Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090162919 | METHODS FOR CONCENTRATING MICROALGAE - The present invention provides commercially viable, large-scale methods for concentrating microalgae with an average diameter of about 20 μm or less. The methods find use in concentrating microalgae with an average diameter of about 5 μm or less, for example, | 06-25-2009 |
20090325270 | USE OF 2-HYDROXY-5-OXOPROLINE IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALGAE - Provided herein are exemplary methods for the use of 2-hydroxy-5-oxoproline in conjunction with algae. One exemplary method includes applying an effective amount of 2-hydroxy-5-oxoproline to algae in an aqueous environment to accelerate creation of a high-cell density of the algae. The effective amount of the 2-hydroxy-5-oxoproline may be approximately 0.1 grams per liter of the aqueous environment, or up to approximately 0.1 grams per liter of the aqueous environment. The effective amount of the 2-hydroxy-5-oxoproline may be applied to the aqueous environment at or near a same time, or applied to the aqueous environment over a period of time. Exemplary algae cultivation systems are also provided herein. One exemplary system includes an aqueous environment having a pale-green mutant | 12-31-2009 |
20100261922 | Systems and Methods for Extracting Lipids from and Dehydrating Wet Algal Biomass - Exemplary methods include centrifuging a wet algal biomass to increase a solid content of the wet algal biomass to between approximately 10% and 40% to result in a centrifuged algal biomass, mixing the centrifuged algal biomass with an amphiphilic solvent to result in a mixture, heating the mixture to result in a dehydrated, defatted algal biomass, separating the amphiphilic solvent from the dehydrated, defatted algal biomass to result in amphiphilic solvent, water and lipids, evaporating the amphiphilic solvent from the water and the lipids, and separating the water from the lipids. The amphiphilic solvent may be selected from a group consisting of acetone, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanone, dimethyl ether, and propionaldehyde. Other exemplary methods include filtering a wet algal biomass through a membrane to increase a solid content of the wet algal biomass to between approximately 10% and 40% to result in a filtered algal biomass. | 10-14-2010 |
20100317088 | Systems and Methods for Extracting Lipids from Wet Algal Biomass - Presented herein are exemplary systems and methods for extracting lipids from a wet algal biomass. An exemplary method comprises lysing a wet algal biomass with an insoluble granular lysing agent to create a lysate, creating a lipid-rich phase in the lysate, and separating the lipid-rich phase from the lysate. An exemplary system comprises a lysing station for creating a lysate from a wet algal biomass and a separation station for creating and separating a lipid-rich phase from the lysate. According to further exemplary systems and methods, ultrasound may be used in place of or in addition to a lysing agent to lyse the wet algal biomass. | 12-16-2010 |
20100330658 | SILICEOUS PARTICLES - Various aspects provide for extracting siliceous particles. Siliceous particles may include or be derived from diatoms. Certain embodiments provide for segregating suspensions into two or more segregation products. In some cases, a first product includes siliceous particles, and a second product may include hydrophobic species. Certain aspects provide for extracting non-siliceous biomass (e.g., lipids). | 12-30-2010 |
20110041386 | Extraction From Suspensions - A suspension may include an aqueous liquid and suspended particles. The particles may include a nonpolar and/or hydrophobic substance (e.g., a lipid) substantially contained within polar and/or hydrophilic exterior layers. A method for extracting the suspended lipids may include adding a nonpolar solvent to the suspension and disrupting the exterior layers to expose the lipids to the nonpolar solvent. In some cases, particles may also include interior hydrophilic portions (e.g., intracellular water), which may be exposed to the aqueous liquid via disruption of the exteriors. The mixture may be accelerated to segregate the mixture into first and second products. The first product may have a majority of the nonpolar and/or hydrophobic substances. The second product may have a majority of the polar substances. | 02-24-2011 |
20110072713 | Processing Lipids - A method for converting lipids to alkyl esters may include receiving a reactant comprising one or more lipids. In some cases, the reactant may include substantial amounts of polar lipids and/or free fatty acids. Some reactants may be derived from photosynthetic organisms, such as algae and/or diatoms. The reactant may be mixed with an alcohol and a catalyst to form a mixture. The mixture may be heated, for example, to a temperature between 50 and 350 degrees Celsius, including between 80 and 220 degrees Celsius. Pressure may be controlled to be between 1 and 200 bar, including between 10 and 100 bar. At least a portion of the reactant may be converted to one or more alkyl esters. A biofuel may include alkyl esters made from lipids according to various methods. | 03-31-2011 |
