Irkutsk scientists have managed to develop an effective bioreactor, which will be powered by thermophiles (heat-loving microorganisms). This breakthrough is part of a large-scale project intended to develop advanced technologies to raise the efficiency of greenhouses in Siberia, reports "Cherepovets information site."
This "smart" greenhouse, in which it is possible to grow vegetables all year round, is equipped with an automated control system, an energy efficient heater, irrigation and water circulation systems and a bioreactor. The bioreactor, which is a cylinder with temperature sensors, aeration systems and heat dissipation, is designed to maintain a certain temperature, required for the survival of thermophiles.
The development can be compared to analogue biogas bioreactors in agriculture, but the novelty introduced by Irkutsk scientists is that the system will generate heat rather than gas. The most noteworthy features are its cheapness and high efficiency. Developers have run a number of tests on some prototypes, which showed a relatively high level of heat transfer, with the reactor warming up to 60 °C.
Source: strf.ru