Mass Transfer Features of Wavy-Bottomed Cascade Photobioreactors
It has been suggested that the energy-efficient production of microalgae biomass can be more easily obtained in short light path photobioreactors that can be operated at high biomass concentration. On the downside, however, high biomass concentrations also require an efficient gas exchange rate to a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | ChemEngineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-7084/5/4/86 |
| _version_ | 1797505906996412416 |
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| author | Monica Moroni Giorgia Sed Agnese Cicci Barbara Mazzarotta Nicola Verdone Giuseppe Torzillo Marco Bravi |
| author_facet | Monica Moroni Giorgia Sed Agnese Cicci Barbara Mazzarotta Nicola Verdone Giuseppe Torzillo Marco Bravi |
| author_sort | Monica Moroni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It has been suggested that the energy-efficient production of microalgae biomass can be more easily obtained in short light path photobioreactors that can be operated at high biomass concentration. On the downside, however, high biomass concentrations also require an efficient gas exchange rate to avoid metabolic growth limitation or inhibition. A cascade photobioreactor featuring a thin liquid layer flowing down a sloping, wavy-bottomed surface can be operated at a biomass concentration that is much higher compared to most usual open-type equipment. Liquid flow, upon investigation, proved to exhibit peculiar “local recirculation” hydrodynamics, potentially conducive to the mixing of superficial and deep zones of the photobioreactor. Mass transfer coefficient represents a useful parameter to optimize the performance of a microalgal photobioreactor and its scale-up. The aim of the present article is to discuss the experimental mass transfer features of this novel type of photobioreactor and highlight expected opportunities and issues entailed by different ways of installing and operating such novel types of photobioreactors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:25:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a9f13831f615405ea892cf97a7122a8d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2305-7084 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:25:02Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | ChemEngineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-a9f13831f615405ea892cf97a7122a8d2023-11-23T07:40:47ZengMDPI AGChemEngineering2305-70842021-12-01548610.3390/chemengineering5040086Mass Transfer Features of Wavy-Bottomed Cascade PhotobioreactorsMonica Moroni0Giorgia Sed1Agnese Cicci2Barbara Mazzarotta3Nicola Verdone4Giuseppe Torzillo5Marco Bravi6Department of Civil, Constructional and Environmental Engineering (DICEA), Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, ItalyDepartment Chemical Engineering Materials Environment (DICMA), Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, ItalyNextChem SpA, Via Di Vannina, 88/94, 00156 Roma, ItalyDepartment Chemical Engineering Materials Environment (DICMA), Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, ItalyDepartment Chemical Engineering Materials Environment (DICMA), Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, ItalyCNR-Istituto per la Bioeconomia, Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, ItalyDepartment Chemical Engineering Materials Environment (DICMA), Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, ItalyIt has been suggested that the energy-efficient production of microalgae biomass can be more easily obtained in short light path photobioreactors that can be operated at high biomass concentration. On the downside, however, high biomass concentrations also require an efficient gas exchange rate to avoid metabolic growth limitation or inhibition. A cascade photobioreactor featuring a thin liquid layer flowing down a sloping, wavy-bottomed surface can be operated at a biomass concentration that is much higher compared to most usual open-type equipment. Liquid flow, upon investigation, proved to exhibit peculiar “local recirculation” hydrodynamics, potentially conducive to the mixing of superficial and deep zones of the photobioreactor. Mass transfer coefficient represents a useful parameter to optimize the performance of a microalgal photobioreactor and its scale-up. The aim of the present article is to discuss the experimental mass transfer features of this novel type of photobioreactor and highlight expected opportunities and issues entailed by different ways of installing and operating such novel types of photobioreactors.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-7084/5/4/86microalgaephotobioreactorcascademass transfer coefficientmixing |
| spellingShingle | Monica Moroni Giorgia Sed Agnese Cicci Barbara Mazzarotta Nicola Verdone Giuseppe Torzillo Marco Bravi Mass Transfer Features of Wavy-Bottomed Cascade Photobioreactors ChemEngineering microalgae photobioreactor cascade mass transfer coefficient mixing |
| title | Mass Transfer Features of Wavy-Bottomed Cascade Photobioreactors |
| title_full | Mass Transfer Features of Wavy-Bottomed Cascade Photobioreactors |
| title_fullStr | Mass Transfer Features of Wavy-Bottomed Cascade Photobioreactors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mass Transfer Features of Wavy-Bottomed Cascade Photobioreactors |
| title_short | Mass Transfer Features of Wavy-Bottomed Cascade Photobioreactors |
| title_sort | mass transfer features of wavy bottomed cascade photobioreactors |
| topic | microalgae photobioreactor cascade mass transfer coefficient mixing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-7084/5/4/86 |
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