Use of microalgae to remove pollutants from power plant discharges

Patent · Tue Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:7031005

Wilde, E W; Benemann, J R; Weissman, J C; Tillett, D M

A method and system are described for removing pollutants dissolved in the aqueous discharge of a plant, such as a power plant, from a body of water having known hydraulic and physicochemical characteristics, the method comprising (a) modifying the hydraulic system of the body of water including use of physical barriers to define a zone in a portion of the body of water which zone includes the discharge point and where the water has a range of physicochemical characteristics; (b) selecting a large and preferably filamentous, planktonically growing strain of algae adapted to absorb the particular pollutants and genetically dominating algae at the physicochemical characteristics of the zone; (c) establishing a colony of the selected algal strain in the zone; (d) harvesting a portion of the colony; and (e) reinoculating the zone near the discharge point with a fraction of the harvested portion. The fraction used for reinoculation can be adjusted to balance the rate of pollutant removal to the rate of pollutant discharge. 4 figures.

• DOE Contract Number: AC09-76SR00001
• Assignee: PTO; EDB-94-107771
• Patent Number(s): US 5011604; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-476182
• OSTI ID: 7031005
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 7 Feb 1990
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALGAE
SEMIBATCH CULTURE
POLLUTANTS
BIODEGRADATION
POWER PLANTS
SETTLING PONDS
WATER TREATMENT
WASTE WATER
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUID WASTES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
PONDS
SURFACE WATERS
WASTES
WATER
200200* - Fossil-Fueled Power Plants- Waste Management
540320 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)