OriginOil Adopts Cascading Production Process to Attain Dramatic Increase in Algae Growth
– Helix BioReactor Configuration is Key to Exponential Daily Algae Harvests –
Los Angeles, CA – June 24, 2008 – OriginOil, Inc. (OTCBB: OOIL), the developer of a breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, announced today its adoption of a continuous batch production process it has termed OriginOil Cascading Production™.
Algae growers already know that algae can expand rapidly if given the space. Once fully mature, it will then stabilize and grow very little. Expand the space by a factor of ten, and the algae population will explode to occupy the new volume – in as little as a day.
This is called the ‘log phase’, or ‘logarithmic phase’, a period of growth when cells increase exponentially. Growers typically incubate an algae population in a smaller vessel and then release it into a larger tank, to turn over production rapidly and achieve continuous batch processing.
OriginOil’s Helix BioReactor™ growth vessel adds the efficiency needed to combine incubation and larger tanks in one. Once the algae matures, 90% of it is transferred for harvesting, and the ‘green’ water purified and returned to the growth tank. The remaining 10% is then allowed to expand into the Helix BioReactor, and the process is repeated.
“OriginOil’s Cascading Production is unique because the expansion tank is the same as the incubation tank”, said Director of Development Nicholas Eckelberry. He went on to explain, “You don’t have to re-incubate each batch: The remaining algae culture is already mature and is ready to enter the log phase after each harvest.”
Paul Reep, senior technical advisor, added, “With as many as 24 growth planes per foot of depth, the Helix BioReactor is aimed at enabling Cascading Production. We look forward to demonstrating this in our forthcoming prototype and pilot systems.”