Abstract: Aspects of seaweed bioreactor apparatus, methods, and systems are described. One aspect is a method comprising: scaling a seaweed biomass and a culture medium in a light-transmitting vessel located in a light-controlling enclosure; and sampling or harvesting the seaweed biomass without unsealing the light-transmitting vessel by: causing, with a controller, a light source to output an artificial light into the light-controlling enclosure that illuminates the seaweed biomass; outputting, with a sensor in communication with the controller, sensory data associated with the culture medium; modifying, with the controller, at least one of the artificial light or the culture medium responsive to the sensory data; intermittently mixing and cutting, with the controller, the seaweed biomass in the light-transmitting vessel; and removing a portion of the seaweed biomass from the light-transmitting vessel and the light-controlling enclosure. Related seaweed bioreactor apparatus, methods, and systems also are described.

Abstract: One aspect of this disclosure is a method for maintaining a plankton population in a culture medium by removing particles from the culture medium. The method may comprise rotating a filter body to lift the particles from the culture medium with a filter of the filter body, positioning the filter relative to a conduit so that a first portion of the lifted particles fall into the conduit, directing a removal fluid toward the filter body to move a second portion of the lifted particles off the filter and into the conduit with impact forces applied by the removal fluid, and/or outputting an effluent flow from the conduit. The effluent flow may comprise the first and second portions of the lifted particles and a portion of the removal fluid. Aspects of related apparatus, methods, and systems also are disclosed.

Abstract: A bioreactor for culturing cells in a liquid environment is provided that is designed to reduce the chance of contamination, contain the contamination should it occur, and readily clean and sterilize all or part of the bioreactor in response to contamination, or on a schedule. A processor-controlled method of promoting sterility in a bioreactor is also provided.