Continuous Production of Lipids with <i>Microchloropsis salina</i> in Open Thin-Layer Cascade Photobioreactors on a Pilot Scale
Studies on microalgal lipid production as a sustainable feedstock for biofuels and chemicals are scarce, particularly those on applying open thin-layer cascade (TLC) photobioreactors under dynamic diurnal conditions. Continuous lipid production with <i>Microchloropsis salina</i> was stud...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/2/500 |
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| author | Torben Schädler Anna-Lena Thurn Thomas Brück Dirk Weuster-Botz |
| author_facet | Torben Schädler Anna-Lena Thurn Thomas Brück Dirk Weuster-Botz |
| author_sort | Torben Schädler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Studies on microalgal lipid production as a sustainable feedstock for biofuels and chemicals are scarce, particularly those on applying open thin-layer cascade (TLC) photobioreactors under dynamic diurnal conditions. Continuous lipid production with <i>Microchloropsis salina</i> was studied in scalable TLC photobioreactors at 50 m<sup>2</sup> pilot scale, applying a physically simulated Mediterranean summer climate. A cascade of two serially connected TLC reactors was applied, promoting biomass growth under nutrient-replete conditions in the first reactor, while inducing the accumulation of lipids via nitrogen limitation in the second reactor. Up to 4.1 g L<sup>−1</sup> of lipids were continuously produced at productivities of up to 0.27 g L<sup>−1</sup> d<sup>−1</sup> (1.8 g m<sup>2</sup> d<sup>−1</sup>) at a mean hydraulic residence time of 2.5 d in the first reactor and 20 d in the second reactor. Coupling mass balances with the kinetics of microalgal growth and lipid formation enabled the simulation of phototrophic process performances of <i>M. salina</i> in TLC reactors in batch and continuous operation at the climate conditions studied. This study demonstrates the scalability of continuous microalgal lipid production in TLC reactors with <i>M. salina</i> and provides a TLC reactor model for the realistic simulation of microalgae lipid production processes after re-identification of the model parameters if other microalgae and/or varying climate conditions are applied. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:23:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-639f2ffdded94067b194f72d22155e5a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:23:55Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-639f2ffdded94067b194f72d22155e5a2023-12-03T13:43:29ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-01-0114250010.3390/en14020500Continuous Production of Lipids with <i>Microchloropsis salina</i> in Open Thin-Layer Cascade Photobioreactors on a Pilot ScaleTorben Schädler0Anna-Lena Thurn1Thomas Brück2Dirk Weuster-Botz3Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, GermanyInstitute of Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, GermanyTUM-AlgaeTec Center, Technical University of Munich, 85521 Taufkirchen, GermanyInstitute of Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, GermanyStudies on microalgal lipid production as a sustainable feedstock for biofuels and chemicals are scarce, particularly those on applying open thin-layer cascade (TLC) photobioreactors under dynamic diurnal conditions. Continuous lipid production with <i>Microchloropsis salina</i> was studied in scalable TLC photobioreactors at 50 m<sup>2</sup> pilot scale, applying a physically simulated Mediterranean summer climate. A cascade of two serially connected TLC reactors was applied, promoting biomass growth under nutrient-replete conditions in the first reactor, while inducing the accumulation of lipids via nitrogen limitation in the second reactor. Up to 4.1 g L<sup>−1</sup> of lipids were continuously produced at productivities of up to 0.27 g L<sup>−1</sup> d<sup>−1</sup> (1.8 g m<sup>2</sup> d<sup>−1</sup>) at a mean hydraulic residence time of 2.5 d in the first reactor and 20 d in the second reactor. Coupling mass balances with the kinetics of microalgal growth and lipid formation enabled the simulation of phototrophic process performances of <i>M. salina</i> in TLC reactors in batch and continuous operation at the climate conditions studied. This study demonstrates the scalability of continuous microalgal lipid production in TLC reactors with <i>M. salina</i> and provides a TLC reactor model for the realistic simulation of microalgae lipid production processes after re-identification of the model parameters if other microalgae and/or varying climate conditions are applied.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/2/500microalgae<i>Microchloropsis salina</i>open photobioreactorsthin-layer cascadecontinuous productionprocess simulation |
| spellingShingle | Torben Schädler Anna-Lena Thurn Thomas Brück Dirk Weuster-Botz Continuous Production of Lipids with <i>Microchloropsis salina</i> in Open Thin-Layer Cascade Photobioreactors on a Pilot Scale Energies microalgae <i>Microchloropsis salina</i> open photobioreactors thin-layer cascade continuous production process simulation |
| title | Continuous Production of Lipids with <i>Microchloropsis salina</i> in Open Thin-Layer Cascade Photobioreactors on a Pilot Scale |
| title_full | Continuous Production of Lipids with <i>Microchloropsis salina</i> in Open Thin-Layer Cascade Photobioreactors on a Pilot Scale |
| title_fullStr | Continuous Production of Lipids with <i>Microchloropsis salina</i> in Open Thin-Layer Cascade Photobioreactors on a Pilot Scale |
| title_full_unstemmed | Continuous Production of Lipids with <i>Microchloropsis salina</i> in Open Thin-Layer Cascade Photobioreactors on a Pilot Scale |
| title_short | Continuous Production of Lipids with <i>Microchloropsis salina</i> in Open Thin-Layer Cascade Photobioreactors on a Pilot Scale |
| title_sort | continuous production of lipids with i microchloropsis salina i in open thin layer cascade photobioreactors on a pilot scale |
| topic | microalgae <i>Microchloropsis salina</i> open photobioreactors thin-layer cascade continuous production process simulation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/2/500 |
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