Evaluation of different scale-up strategies for Haematococcus pluvialis cultivation in airlift photobioreactor

Year 2022, Volume: 37 Issue: 3, 131 - 141, 11.06.2022

Bahar Aslanbay Güler , İrem Deniz , Zeliha Demirel , Esra İmamoğlu

https://doi.org/10.26650/ASE202211036078

Abstract

Large scale algal biomass production can be very challenging due to the potential issues of sustain-ability, environmental ethics, and economic concerns. A strategic approach to the transition from the laboratory to the industrial scale allows the prediction of process characteristics, design and analysis of large scale systems, and reduction of extra costs. In this study, a scale-up procedure that consid-ered different approaches was carried out by selecting the Haematococcus pluvialis as a model or-ganism. Three scale-up parameters (constant mixing time (tm), volumetric power consumption rate (P/V), and oxygen mass transfer coefficient (kLa)) were tested for biomass production in a 2-L airlift photobioreactor and they were compared with those obtained from a 1-L aerated cultivation bottle. Among three strategies, the maximum cell concentration, 4.60±0.20×105 cells/mL, was obtained in a constant volumetric power consumption rate experiment. Also, total carotenoid amount showed similar changes with the cell concentration and reached the maximum concentration of 2.02±0.11 mg/L under constant P/V experiment. However, the cultivation bottle presented the highest biomass amount of 0.62 g/L and specific growth rate of 0.38 day-1 of all of the photobioreactors. This result might be attributed to the low aeration rates or improper configuration of the system, which created a non-homogenous culture medium and led to ineffective mass transfer.

Keywords

Haematococcus pluvialis, Scale-up, Airlift photobioreactor, Biomass production, Carotenoid

Supporting Institution

Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu (TUBİTAK)

Project Number

115M014

Thanks

This study was a part of Cost action ES1408 and the authors would like to thank the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) with the project number of 115M014 for the financial support.

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