What is a photobioreactor used for?

Photobioreactors are specialized bioreactors for culturing phototrophic organisms. Given the correct conditions, almost any algae, cyanobacteria, seaweed, or plant cell can be grown efficiently in a photobioreactor.

How does algae bioreactor work?

Fundamentally, this kind of bioreactor is based on the photosynthetic reaction which is performed by the chlorophyll-containing algae itself using dissolved carbon dioxide and sunlight energy. The carbon dioxide is dispersed into the reactor fluid to make it accessible for the algae.

What are the inputs of algae?

Besides CO2 and light, algae require nutrients to grow, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) being the most important ones. These can be supplied in the form of agricultural fertilizer, which is simple, easily available but can be a significant cost factor (Braun and Reith, 1993; Chisti, 2008b).

What are the types of photobioreactor?

Many different systems have been tested, but only a few approaches were able to perform at an industrial scale.

  • Redesigned laboratory fermenters.
  • Tubular photobioreactors.
  • Christmas tree photobioreactor.
  • Plate photobioreactor.
  • Horizontal photobioreactor.
  • Foil photobioreactor.
  • Porous substrate bioreactor.

Why is photobioreactor important?

Compared to open systems, photobioreactors have a number of advantages: reproducible cultivation conditions with regard to environmental influences; reduced risk of contamination; low CO2 losses; and smaller area requirements.

How much does a photobioreactor cost?

between $70-150/ m2
Photobioreactors represent perhaps the highest cost item in algae cultivation. Photobioreactors are expensive owing to their sophistication. Currently (as of Aug 2010), Photobioreactor costs range between $70-150/ m2, though there some up and coming companies that claim to provide these at much lower capital costs.

How do you make an algae bioreactor?

DIY Algae Bioreactor from Recycled Water Bottles

  1. Step 1: Make Carbon Dioxide Delivery System.
  2. Step 2: Attach Tubing to Manifold.
  3. Step 3: Mount Carbon Dioxide System.
  4. Step 4: Mount Water Bottles.
  5. Step 5: Make Algae Media.
  6. Step 6: Media Inoculation.
  7. Step 7: Growth and Harvesting.

How does algae work as a biofuel?

Some algal species can produce hydrogen gas under specialized growth conditions. The biomass from algae can also be burned similar to wood or anaerobically digested to produce methane biogas to generate heat and electricity. Algal biomass can also be treated by pyrolysis to generate crude bio-oil.

How do algae store energy?

Algae store energy in the form of oils and carbohydrates, which, combined with their high productivity, means they can produce from 2,000 to as many as 5,000 gallons of biofuels per acre per year.

What are by products of algae?

Algae take carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air while growing, making carbon sequestration a beneficial by-product of large-scale algae production. Algae farms could be located near industrial pollution sources, such as carbon-producing refineries or power plants, and help clean the air by consuming CO2 as they grow.

What is photobioreactor productivity?

A photobioreactor (PBR) can be defined as an enclosed, illuminated culture vessel designed to control biomass production through adjustment of the operating parameters. From: Handbook of Algal Science, Technology and Medicine, 2020.

Which is not a photobioreactor?

1. Which of the following are not photobioreactor types? Explanation: Rotating wall vessel bioreactor is not a photo-bioreactor. The types of photo-bioreactors are Tubular, Christmas tree, plate, horizontal, foil, and porous substrate bioreactors.