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Productivity, CO2/O2 exchange and hydraulics in outdoor open high density microalgal (Chlorella sp.) photobioreactors operated in a Middle and Southern European climate

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Abstract

Two variants of open photobioreactors were operated at surface-to-volume ratios up to 170 m−1. The mean values for July and September obtained for photobioreactor PB-1 of 224 m2 culture area (length 28 m, inclination 1.7%, thickness of algal culture layer 6 mm), operated in Třeboň (49∘N), Czech Republic, were: net areal productivity, P net = 23.5 and 11.1 g dry weight (DW) m−2 d−1; net photosynthetic efficiency (based on PAR – Photosynthetic Active Radiation), η = 6.48 and 5.98%. For photobioreactor PB-2 of 100 m2 culture area (length 100 m, inclination 1.6%, thickness of algal culture layer 8 mm) operated in Southern Greece (Kalamata, 37∘N) the mean values for July and October were: P net = 32.2 and 18.1 g DW m−2 d−1, η = 5.42 and 6.07%. The growth rate of the alga was practically linear during the fed-batch cultivation regime up to high biomass densities of about 40 g DW L−1, corresponding to an areal density of 240 g DW m−2 in PB-1 and 320 g DW m−2 in PB-2. Night biomass loss (% of the daylight productivity, P L) caused by respiration of algal cells were: 9–14% in PB-1; 6.6–10.8% in PB-2. About 70% of supplied CO2 was utilized by the algae for photosynthesis. The concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) increased from about 12 mg L−1 at the beginning to about 35 mg L−1 at the end of the 100 m long path of suspension flow in PB-2 at noon on clear summer days. Dissipation of hydraulic energy and some parameters of turbulence in algal suspension on culture area were estimated quantitatively.

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Abbreviations

A :

size of the culture area (m2)

C O 2 :

concentration (DO) of dissolved oxygen (gO2m−3)

C O2,0 :

DO concentration at the beginning of culture area (gO2m−3)

C O2,L :

DO concentration at the end of culture area (gO2m−3)

C O 2*:

DO concentration in equilibrium with oxygen content in ambient atmosphere (gO2m−3)

C O2,mean :

mean DO concentration on culture area (gO2m−3)

D CO 2 :

carbon dioxide diffusion coefficient in the algal suspension (m2h−1)

D O 2 :

oxygen diffusion coefficient in the algal suspension (m2h−1)

G :

rate of carbon dioxide supply into the bioreactor (gCO2h−1)

h :

thickness of the suspension layer on culture area (m)

I :

inclination of the culture area (−)

I 0 :

PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) irradiance (Wm−2)

K H :

Henry's constant for carbon dioxide (gCO2m−3kPa−1)

K I :

light saturation constant (Wm−2)

K L,CO 2 :

mass transfer coefficient for carbon dioxide (mh−1)

K L,O 2 :

mass transfer coefficient for oxygen (mh−1)

L :

length of the culture area (m)

n :

roughness of the culture area (m1/3s−1/2)

pCO2 * :

partial pressure of carbon dioxide in ambient atmosphere (kPa)

pCO2,mean :

mean partial pressure of carbon dioxide in algal culture (kPa)

P L :

daylight productivity (gDWm−2d−1)

P net :

net algae productivity calculated from the differences between each morning algal mass in the bioreactor (gDWm−2d−1)

Q :

volumetric flow rate of the suspension (m3h−1)

Q CO 2 :

volumetric rate of carbon dioxide supply (m3h−1)

R CO 2, mean :

mean rate of carbon dioxide consumption by algae referred to 1m2 of culture area (gCO2m−2h−1)

R O 2 :

local (at the distance x) rate of oxygen evolution by algae referred to 1m2 of culture area (gO2m−2h−1)

R O 2 ,mean :

mean rate of oxygen evolution by algae referred to 1m2 of culture area (gO2m−2h−1)

u :

velocity of suspension flow on culture area (mh−1)

u mean :

mean velocity of suspension flow on culture area (mh−1)

V :

volume of the suspension in the bioreactor (L)

x :

coordinate considered in the direction of flow of the suspension on culture area (m)

X :

biomass concentration (gDWL−1)

Y :

mass of carbon dioxide consumed by algae, related to mass of oxygen evolved by algae (gCO2gO2 −1)

Z :

loss of supplied CO2 not absorbed in the suspension (gh−1)

ϕ 0 :

quantity of CO2 absorbed in suspension related to quantity of supplied CO2 (−)

κ:

Karman's constant (−)

|v|:

velocity of turbulent eddies (mh−1)

ρCO2 :

density of gaseous carbon dioxide (gm−3)

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  1. Laboratory of Cell Cycles and Microalgal Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 379 81, Třeboň, Czech Republic

    J. Doucha & K. Lívanský

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  1. J. Doucha
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Correspondence to K. Lívanský.

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Doucha, J., Lívanský, K. Productivity, CO2/O2 exchange and hydraulics in outdoor open high density microalgal (Chlorella sp.) photobioreactors operated in a Middle and Southern European climate. J Appl Phycol 18, 811–826 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-006-9100-4

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