Reactor with electroluminescence particles in the reaction medium

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This patent describes a photoreactor system that uses electroluminescent particles distributed within the reaction medium. These particles can be excited wirelessly by electromagnetic alternating fields emitted from an external device, causing them to emit light inside the reactor. The emitted light activates photo-reactive substances (photo-reactants) or supports the growth of phototrophic organisms such as microalgae. Unlike traditional photoreactors, this system achieves homogeneous illumination throughout the reactor volume without intrusive internal structures that could hinder mixing or up-scaling.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Industrial-scale cultivation of microalgae or cyanobacteria for biofuels, pharmaceuticals, or nutraceuticals production.
• Photochemical water and wastewater treatment, including water splitting for hydrogen production and advanced oxidation processes.
• Chemical synthesis involving photo-catalyzed reactions (e.g., photo-Fenton processes or TiO2-catalyzed processes).
• Biotechnological production in bioreactors needing precise and uniform light delivery for cell or microorganism growth.
• Scale-up of photoreactors for commercial chemical or biological processes, overcoming traditional limitations of light penetration.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables homogeneous light distribution within the reaction medium, improving process efficiency and consistency.
• Wireless excitation of light-emitting particles removes the need for internal light guides or optical fibers, minimizing obstruction to fluid mixing and material transport.
• Facilitates reactor scale-up, as performance is no longer limited by the ratio of transparent wall area to reactor volume.
• Reduces risk of local photoinhibition or ‘dark zones’ by ensuring all reaction volumes receive uniform light.
• Provides flexibility in light wavelength and intensity, enabling optimization for different photoreactions or organisms.
• Potential for reduced operational costs and improved yield in industrial photobioreactors and photochemical processes.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

Use of particles (7) capable of light emission in chemical, biochemical and/or biological reactors (1), is claimed. The reactor comprises at least one emission element (4) for emitting electromagnetic alternating fields in a reaction chamber (5) of the reactor. The particles capable of light emission are introduced into a fluid reaction medium located in the reaction chamber. The reaction medium contains photo reactants (6). The particles are excited to wirelessly emit light that activates the photo reactants, by energy supply to the emission element (4). Independent claims are also included for: (1) a photoreactor comprising a reaction chamber in which a fluid reaction medium is present, where the reaction medium contains particles capable of light emission and photo reactants, and at least one emitting device for emitting electromagnetic alternate current fields to the reaction space of the reactor, which is connected to a power source; (2) cultivating phototrophic cells or organisms, preferably aquatic microorganisms, preferably micro-algae or cyanobacteria, comprising growing cells or organisms in a reaction medium of a photoreactor by supplying or circulating energy to the emission device after a given time and under predetermined reaction conditions; and (3) carrying out chemical photoreactions with the photoreactor comprising exiting at least one chemical substance into an excited singlet or triplet state by absorption of light and allowing the energy to release by chemical reaction of other reactants with the reaction medium, where responds by supplying energy to the emission element after a given time and under specified reaction conditions.