Dramatic improvement of membrane performance for microalgae harvesting with a simple bubble-generator plate

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Membrane-based algae harvesting is a promising technology but is hindered by membrane fouling.
• Developing cost-effective solutions to mitigate fouling is crucial for practical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a bubble-generator plate for reducing membrane fouling in algae harvesting.
• To assess the impact of the bubble-generator on membrane performance and its synergy with different membrane structures.

Main Methods:

• Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis to characterize hydrodynamic power of the bubble-generator.
• Integration of the bubble-generator into a membrane filtration system with phase inversion and commercial membranes.
• Performance evaluation of membranes with and without the bubble-generator under algae harvesting conditions.

Main Results:

• The bubble-generator plate generated significant hydrodynamic power (high pressure, velocity, shear stress).
• The bubble-generator effectively reduced membrane fouling for both homemade and commercial membranes.
• A synergistic effect was observed between the bubble-generator and the asymmetrical structure of the homemade membrane, significantly improving its performance.

Conclusions:

• The bubble-generator plate offers a simple and effective solution to mitigate membrane fouling in algae harvesting.
• This technology enhances the competitiveness of membrane-based algae harvesting, making it a more practical option.
• The findings highlight the potential for improved efficiency and cost-effectiveness in algae biomass production.