Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Development and validation of a photobioreactor for uniform distribution of light intensity along the optical path based on numerical simulation

  • Cyanobacterial Blooms and Water Ecological Restoration
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A theoretical approach was followed to optimize the design of a cylindrical photobioreactor for wastewater treatment based on algal culture. In particular, the problem of uneven light distribution that impairs algal growth was minimized by optimizing the area of uniform illumination distribution for a bioreactor design that can be enlarged without affecting its performance. The theoretical analysis was based on modeled simulations to determine the best configuration and illumination mode. The Monte Carlo method was used to simulate the illumination distribution inside the bioreactor, and the relationships between the width of the area with uniform illumination and related parameters were explored. Based on these theoretical considerations and predictions, an actual experimental photobioreactor was built containing a working area (where culture of Chlorella pyrenoidosa was enabled) and a catchment area for effluent. The performance of this bioreactor was tested with synthetic wastewater as a substrate. The light distribution was found to be relatively uniform inside the bioreactor, supporting excellent algal growth and resulting in maximum removal rates of 84.41% for total nitrogen, 99.73% for total phosphorus, 85.03% for NH4+-N, and 75.94% for chemical oxygen demand (COD) over a period of 32 days of operation. The presented approach provides new insights for improving the efficiency and scalability of photobioreactors and promotes their development for wastewater treatment and resource utilization.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

I 0 :

Incidental light intensity at the water surface (lx)

I :

Light intensity of the point at a distance of DI from the light source along light path (lx)

α :

Photosynthesis activity coefficient

γ :

Algae suspension extinction coefficient (m−1)

D I :

Distance from the light source to any point along the light path (m)

A :

Surface area exposed to light and perpendicular to optical path direction (m2)

A 0 :

Light-absorbing area perpendicular to optical path direction at the distance of DI (m2)

R :

Radius of bioreactor (m)

β :

Ratio of standard deviation of light intensity to the mean value

D :

Width of the area where light distribution is uniform (m)

n :

Number of simulated sampling points within a certain optical path DI

\( \overline{I} \) :

Average light intensity for all sampling points within a certain optical path DI (lx)

r :

Radius from the bioreactor center to the monitoring point (m)

H :

The height in the designed bioreactor (m)

I a :

Illumination intensity at each monitoring point (lx)

d :

Horizontal distance from the outer wall of the photobioreactor to the center (m)

References

  • Abdelaziz AEM, Leite GB, Belhaj MA, Hallenbeck PC (2014) Screening microalgae native to Quebec for wastewater treatment and biodiesel production. Bioresour Technol 157:140–148

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Adeniyi OM, Azimov U, Burluka A (2018) Algae biofuel: current status and future applications. Renew Sust Energ Rev 90:316–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Behrenfeld MJ, Prasil O, Kolber ZS, Babin M et al (1998) Compensatory changes in photosystem II electron turnover rates protect photosynthesis from photoinhibition. Photosynth Res 58:259–268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chia SR, Ong HC, Chew KW, Show PL et al (2018) Sustainable approaches for algae utilisation in bioenergy production. Renew Energy 129:838–852

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cornet JF, Dussap CG, Gros JB, Binois C et al (1995) A simplified monodimensional approach for modeling coupling between radiant light transfer and growth kinetics in photobioreactors. Chem Eng Sci 50:1489–1500

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Degena J, Uebelea A, Retzeb A, Schmid-Staigera U et al (2001) A novel airlift photobioreactor with baffles for improved light utilization through the flashing light effect. J Biotechnol 92:89–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faried M, Samer M, Abdelsalam E, Yousef R et al (2017) Biodiesel production from microalgae: processes, technologies and recent advancements. Renew Sust Energ Rev 79:893–913

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernández FG, Camacho FG, Pérez JAS, Sevilla JMF, Grima EM (1997) A model for light distribution and average solar irradiance inside outdoor tubular photobioreactors for the microalgal mass culture. Biotechnol Bioeng 55:701–714

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonçalves AL, Pires JCM, Simões M (2016) A review on the use of microalgal consortia for wastewater treatment. Algal Res 24:403–415

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grima EM, Fernandez-Sevilla JM, Pérez JAS, Camacho FG (1996) A study on simultaneous photolimitation and photoinhibition in dense microalgal cultures taking into account incident and averaged irradiances. J Biotechnol 45:59–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hsia S, Yang S (2015) Enhancing algal growth by stimulation with LED lighting and ultrasound. J Nanomater 2015:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang J, Li Y (2011) Research status and development strategy of large-scale cultivation of energy microalgae and photobioreactor. Biotechnol Business:15–21

  • Janssen M, Johannes T, Mur LR, Wijffels RH (2010) Enclosed outdoor photobioreactors: light regime, photosynthetic efficiency, scale-up, and future prospects. Biotechnol Bioeng 81:193–210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jorgensen SE, Bendoricchio G (2001) Ecological processes. In: Jorgensen SE (ed) Fundamentals of ecological modelling, 3rd edn. Elsevier BV, Amsterdam, pp 93–209

  • Knutson CM, Mclaughlin EM, Barney BM (2018) Effect of temperature control on green algae grown under continuous culture. Algal Res 35:301–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolber Z, Falkowski P, Zehr JP (1988) Effects of growth irradiance and nitrogen limitation on photosynthetic energy conversion in photosystem II. Plant Physiol 88:923–929

