Moist Membranes for Cultivation and Collection of Algae
Background: Mass cultivation of algae for biofuel production has focused on the use of open ponds or closed bioreactors. Both approaches depend upon routine liquid culturing of the algae and require the removal of large quantities of water at the time of cell harvesting and subsequent extraction of desired products. This invention proposes the use of porous inert membranes to support the growth and subsequent harvesting of the algae.