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Microalgae Bioreactors

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Book cover Algal Biorefineries

Abstract

Photobioreactor design and operation mode are essential steps to ensure a high overall microalgae yield and cell productivities, making viable the commercial production. For this reason, there are trends of research in the field of microalgae that encompass design and development of reactor systems towards maximum productivity with minimum operation costs. In the literature, various photobioreactor designs have been employed such as open ponds, bubble column, flat plate, and tubular (conical, helical, etc.). Open ponds are the most commonly applied photobioreactor design in industrial processes. On the other hand, studies have been focused on tubular photobioreactors due to the possibility of achieving high volumetric productivity and better biomass quality. Therefore, in this chapter, some photobioreactor designs and their characteristics such as geometrical configuration, building material, and cell circulation systems will be discussed. Moreover, the operation mode, such as temperature and pH control, nutrient feeding, CO2 addition systems, flow rate, light supply, mixing, cultivation process and cleanness will also be considered to be important parameters in this field.

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Abbreviations

DHA:

Docosahexaenoic acid

DO:

Dissolved oxygen

DW:

Dry weight

H/D:

Height to diameter ratio

HDPE:

High Density Polyethylene

LDPE:

Low Density Polyethylene

NER:

Net Energy Ratio

PBR:

Photobioreactor

PBRs:

Photobioreactors

PEP:

Photosynthetic efficiency

PMMA:

Rigid acrylic

PVC:

Poly Vinyl Chloride

TRC:

Transparent rectangular chamber

UV:

Ultraviolet

VAP:

Vertical alveolar panels

VFPP:

Vertical flat-plate photobioreactor

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  1. Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 580, Bl. 16, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    João C. M. Carvalho, Marcelo C. Matsudo, Raquel P. Bezerra, Lívia S. Ferreira-Camargo & Sunao Sato

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  1. João C. M. Carvalho
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  2. Marcelo C. Matsudo
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  3. Raquel P. Bezerra
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  4. Lívia S. Ferreira-Camargo
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  5. Sunao Sato
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Correspondence to João C. M. Carvalho .

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  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana, USA

    Rakesh Bajpai

  2. Chemical and Biological Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

    Aleš Prokop

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana, USA

    Mark Zappi

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Carvalho, J., Matsudo, M., Bezerra, R., Ferreira-Camargo, L., Sato, S. (2014). Microalgae Bioreactors. In: Bajpai, R., Prokop, A., Zappi, M. (eds) Algal Biorefineries. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7494-0_4

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