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Studies on light intensity distribution inside an open pond photo-bioreactor

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Abstract

Light intensity profiles inside an open tank were studied using ANSYS Fluent. Experiments were performed by taking Scenedesmus arcuatus, green microalgae at three different concentrations under actual sunlight conditions. Absorption of light intensity at different depths was measured experimentally. The results generated from CFD simulations were compared with the experimental results and the cornet model. It has been found that there is a good agreement between the light intensity profile obtained from the CFD simulation and that calculated using the Cornet’s model. Light intensity profiles at different depths were calculated using CFD simulation by varying the dimensions of the tank. The effect of wall reflectivity, diffuse fraction and scattering phase function on light profile in side open tank are also studied using CFD simulation.

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Abbreviations

PBR:

Photo-bioreactor

PAR:

Photo synthetically active radiation (μmol m−2s−1 or photons)

RTE:

Radiative transport equation

DO:

Discrete ordinate Method

OD:

Optical density

A :

Absorbance

L :

Light path length (m)

n :

Refractive index of the medium

σ :

Stefan–Boltzmann constant

T :

Local temperature (K)

Ф:

Phase function

Ω′:

Solid angle (sr−1)

X :

Microalgae density (kg/m3)

E a :

Mass absorption coefficient (m2/kg)

E s :

Mass scattering coefficient (m2/kg)

I 0 :

Incident radiation (μmol m−2s−1)

I :

Local radiation intensity (μmol m−2s−1)

\(\mathop r\limits^{ \to }\) :

Position vector

\(\overrightarrow {s}\) :

Direction vector

\(\overrightarrow {s}^{\prime }\) :

Scattering direction vector

σ s :

Scattering coefficient (m−1)

k :

Absorption coefficient (m−1)

β :

Extinction coefficient (m−1)

ω :

Single scattering albedo

N :

Cell number density (cells/m3)

τ :

Transmittivity

ε :

Molar absorptivity

f d :

Diffuse fraction

q :

Radiative flux (W/m2)

Band-0:

400–500 nm

Band-1:

500–650 nm

Band-2:

650–700 nm

λ :

At particular wavelength

w :

Wall

In:

Incoming

Out:

Outgoing

a :

Absorption

s :

Scattering

d :

Diffuse

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Acknowledgments

We greatly acknowledge Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, New Delhi for funding this project (DST/IS-STAC/CO2-SR-12/07).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Technology, CEESAT, Tiruchirappalli, India

    Ramakant Pandey, Akhilesh Sahu, Vasumathi K. K & Premalatha M

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  1. Ramakant Pandey
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  2. Akhilesh Sahu
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  3. Vasumathi K. K
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  4. Premalatha M
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Correspondence to Premalatha M.

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Pandey, R., Sahu, A., K. K, V. et al. Studies on light intensity distribution inside an open pond photo-bioreactor. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 38, 1547–1557 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-015-1398-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-015-1398-3

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