Bubble column photobioreactor for Chlorella pyrenoidosa cultivation and validating gas hold up and volumetric mass transfer coefficient

ABSTRACT

The cultivation of microalgae in bubble column photobioreactors is essential to improve the biomass productivity for biofuel production. This work comprises the design and fabrication of bubble column photobioreactor of 20 L culture volume for the cultivation of Chlorella pyrenoidosa. The theoretically parameters such as gas hold up and volumetric mass transfer coefficient was predicted. The bubble column photobioreactor of 20 L culture volume was fabricated. The C. pyrenoidosa was cultivated in bubble column photobioreactor and the actual gas hold up and volumetric mass transfer coefficient was measured and with predicted values. The results showed similar trend of variation of experimental theoretically predicted gas hold up and volumetric mass transfer coefficient at different gas velocities. The comparison of biomass concentration and lipid content of C. pyrenoidosa cultivated in bubble column photobioreactor showed 1.18 ± 0.02 g/L and 19.04 ± 0.03% dwt, respectively, at the end of the cultivation period as compared with conical flask and glass tank cultivation.

KEYWORDS:

• Bubble column
• biomass productivity
• gas hold up
• volumetric mass transfer coefficient
• photobioreactor

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Mechanical Engineering Department, National Institute of Technology Calicut, and India for providing necessary lab facility for doing this work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), Kerala, India [grant number 1237/2015/KSCSTE].

Notes on contributors

Mubarak M.

Mubarak M. is currently Associate Professor and Head of the Department in Mechanical Engineering, MEA Engineering College, Perinthalmanna, Kerala, India. His Masters Degree is from Madras Institute of Technology Campus, Anna University Chennai in Automobile Engineering and Ph.D from NIT Calicut, India in the field of Microalgae biofuel production, characterization and utilization in engines. His area of research includes Alternate fuels for engines, biofuels from biomass and low heat rejection engines. He is a life member of Indian Society of Technical Education (ISTE), National Society of Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power (NSFMFP), The Combustion Institute, Indian Section and Associate Member of Institute of Engineers India.

Shaija A.

Shaija A. is currently Professor in Mechanical Engineering Department, National Institute of Technology, Calicut, Kerala, India. Her Masters Degree is from IIT Bombay in Thermal Science and Engineering and Ph D from IISc Bangalore in Natural Convection and Surface Radiation in Annuli. Her area of research includes Alternative fuels for Automobiles, Renewable energy utilization, Numerical modelling of Thermal systems, Fuel cell Technology. She is a life member of Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE), National Society of Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power (NSFMFP), The Combustion Institute, Indian Section, Indian Society for Heat and Mass Transfer (ISHMT) and Life member of Institution of Engineers India.

Prashanth P.

Prashanth P. was the student of M. Tech Energy engineering and Management in Mechanical Engineering Department, NIT Calicut. His area of the research includes microalgae production, biofuels and internal combustion engines.