Patents by Inventor Arnaud Muller-Feuga
Arnaud Muller-Feuga has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9663749Abstract: Reaction casing (1) for a photosynthetic reactor suitable for cultivating photosynthetic microorganisms, in particular algae, said reaction casing (1) being designed for both floating on an expanse of water and defining a path for a gas/liquid culture medium to flow in two phases between a first and a second opening (11, 12) of said casing. The casing comprises, on the one hand, an upper membrane (31) and a lower membrane (32) made at least partially of a flexible material, hermetically sealed and transparent to light radiation, said membranes being hermetically connected to one another by connecting lines (41, 42) defining inflatable cells (33, 34) and, on the other hand, connection elbows (35, 36) joining said cells in pairs to define the course of flow in a generally sinuous form, one of the cells (33) being fluidly linked to the first opening and another cell (34) being fluidly linked to the second opening (12).Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2012Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: MICROPHYTInventors: Arnaud Muller-Feuga, Michel Lemar
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Patent number: 9290733Abstract: Methods for cultivating photosynthetic microorganisms are described. The method includes the steps of injecting a liquid culture medium into a photosynthetic reactor according to a controlled flow rate, injecting a gas into the reactor according to a controlled flow rate through a gas injector of the reactor so that the gas injected through the gas injector moves up to as far as the exhaust by circulating in the reaction pipe, in a direction of circulation from the low end to as far as the high end of the reaction pipe, circulating the liquid culture medium with the circulation device, and controlling the circulation device and the gas injector in order to establish in at least one substantially horizontal reaction section of the reaction pipe gas/liquid two-phase flow conditions of the laminated flow or slug flow or elongated bubble flow type.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2015Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: MICROPHYTInventor: Arnaud Muller-Feuga
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Publication number: 20150225689Abstract: Methods for cultivating photosynthetic microorganisms are described. The method includes the steps of injecting a liquid culture medium into a photosynthetic reactor according to a controlled flow rate, injecting a gas into the reactor according to a controlled flow rate through a gas injector of the reactor so that the gas injected through the gas injector moves up to as far as the exhaust by circulating in the reaction pipe, in a direction of circulation from the low end to as far as the high end of the reaction pipe, circulating the liquid culture medium with the circulation device, and controlling the circulation device and the gas injector in order to establish in at least one substantially horizontal reaction section of the reaction pipe gas/liquid two-phase flow conditions of the laminated flow or slug flow or elongated bubble flow type.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2015Publication date: August 13, 2015Inventor: Arnaud MULLER-FEUGA
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Patent number: 9040283Abstract: A photosynthetic reactor (1) suitable for cultivating photosynthetic microorganisms, notably algae, comprising at least one photosynthetic reaction pipe (2) at least one return pipe (3), at least one means (4) for circulating the liquid culture medium, at least one gas injection means (5) and at least one exhaust means (6) positioned in the high portion of the reactor (1), wherein the placement of the gas injection means (5) and/or the conformation of the reaction pipe (2) or of the return pipe (3) are designed so that the gas injected by the injection means (5) rises again to the exhaust means (6) by circulating in the reaction pipe (2), in a low-to-high flow direction, so that the injected gas and the liquid culture medium establish a gas/liquid two-phase flow in a substantially horizontal reaction section (23) of the reaction channel (2). The present invention finds application in the field of cultivating photosynthetic microorganisms and notably algae.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2010Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: MICROPHYTInventor: Arnaud Muller-Feuga
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Publication number: 20140335598Abstract: Reaction casing (1) for a photosynthetic reactor suitable for cultivating photosynthetic microorganisms, in particular algae, said reaction casing (1) being designed for both floating on an expanse of water and defining a path for a gas/liquid culture medium to flow in two phases between a first and a second opening (11, 12) of said casing. The casing comprises, on the one hand, an upper membrane (31) and a lower membrane (32) made at least partially of a flexible material, hermetically sealed and transparent to light radiation, said membranes being hermetically connected to one another by connecting lines (41, 42) defining inflatable cells (33, 34) and, on the other hand, connection elbows (35, 36) joining said cells in pairs to define the course of flow in a generally sinuous form, one of the cells (33) being fluidly linked to the first opening and another cell (34) being fluidly linked to the second opening (12).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2012Publication date: November 13, 2014Inventors: Arnaud Muller-Feuga, Michel Lemar
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Patent number: 8822199Abstract: Reaction jacket for a photosynthetic reactor, configured to float on an expanse of water and to define a gas/liquid culture medium diphasic flow path between first and second openings of the reaction jacket, the jacket including two sheaths, outer and inner, respectively, at least partially made from a material transparent to light radiation, the inner sheath extending inside the outer sheath such that these sheaths define an inter-sheath space between them in fluid connection with the first opening of the jacket, where the outer sheath has an open proximal end and a closed distal end, and the inner sheath has an open proximal end in fluid connection with the second opening of the jacket and a distal end provided with at least one communication orifice between the inside of the inner sheath and the inter-sheath space.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2010Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: MicrophytInventors: Arnaud Muller-Feuga, Michel Lemar
