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CFD-based optimization of baffle design and sparger position for enhanced microalgal cultivation in inclined flat plate photobioreactors
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

CFD-based optimization of baffle design and sparger position for enhanced microalgal cultivation in inclined flat plate photobioreactors

Behnam Amanna, Parisa A. Bahri and Navid R. Moheimani
Algal research (Amsterdam), Vol.99, 104928
2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2026.104928
Appears in  Open Access via Read & Publish Agreements
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Open Access CC BY V4.0

Abstract

Baffle design Biomass productivity Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Flat plate photobioreactors Mixing optimization Sparger position
This study investigates the optimization of inclined flat plate photobioreactors (PBRs) for microalgae cultivation, focusing on how baffle geometry and sparger positioning influence hydrodynamic behaviour and CFD-predicted biomass productivity. Efficient PBR design is essential because internal flow behaviour affects cell suspension, gas distribution, low-velocity regions, and the movement of cells through illuminated and darker zones. A previously validated CFD model was coupled with a UDF-based light-limited growth model, where gas–liquid flow was simulated using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and biomass productivity was estimated from local irradiance conditions. Three baffle heights, three baffle opening sizes, and two sparger positions (center and rear) were evaluated. Importantly, while our previous unbaffled reactor study showed hydrodynamic advantages for rear sparger placement, baffle integration shifted the favourable configuration toward the center sparger arrangement. Overall, center sparger configurations produced higher mean radial liquid velocities and lower dead zone fractions than rear sparger configurations. Shorter baffles combined with larger openings improved liquid motion and reduced low-velocity regions, while taller baffles increased gas retention but also increased dead zone formation. The best-performing configuration was C9, which combined a 40 cm baffle height, 5.5 cm opening, and center sparger position, achieving the highest CFD-predicted biomass productivity and the lowest dead zone fraction (5.57%). These results indicate that baffle design can alter the preferred sparger position and improve predicted PBR performance without increasing aeration input. The findings provide useful guidance for the design and scale-up of baffled flat plate PBRs for microalgal biofuels and bioproducts.

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