Technology

Automated flow, from growth to harvest. The above is a simplified flow chat of the Lumidyn Sciences approach to growing algae in a photobioreactor. The process requires a partnership with a large realatively clean commercial CO2 emissions source. Using a specific infusion technique, the CO2 is added to Pacific Rim's salt water glow tanks to grow algae in large vats through the process of photosynthasis. The algae then undergo's a proprietary sonic separation process. The resulting oils can then be used for such things as biodiesel, nutraceuticals, and other oil based products.

Benefits of the Pacific Rim Photobioreactor

Initially Pacific Rim BioEnergy was not a company that maintained it's own technology. It was our goal to licence the best technologies available to avoid the extreme costs of research and development. As a result we needed to understand the pro's and con's of all the different algae culturing processes of which there are 4 in total. Each of these processes have a wide assortment of pros and cons and although we are provided a single reason why we choose not to follow up on this form of growth, the real response is both not so simple and requires a significant amount of explaination. That being said the following is a summary of why we elected to work with the photobioreactor technology Lumidyn Sciences.

1. Open Pond Algae Farming (open-photoautotrophic) - For algae to grow efficiently it requires a narrow temperature band. Not only an unrealistic expectation in BC but the amount of costly land that is required easily makes this process a non-starter


2. Fermenting (heterotrophic culturing) - A very good algae alternative for Canada, the trouble is that it relies on waste biomatter. This same biomatter is in demand by a wide range of other green technologies including a direct to ethanol opportunity. As feedstocks become harder to obtain, it will undergo a longterm price increase.


3. Photobioreactors (closed-photoautotrophic) - This process showed the least potentila in a 2009 BCIC report but because this process is open to an endless number of variables, upon closer inspection, their conclusions were unsubstantiated. In fact the photobioreactor by Lumidyn Sciences showed the most opportunity of all culturing techniques.


4. Mixotrophic - A combination of fermenting and photobioreactors. This technique has nnot been ruled out yet and could be a good alternative approach while using the Lumidyn Sciences approach to photobioreacotrs.