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Publication number: 20120231528Abstract: “A reaction casing for a photosynthetic reactor designed firstly to float on a body of water and secondly to delimit a biphasic flow pathway for gas/liquid culture medium between a first and a second opening of the casing, where the casing includes two claddings, respectively outer and inner, made at least in part of a material transparent to light rays, the inner cladding extending inside the outer cladding so that the claddings delimit between them an inter-cladding space in fluid connection with the first opening of the casing, the outer cladding has an open proximal end and a closed distal end and in the inner cladding has an open proximal end in fluid connection with the second opening of the casing and a distal end provided with at least one communication orifice between the inside of the inner cladding and the inter-cladding space.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2010Publication date: September 13, 2012Applicant: MICROPHYTInventors: Arnaud Muller-Feuga, Michel Lemar
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Publication number: 20120021498Abstract: A photosynthetic reactor (1) suitable for cultivating photosynthetic microorganisms, notably algae, comprising at least one photosynthetic reaction pipe (2) at least one return pipe (3), at least one means (4) for circulating the liquid culture medium, at least one gas injection means (5) and at least one exhaust means (6) positioned in the high portion of the reactor (1), wherein the placement of the gas injection means (5) and/or the conformation of the reaction pipe (2) or of the return pipe (3) are designed so that the gas injected by the injection means (5) rises again to the exhaust means (6) by circulating in the reaction pipe (2), in a low-to-high flow direction, so that the injected gas and the liquid culture medium establish a gas/liquid two-phase flow in a substantially horizontal reaction section (23) of the reaction channel (2). The present invention finds application in the field of cultivating photosynthetic microorganisms and notably algae.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2010Publication date: January 26, 2012Applicant: MICROPHYTInventor: Arnaud Muller-Feuga
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Publication number: 20110111484Abstract: Reaction jacket for a photosynthetic reactor, configured to float on an expanse of water and to define a gas/liquid culture medium diphasic flow path between first and second openings of the reaction jacket, the jacket including two sheaths, outer and inner, respectively, at least partially made from a material transparent to light radiation, the inner sheath extending inside the outer sheath such that these sheaths define an inter-sheath space between them in fluid connection with the first opening of the jacket, where the outer sheath has an open proximal end and a closed distal end, and the inner sheath has an open proximal end in fluid connection with the second opening of the jacket and a distal end provided with at least one communication orifice between the inside of the inner sheath and the inter-sheath space.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2010Publication date: May 12, 2011Applicant: MICROPHYTInventors: Arnaud MULLER-FEUGA, Michel LEMAR
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Patent number: 6815204Abstract: The invention relates to a method of improving the transfer in an annular biological reaction chamber defined by coaxial inner and outer walls (11, 12) and in which there flows a liquid reaction medium containing a culture of microorganisms or of cells from vegetable or animal macroorganisms in suspension. At least one of the walls is an exchange wall enabling gaseous or liquid matter to be transferred or allowing light to pass through. The reaction medium is subjected to a turbulent primary flow that is helical and that under the action of centrifugal force creates rotary secondary vortices so as to encourage renewal of the culture in the vicinity of the exchange wall.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2002Date of Patent: November 9, 2004Assignee: Institut Francais de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)Inventors: Arnaud Muller-Feuga, Jack Legrand, Jérémy Pruvost, Patrick Legentilhomme, Roland Leguedes
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Publication number: 20030170884Abstract: The invention relates to a method of improving the transfer in an annular biological reaction chamber defined by coaxial inner and outer walls (11, 12) and in which there flows a liquid reaction medium containing a culture of microorganisms or of cells from vegetable or animal macroorganisms in suspension. At least one of the walls is an exchange wall enabling gaseous or liquid matter to be transferred or allowing light to pass through. The reaction medium is subjected to a turbulent primary flow that is helical and that under the action of centrifugal force creates rotary secondary vortices so as to encourage renewal of the culture in the vicinity of the exchange wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2002Publication date: September 11, 2003Inventors: Arnaud Muller- Feuga, Jack Legrand, Jeremy Pruvost, Patrick Legentilhomme, Roland Leguedes
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Patent number: 6492149Abstract: The invention relates to a method of improving the yield of a photobioreactor of the continuously operating recirculation type as a function of the species of micro-organism being cultured, of the thickness d of the chambers (10) of the reactor, and of the final concentration desired for the culture. In the method, transparent or respecting particles (15) are introduced into the reaction medium (11), which particles are of a density that is substantially equal to that of the reaction medium, thereby adjusting absorbance of the microorganism culture to optimum levels. The invention is mainly applicable to culturing phototropic micro-organisms.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2001Date of Patent: December 10, 2002Assignee: Institut Francais de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la MerInventor: Arnaud Muller-Feuga
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Patent number: 4205625Abstract: A chamber for breeding and raising marine animals such as fish. The chamber is usable particularly in open water and is composed of a flexible film of plastic material which is inert with respect to a marine environment. The arrangement includes a pump for introducing water under a pressure greater than the surrounding environment into the chamber, and discharge openings through which the water discharges. A farm for raising marine animals can include at least one such chamber connected to a support spar, in the water, and extending vertically. Torus shaped water inflatable rims can be used to maintain the shape of a chamber.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 1978Date of Patent: June 3, 1980Assignee: Agence Nationale de Valorisation de la Recherche (ANVAR)Inventor: Arnaud Muller-Feuga