A novel flat plate algal bioreactor with horizontal baffles: structural optimization and cultivation performance

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Flat plate photobioreactors are crucial for microalgal cultivation.
• Optimizing flow dynamics and light distribution is key to enhancing productivity.
• Traditional designs often face limitations in mixing and light penetration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and optimize a novel flat plate photobioreactor with horizontal baffles.
• To investigate the impact of aeration intensity, site, and baffle parameters on fluid dynamics and mixing.
• To evaluate the cultivation performance of Chlorella vulgaris in the optimized photobioreactor.

Main Methods:

• Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were employed to analyze flow patterns.
• Baffle structural parameters (d/D and h/D ratios) were systematically varied.
• Cultivation experiments using Chlorella vulgaris 31 were conducted to assess biomass productivity.

Main Results:

• Optimal mixing and light/dark cycles were achieved with d/D=0.5 and h/D=1, with bottom-center aeration.
• The optimized photobioreactor demonstrated 1.88 times higher biomass productivity than a traditional design.
• Uniform mixing and reduced growth condition differences were observed with optimized baffles.

Conclusions:

• Horizontal baffles in flat plate photobioreactors significantly enhance algal cultivation.
• The optimized design offers a cost-effective solution for improving algal productivity.
• This advancement has implications for efficient and large-scale microalgal biomass production.