US 2015.0034539A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2015/0034539 A1 Farrish (43) Pub. Date: Feb. 5, 2015 (54) ALGAE SCRUBBER MACROALGAL 2012, provisional application No. 61/703,726, filed on ATTACHMENT MATERALS - APPENDAGES Sep. 20, 2012, provisional application No. 61/739,703, filed on Dec. 19, 2012. (71) Applicant: Bryan H. Farrish, Santa Monica, CA (US) Publication Classification (72) Inventor: Bryan H. Farrish, Santa Monica, CA (51) Int. Cl. (US) CO2F 3/32 (2006.01) AOIG 33/00 (2006.01) (21) Appl. No.: 14/380,926 CO2F 3/10 (2006.01) (52) U.S. Cl. (22) PCT Filed: Mar. 8, 2013 CPC ................. C02F 3/322 (2013.01); C02F 3/109 (2013.01); A0IG33/00 (2013.01); CO2F (86). PCT No.: PCT/US2013/030019 2203/006 (2013.01); C02F 2101/105 (2013.01) S371 (c)(1), USPC .......................................................... 210/150 (2) Date: Aug. 25, 2014 (57) ABSTRACT An apparatus for macroalgal attachment in an algae scrubber Related U.S. Application Data or seaweed cultivator comprising a set of discrete non-con (60) Provisional application No. 61/644,376, filed on May nected appendages extending from a Support member Such 8, 2012, provisional application No. 61/649,921, filed that the appendages receive water flow and illumination so as on May 21, 2012, provisional application No. 61/663, to cause macroalgae to attach to and grow on said append 602, filed on Jun. 24, 2012, provisional application No. ages, whereby said macroalgal growth can be comb harvested 61/671,024, filed on Jul. 12, 2012, provisional appli to provide useful biomass or to remove nutrients from the cation No. 61/675,305, filed on Jul. 24, 2012, provi water. Attachment textures and growth compartments are also sional application No. 61/679,643, filed on Aug. 3, claimed. Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 1 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 110 FIG. 1A (Prior Art) Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 2 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 p006/019/N XJECTFOE) p?9C]© Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 3 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 Waterfall delivery I63S S 102 S. 120KS (S SS Layer Of dead grOWith 126 Healthy grOWith 124 -20mm FIG. 10 (Prior Art) Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 4 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 XJEGÁll?ôIISHER XJEGFEJ Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 5 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 Width (W) 406B 404A Width ThickneSS 4.% Y () 402A F 406A 402B FIG. 4A FIG. 4B Width Width 404 % 402C 48% 402D FIG. 4C FIG. 4D : 402F to, idth Width 402E (W)I 404F(W) FIG. 4F Ay Width ThiCKneSS (W) (t) 404H 406E 402H FIG. 4E Width (W) FIG. 4H 404G ThickneSS alsot 402 s 40202G FIG. 4G 404 FIG. 4 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 6 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 (, 09S 2 Lu SuOOld Our) MISueuil Jubil S ld S S S S s / s O CO Y (l, Mp f3 IOur) MIMIlanpOld \ l- l- S O ld Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 7 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 OutSide Of GaS Bubble iS Wet N FIG. 6 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 9 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 804 100 -802 81 Illumination ratio (IR) WS. appendage Width (W) (r. = Radius of appendage edge) IR 41 808 806 W(mm) FIG. 8A 100 1. 812 814 Illumination ratio (IR) IR 50 WS. rope diameter (D) 816 D (mm) FIG. BB Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 10 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 L O is N CS SS s SSS l ss S N O &SSS. S AS's l CN S Q) S. QS SSS S& S S S S N l as SSN S. SSSSS O es Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 11 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 1. 1000 No.ssssssssssssssº aegssssssssssSS™*R= §SSSSSSSSSSSS:ss§s Jssssssssssss§** !<sssssssssssssès FIG. 10 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 12 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 - 1100 Appendage Jssssssssss*SS length §§§ Jssssssssssssss*SSSSSSS Jssssssssssssss*§§§§SSS sssssssSSSSSSSSSS) sssssssssssssssssSSSSSSSSS§ JsssssssssssssssssSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS** sssssssssssssssssssssssssSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSŠŠšš? (SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS$§§§) §šŠSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS:sssssssssssr 1 106 FIG. 11 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 13 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 S SV as: S$84.ES E.S8. R CN M 8S SESS E2%88 8:38 R8KSE. S. ABS: Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 14 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 1304 1308 FIG. 13 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 15 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 16 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 FIG. 15 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 17 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 1. 1600 :S Jssssssssssss* JºssssssssssssSS?* SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS$§§§§§§§ Jsssssssssssssss*SSS§§§ !sssssssssssssssssSSSSSSSSSSSŠšs* FIG. 16 Jssssssssssssssssssssss* Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 18 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 Appendage ?