Can solar control infrared blocking films be used to replace evaporative cooling for growth of Nannochloropsis sp. in plate photobioreactors?

E.G. Nwoba; D.A. Parlevliet; D.W. Laird; A. Vadiveloo; K. Alameh; N.R. Moheimani

doi:10.1016/j.algal.2019.101441

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Can solar control infrared blocking films be used to replace evaporative cooling for growth of Nannochloropsis sp. in plate photobioreactors?

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Can solar control infrared blocking films be used to replace evaporative cooling for growth of Nannochloropsis sp. in plate photobioreactors?

E.G. Nwoba, D.A. Parlevliet, D.W. Laird, A. Vadiveloo, K. Alameh and N.R. Moheimani

Algal Research, Vol.39, Article 101441

2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2019.101441

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Abstract

Photobioreactor overheating is a significant challenge of microalgal mass production, resulting in low photosynthetic efficiency and poor biomass productivity. Due to cost and performance limitation, passive evaporative cooling systems for managing culture temperature are currently neither economical nor sustainable. In this study, the growth and photophysiology of Nannochloropsis sp. MUR 267 in four different flat plate photobioreactors designs, namely, solar control infrared reflecting film (IRF), insulated glazed photovoltaic (IGP), conventional water jacket (CWJ), and no heat control (NHC), were evaluated. Maximum attained culture temperature in the IRF is comparable with CWJ and 22.6% lower than NHC. Biomass productivity in the IRF (112.47 ± 3.36 mg·L−1·d−1) is only 10% lower than that attained in the CWJ, and no net growth was seen in the NHC due to a high temperature. The immediate vitality of the cell photosynthetic apparatus monitored diurnally through the effective quantum yield of photosystem II (Fq'/Fm') showed values > 0.6 in IRF, CWJ and IGP. This study showed that clear infrared blocking films can significantly reduce the heat in PBRs without a dramatic reduction in culture performance.

Details

Title: Can solar control infrared blocking films be used to replace evaporative cooling for growth of Nannochloropsis sp. in plate photobioreactors?
Authors/Creators: E.G. Nwoba (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
D.A. Parlevliet (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
D.W. Laird (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
A. Vadiveloo (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
K. Alameh (Author/Creator) - Edith Cowan University
N.R. Moheimani (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
Publication Details: Algal Research, Vol.39, Article 101441
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Identifiers: 991005541006607891
Copyright: © 2019 Elsevier B.V.
Murdoch Affiliation: School of Engineering and Information Technology; School of Veterinary and Life Sciences
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.171 Photoproductivity; 3.171.477 Microalgae Biotechnology
Web Of Science research areas: Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
ESI research areas: Biology & Biochemistry