20110196163 | Systems and Methods for Extracting Lipids from and Dehydrating Wet Algal Biomass - Exemplary methods include centrifuging a wet algal biomass to increase a solid content of the wet algal biomass to between approximately 10% and 40% to result in a centrifuged algal biomass, mixing the centrifuged algal biomass with an amphiphilic solvent to result in a mixture, heating the mixture to result in a dehydrated, defatted algal biomass, separating the amphiphilic solvent from the dehydrated, defatted algal biomass to result in amphiphilic solvent, water and lipids, evaporating the amphiphilic solvent from the water and the lipids, and separating the water from the lipids. The amphiphilic solvent may be selected from a group consisting of acetone, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanone, dimethyl ether, and propionaldehyde. Other exemplary methods include filtering a wet algal biomass through a membrane to increase a solid content of the wet algal biomass to between approximately 10% and 40% to result in a filtered algal biomass. | 08-11-2011 |
20140273176 | Systems and Methods for Utilizing and Recovering Chitosan to Process Biological Material - Systems and methods for processing biological material utilizing chitosan are provided herein. Methods may include the steps of reducing the pH of an amount of culture to about 5 to 7, incorporating an amount of a chitosan solution into the culture to form a mixture, wherein chitosan in the chitosan solution binds to the biological material; increasing the pH of the culture to about 7 to 10, to flocculate biological material in the culture, concentrating the flocculates, reducing the pH of the concentrated flocculates to about 3 to 5, and separating the recovered chitosan solution from the concentrated biological material. | 09-18-2014 |
20140274922 | ALGAL OMEGA 7 COMPOSITIONS - Provided herein are exemplary algal omega 7 compositions, including algal fatty acid compositions comprising by dry weight from about approximately 0.5% to about approximately 99% C16:1 n7 palmitoleic acid (POA). Such algal compositions may also include (either individually or any combination of) by dry weight: from about approximately 0% to about approximately 20% saturated fatty acids; from about approximately 0% to about approximately 99% arachidonic acid; from about approximately 0% to about 99% docosahexaenoic acid; and/or from about approximately 0% to about approximately 99% eicosapentaenoic acid. Further exemplary algal fatty acid compositions may include by dry weight about approximately 90% POA, less than about approximately 20% saturated fatty acids, less than about approximately 10% ARA, substantially no DHA, and less than about approximately 10% EPA. | 09-18-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120198682 | EDGE CONVEYOR BELT SOLAR STRING ASSEMBLY DEVICE - The present invention is directed to a process for pre-assembly of a solar panel string for a solar canopy, the process comprising aligning a plurality of solar panels onto an edge conveyor, wherein belts of the edge conveyor contact and support the bottom of the plurality of solar panels at opposite longitudinal ends of each solar panel and aligning a solar panel support channel below the plurality of solar panels; and attaching the solar panel support channel to the plurality of solar panels, thereby forming a solar panel string assembly. | 08-09-2012 |
20120198696 | SOLAR STRING ASSEMBLY PROCESS - The present invention is directed to a process for aligning two solar panel support channels substantially parallel in a substantially planar pre-assembly tool, wherein the pre-assembly tool has two solar panel support channels guides for receiving and aligning the two solar panel support channels substantially parallel to one another; aligning a plurality of solar panels on top of the two solar panel support channels near opposing edges of each solar panel; and attaching the plurality of solar panels to the two solar panel support channels, thereby forming a solar panel string assembly. | 08-09-2012 |
20120199266 | ROBOTIC SOLAR PANEL STRING ASSEMBLY PROCESS - The present invention is directed to a process for manufacture of a solar panel string assembly for a solar canopy including: horizontally aligning two solar panel support channels substantially parallel to one another; applying an adhesive with a robotic tool to an upper portion of the solar panel support channels, the robotic tool comprising a fixed track aligned parallel with the two solar panel support channels, a robotic arm assembly movably supported by the track, a positioning member for adjusting the position of the robotic arm assembly along the track, and wherein the robotic arm comprises an adhesive applicator and a vacuum lift component; and lifting with the vacuum lift component of the robot arm assembly of the robotic tool and aligning a solar panel on top of the two solar panel support channels near opposing edges of the solar panel. | 08-09-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120308235 | Integrated Commercial Communications Network Using Radio Frequency and Free Space Optical Data Communication - A stabilized ultra-high bandwidth capacity transceiver system that combines an E-band (71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz) millimeter wave RF transceiver with an eye-safe adaptive optics Free Space Optical (FSO) transceiver as a combined apparatus for simultaneous point-to-point commercial communications. The apparatus has a high degree of assured carrier availability under stressing environmental conditions. The apparatus establishes and maintains pointing and stabilization of mmW RF and FSO optical beams between adjacent line of sight apparatuses. The apparatus can rapidly acquire and reacquire the FSO optical carrier link in the event the optical carrier link is impaired due to adverse weather. | 12-06-2012 |
20140248048 | SIMPLE LOW COST TIP-TILT WAVEFRONT SENSOR HAVING EXTENDED DYNAMIC RANGE - A low cost, high reliability system for correcting aberrations in optical signals is disclosed. A foreoptic assembly, such as a telescope, receives an incoming optical signal and directs it to an active optical element, such as a fast steering mirror. The incoming optical signal is diffracted by a diffractive optical element to shape the image that is formed at a wavefront sensor, such as a quad-cell. The wavefront sensor measures a tip-tilt aberration of the incoming optical signal and the active optical element is adjusted to correct the measured aberration. An outgoing optical signal can be transmitted along substantially the same optical path as the incoming optical signal, but in the opposite direction. Thus, the aberration measured from the incoming optical signal can be automatically accounted for in the outgoing optical signal. | 09-04-2014 |
20150098707 | Integrated Commercial Communications Network Using Radio Frequency and Free Space Optical Data Communication - A stabilized ultra-high bandwidth capacity transceiver system that combines an E-band (71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz) millimeter wave RF transceiver with an eye-safe adaptive optics Free Space Optical (FSO) transceiver as a combined apparatus for simultaneous point-to-point commercial communications. The apparatus has a high degree of assured carrier availability under stressing environmental conditions. The apparatus establishes and maintains pointing and stabilization of mmW RF and FSO optical beams between adjacent line of sight apparatuses. The apparatus can rapidly acquire and reacquire the FSO optical carrier link in the event the optical carrier link is impaired due to adverse weather. | 04-09-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090074261 | INTERACTIVE SYSTEM FOR RECOGNITION ANALYSIS OF MULTIPLE STREAMS OF VIDEO - A method of identifying an object captured in a video image in a multi-camera video surveillance system is disclosed. Sets of identifying information are stored in profiles, each profile being associated with one object. The disclosed method of identifying an object includes comparing identifying information extracted from images captured by the video surveillance system to one or more stored profiles. A confidence score is calculated for each comparison and used to determine a best match between the extracted set of identifying information and an object. In one embodiment, the method is used as part of a facial recognition system incorporated into a video surveillance system. | 03-19-2009 |
20100080492 | GROUPING ITEMS IN VIDEO STREAM IMAGES INTO EVENTS - A technique is disclosed for determining when to close a group of a plurality of groups. A closed group is one to which an image set may not be added. Each group includes one or more image sets. Each image set includes one or more images of at least one object. Each group corresponds to an object that is common among images in the one or more image sets that belong to the group. Determining when to close a particular group is based, at least in part, on one or more factors, such as how many image sets are in the particular group, the length of time the particular group has been open, and data about the one or more image sets in the particular group. | 04-01-2010 |
20140022387 | SPECIFYING SEARCH CRITERIA FOR SEARCHING VIDEO DATA - A method and apparatus is described for specifying regions of interest within a two-dimensional view of visual information that comprises a series of frames. Visual changes that occur in the view are stored. A user enters search criteria that specify at least one first region of interest within the view and a visual change. A visual change may include a change in pixel values or a detection of motion of one or more objects within the view. The first search criteria are compared against the stored visual changes to identify a sequence of frames in which the specified visual change occurred within the first region of interest. The search criteria may specify multiple regions of interest, each with one or more types of visual changes. If a motion is specified, then a direction, speed, and behavior of a moving object may also be specified. | 01-23-2014 |