--Ss length –ssssssssssssssss[]SSSSSS L-ºsssssssssssssssssssssssss< L-OSSSSSSSSsssssssssss SSS !—sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss L-OSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSŠ &&&&&&&&--------SSSS §§§§§******sSSSSSSSSSSSSSsss! ?SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS: ?SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS:ss ||L:$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$§§ L–No.šsSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSssssssssssssssssè §§§ ?l-3`*ssssssssssssssssssssssNo. §§§§§§*****ssssssssssssss:JY FIG. 17 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 19 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 20 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 Kt Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 21 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 22 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 23 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 FIG. 24 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 24 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 2504B Wall 2510 2512 FIG. 25 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 25 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 26 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 2710 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 27 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 FIG. 28 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 28 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 -2900 Maximum CrOSS SeCtional distance 2906 FIG. 29 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 29 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 3004 3006 Airlift height 3012 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 30 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 -3100 3110 FIG. 31 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 31 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 3202 Kfall height 3208 FIG. 32 Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 32 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 s s Patent Application Publication Feb. 5, 2015 Sheet 33 of 33 US 2015/0034539 A1 3412 FIG. 34 US 2015/0034539 A1 Feb. 5, 2015 ALGAE SCRUBBER MACROALGAL This is a primary reason that prior art attachment Surfaces are ATTACHMENT MATERALS-APPENDAGES usually removed from operation before harvesting. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED 0005 Moreover, as can be seen from FIG. 1B, algal APPLICATIONS growth on prior art planar attachment Surfaces is not optimal. In particular, the bands Surrounding planar attachment Sur 0001. This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provi face 104 represent a cross-section of algal growth on the sional Application No. 61/609,280, filed Mar. 10, 2012, U.S. surface, and the arrows 110, 112, 114, 116 and 118 represent Provisional Application No. 61/644,376, filed May 8, 2012, the penetration of illumination into that growth. The “mac U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/649,921, filed May 21, roalgal growth' legend shows levels of darkness of the bands 2012, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/663,602, filed Jun. 24, 2012, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/671,024, filed 130, 132 and 134 which represent the growth state of the Jul. 12, 2012, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/675,305, algae: furthest from the attachment surface 104 is new growth filed Jul. 24, 2012, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/679, 134 that has not been grown-over yet; as you move in further 643, filed Aug. 3, 2012, U.S. Provisional Application No. towards the attachment surface 104, however, the legend rep resents darker growth 132 which has been shaded by the 61/703,726, filed Sep. 20, 2012, and U.S. Provisional Appli newer outer growth. This darker growth does not produce cation No. 61/739,703, filed Dec. 19, 2012. algal biomass or filtering very fast, if at all, due to the shading FIELD and blocked water flow. Lastly, the innermost growth band 130 shows the darkest growth, and is representative of near 0002 An embodiment of the invention generally relates to dead or dead algae due to almost completely blocked illumi macroalgal attachment appendages for algae scrubbers that nation and water flow by the outer layers. Unfortunately, it is filter water or nutrients by using illumination to grow mac this innermost section of algae that are the “roots” of all the roalgae on the appendages. Other embodiments are also rest of the algae, and thus this innermost section must main described. tain a secure hold on the attachment surface 104 while the outer algal layers are trying to pull away due to the rapidly BACKGROUND flowing water and/or gas bubble activity on the outer layers. 0003. Many industries rely on “clean' water for proper 0006. As can be seen from FIG. 1B, however, attachment operation. In the current application, “clean' is defined to surface 104 suffers from light blockage in its middle portion mean water that is low in nutrients, specifically: Inorganic because this section does not benefit from side-illumination. Nitrate, Inorganic Phosphate, Nitrite, Ammonia, Ammo Thus, many times while lifting attachment surface 104 out of nium, and metals such as Copper.