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee E, Pruvost J, He X, Munipalli R et al (2014) Design tool and guidelines for outdoor photobioreactors. Chem Eng Sci 106:18–29

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li-BeissonaJay Y, Thelen JJ, Fedosejevs E, Harwoodc JL (2019) The lipid biochemistry of eukaryotic algae. Prog. Lipid Res 74:31–68

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lin Q, Lin J (2011) Effects of nitrogen source and concentration on biomass and oil production of a Scenedesmus rubescens like microalga. Bioresour Technol 102:1615–1621

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • López-Serna R, Posadas E, García-Encina PA, Muñoz R (2019) Removal of contaminants of emerging concern from urban wastewater in novel algal-bacterial photobioreactors. Sci. Total Environ 662:32–40

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luo S, Berges JA, He Z, Young EB (2016) Algal-microbial community collaboration for energy recovery and nutrient remediation from wastewater in integrated photobioelectrochemical systems. Algal Res 24:527–539

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ogbonna JC, Tanaka H (2000) Light requirement and photosynthetic cell cultivation – development of processes for efficient light utilization in photobioreactors. J Appl Phycol 12:207–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peng W, Li X, Wu Q, Ge Y (2000) Application of pyrolysis technology to fuel production of lake phytoplankton. Chinese J Environ Eng 1:24–28

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pires JCM (2017) COP21: the algae opportunity? Renew Sust Energ Rev 79:867–877

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sato T, Yamada D, Hirabayashi S (2010) Development of virtual photobioreactor for microalgae culture considering turbulent flow and flashing light effect. Energy Conv Manag 51:1196–1201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sepa (2002) Water and wastewater analyzing methods. China Environmental Science Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh RN, Sharma S (2012) Development of suitable photobioreactor for algae production-a review. Renew Sust Energ Rev 16:2347–2353

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stockenreiter M, Haupt F, Seppälä J, Tamminen T et al (2016) Nutrient uptake and lipid yield in diverse microalgal communities grown in wastewater. Algal Res 15:77–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuantet K, Temmink H, Zeeman G, Janssen M et al (2014) Nutrient removal and microalgal biomass production on urine in a short light-path photobioreactor. Water Res 55:162–174

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ugwu CU, Aoyagi H, Uchiyama H (2008) Photobioreactors for mass cultivation of algae. Bioresour Technol 99:4021–4028

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vassilev SV, Vassileva CG (2016) Composition, properties and challenges of algae biomass for biofuel application: an overview. Fuel 181:1–33

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vo PHN, Ngo HH, Guo W, Nguyen TMH et al (2018) A critical review on designs and applications of microalgae-based photobioreactors for pollutants treatment. Sci Total Environ 651:1549–1568

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang B, Lan CQ, Horsman M (2012) Closed photobioreactors for production of microalgal biomasses. Biotechnol Adv 30:904–912

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu X, Kong F, Cao H, Zhang M et al (2007) In situ study on the photochemical vitality of overwintering phytoplankton. J. Lake Sci 19:139–145

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu H, Kim J, Lee C (2019) Potential of mixed-culture microalgae enriched from aerobic and anaerobic sludges for nutrient removal and biomass production from anaerobic effluents. Bioresour Technol 280:325–336

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yun YS, Park J (2001) Attenuation of monochromatic and polychromatic lights in Chlorella vulgaris suspensions. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 55:765–770

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Chu H, Zhou X, Su H (2015) Principle and technology of microalgae resource treatment in wastewater. Science Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express thanks for the financial support from the Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province (2019YFS0504, 2019YFS0055) and Chengdu University of Technology (10912-2018KYQD-06887).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Environment and Ecology, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China

    Zhi-Jiao Yan, Jing Liu, Lei Qian, Wen-Lai Xu, Zhen Yuan & Chen-Xi Zhao

  2. State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China

    Jing Liu & Wen-Lai Xu

  3. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation for Soil&Water Pollution (SEKL-SW), Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China

    Jing Liu

Authors
  1. Zhi-Jiao Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jing Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lei Qian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Wen-Lai Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zhen Yuan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Chen-Xi Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Jing-Liu conceived and designed the experiments; Zhijiao-Yan and Lei-Qian operated the reactors, performed the laboratory experiments; Zhen-Yuan and Chenxi-Zhao conducted data acquisition and analysis; Zhijiao-Yan wrote the manuscript; Jing-Liu and Wenlai-Xu reviewed the manuscript. All authors have contributed to this manuscript, reviewed and approved the current form of the manuscript to be submitted.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jing Liu.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Suresh Pillai

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Highlights

The light distribution along the path was simulated by numerical model combined with Monte Carlo method.

The relationship between the width of uniform illumination area and related parameters was explored.

The structure of the bioreactor determined to reduce the attenuation of light along the path and the way how to obtain the optimal size of the reactor indicated that the reactor can be enlarged without affecting its performance.

Based on the conclusions obtained, the bioreactor samples were fabricated and the operation results were good.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(TXT 1 kb)

ESM 2

(RAR 7183 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yan, ZJ., Liu, J., Qian, L. et al. Development and validation of a photobioreactor for uniform distribution of light intensity along the optical path based on numerical simulation. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 42230–42241 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-07987-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-07987-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation