor closed from the outside environment comprising a chamber which comprises:

a. a headspace;

b. an upper part of the chamber which comprises a translucent or clear region to allow in sunlight;

c. a lower part of the chamber that comprises an aqueous growth medium comprising a culture of genetically enhanced organisms disposed in the aqueous growth medium, wherein said genetically enhanced organisms are selected from the group consisting of algae and cyanobacteria, wherein said genetically enhanced organisms produce ethanol on a continued daily basis from carbon dioxide and water which ethanol enters the aqueous growth medium, and wherein the aqueous growth medium comprises salt at a concentration that is compatible with the functioning of the genetically enhanced organisms that produce ethanol;

d. a plurality of openings for inlet and outlet tubes, wherein there is ea one inlet tube to introduce carbon dioxide into the chamber;

e. an inner surface on the upper part of the chamber upon which the ethanol formed by the genetically enhanced organisms condenses to form a condensed liquid phase also comprising water, wherein the molar ratio of ethanol to water is higher in the condensed liquid phase than in the aqueous growth medium; and

f. a plurality of troughs that collect the condensed liquid phase.

2 . The photobioreactor of claim 1 wherein the aqueous growth medium comprises at least about 35 ppt salt.

3 . The photobioreactor of claim 2 wherein the initial concentration of ethanol in the liquid phase reaction volume is about 0.5% (v/v).

4 . The photobioreactor of claim 3 wherein the temperature of the liquid phase reaction volume is from about 20 degrees Celsius to about 60 degrees Celsius.

5 . The photobioreactor of claim 1 wherein the ratio of ethanol concentration in the head space volume to ethanol concentration in the liquid phase reaction volume is about 3.

6 . The photobioreactor of claim 4 wherein the troughs are supported by a flotation device in contact with the aqueous growth medium.

7 . The photobioreactor of claim 6 wherein the troughs are formed from flexible light transmitting plastic sheet, wherein said troughs are supported by air added to the void formed in the construction of each trough to serve as the flotation device in contact with the aqueous growth medium.

8 . A photobioreactor formed by joining an approximately cylindrical annulus of flexible, visible-light transmitting, plastic sheet to form a closed chamber, further comprising

a. a plurality of openings formed in the chamber for inlet and outlet tubes;

b. a lower part of the chamber that comprises an aqueous growth medium comprising a culture of genetically enhanced organisms disposed in the growth medium, wherein said genetically enhanced organisms are selected from the group consisting of algae and cyanobacteria, wherein said genetically enhanced organisms produce ethanol on a continued daily basis which ethanol enters the growth medium, wherein the aqueous growth medium comprises at least about 35 ppt salt and wherein the concentration of salt in the aqueous growth medium is compatible with the functioning of the genetically enhanced organisms that produce ethanol;

c. an upper part of the chamber, comprising a headspace above the aqueous growth medium, wherein the headspace comprises carbon dioxide;

d. an inner surface on the upper part of the chamber upon which the ethanol formed by said organisms condenses to form a condensed liquid phase also comprising water, wherein the molar ratio of ethanol to water is higher in the condensed liquid phase than in the aqueous growth medium; and

e. a plurality of troughs for the collection of the condensed liquid phase.