Design, construction and validation of a internally-lit air lift photobioreactor for growing algae
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Design, construction and validation of a and validation of a internally-lit air lift photobioreactor for photobioreactor for growing algae IBE Conference, Cambridge MA. Dr. Ben Stuart, Esteban Hincapie Institute for Sustainable Energy Environment 1 Institute for Sustainable Energy Environment March 5 th , 2010
Transcript of Design, construction and validation of a internally-lit air lift photobioreactor for growing algae
Design, construction and validation of aand validation of a internally-lit air lift photobioreactor forphotobioreactor for growing algae
IBE Conference, Cambridge MA.
Dr. Ben Stuart, Esteban HincapieInstitute for Sustainable Energy Environment
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Institute for Sustainable Energy Environment
March 5th, 2010
OutlineOutline
I. Carbon mitigation
II. Photobioreactors limitations and patent
III. Air lift reactor and literature review
IV. Design approach
V. Mixing test
VI. Maintenance
VII. Shake down test
VIII Questions
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VIII.Questions
Ohio University – Russ College of Engineering and Technology
CARBON MITIGATIONCARBON MITIGATION
Source of compressed CO2 for column type photobioreactorsCombined capture, sequestration and mitigation of carbon dioxide
3IPCC. "Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage - Special Report." Montreal, 2005. (modified)
PHOTOBIOREACTOR LIMITATIONSAlgal biomass production technologies required for algal biofuels
Still poorly developed and expensive
Ineffective light provision
I ffi i t l f Inefficient supply of CO2
Inexistence of Inexistence of engineering and scale up
4Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR) in the Netherlands
OU PATENTED BUBBLE COLUMN REACTORBubble column + solar collector + fiber optics
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AIR LIFT REACTOR (ALR)
Bubble column and air lift reactor
Internal pipe• Induces a liquid flow pattern• Difference with bubble column reactor
Extensively used to grow microalgae• Higher superficial gas velocities• Some papers reported higher or equal productivities of the ALR when
d i h b bbl l
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compared with bubble column• Not used previously with fiber optics as a light source
Chisti, M.Y. 1989. Airlift Bioreactors. Elsevier Applied Science, New York
DESIGN STAGES - I. BASIC DESIGN
• Illuminated/dark zone
Design methodology according to the engineering practice
Illuminated/dark zone
• Plastic Fiber Optic
• Overcoming light delivery g g y
problem without photo
inhibition
• Header as a conduit and
support
• Light “enclosure”
• Light/dark cycles
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• Artificial light source
DESIGN STAGES – II. CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
G l di i ( il t l ) General dimensions (pilot scale)
Mock ups:
Separation between levels:Separation between levels:
12 cms, fiber bending limitation
Number of fibers: 11 per levelNumber of fibers: 11 per level,
150 μmol/(m2*s) target
Use of white internal PVC to reflect
light
Down comer to riser area ratio
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DESIGN STAGES – III. FINAL DESIGN
Fiber fixation (PVC Bolts)
Draft tube hangers
D i d t Drains and ports
Material homogeneity
Pipe centering (PVC Bolts)
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IV. CONSTRUCTION
ISEE Shop (different tools) ISEE Shop (different tools)
Costs ~$800 (only materials)
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MIXING CHARACTERIZATION TEST
Hydrodynamics & gas flow for air lift
• Superficial liquid velocity
• Gas hold upGas hold up
• Shearing action
• Cloudy environment
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• Cloudy environment
Chisti, M.Y. 1989. Airlift Bioreactors. Elsevier Applied Science, New York
MIXING CHARACTERIZATION TEST
Cl- salt used as a tracer Cl salt used as a tracer Two concentrations used
Peristaltic pump calibrated at Peristaltic pump calibrated at
fixed flow rate
S l l d th h I Samples analyzed through Ion
Chromatograph
Three levels of flow analyzed
Results pending due to technical
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problems
SHAKEDOWN TESTING PRELIMINARY RESULTS
pH
pH problems at first Sodium Phosphate MonobasicpH problems at first shakedown test
Using of a buffer solution
Sodium Phosphate Monobasic
Sodium Hydroxide
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Using of a buffer solution with no carbon source
Sodium Hydroxide
SHAKEDOWN TESTING PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Light intensity
Licor underwater 60.00
Light vs. Time
Licor underwater light sensor used
Light levels on dry
45.8748.66
46.04 45.99 45.22
30 00
40.00
50.00
ol/(m^2*s)
Light levels on dry conditions inside the riser chamber: 200
6.6210.00
20.00
30.00
Ligh
t (μm
o
Light
μmol/(m2*sec)
Light levels
0.00
12 13 14 15 16 17 18Days
Light levels decreased by sedimentation at low flow rates
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low flow rates
AIR LIFT REACTOR MAINTENANCE
Localized action of the bubbles keepsthe bubbles keeps the lit zone clean
Easy assembly and disassembly due to PVC construction
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SHAKEDOWN TESTING PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Methodology
Reactor inoculated with very diluted culture Reactor inoculated with very diluted culture
Chlorella sp. strain used
Fluorometer Turner T180
Temperature: ~27 C
Air flow only, 7 to 9 LPM
Superficial gas velocity: 1.2 cm/s
Media:
RO Water
Botanicare Pro Grow (commercial)
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Cal Mag Supplement (commercial)
SHAKEDOWN TESTING PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Chlorophyll a testChlorophyll a vs. Time
218, 49.5
238, 54.9
50.0
60.0
168, 28.8
193, 34.5
30.0
40.0
μg/L
92,6.2
119, 11.0
146, 20.2
10.0
20.0
0, 0.6 22, 0.577, 4.0
92, 6.2
0.0
0 50 100 150 200 250
Hours
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Series1
SHAKEDOWN TESTING PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Determination of productivity
Productivities are in 100 0
Chlorophyll a vs. Time (Ln scale)
the ballpark number when compared with previous papers
146, 20.2168, 28.8
193, 34.5218, 49.5 238, 54.9
10.0
100.0
previous papers
Productivity is not t bl if d t i d
77, 4.0
92, 6.2
119, 11.0
1.0
0 50 100 150 200 250
μg/L
stable if determined by dry weight
0, 0.622, 0.5
0.1
0 50 100 150 200 250
Hours
Current work is in determining the productivity by cell
Series1
Time interval (h) 77‐168 168‐238 0‐238 Previous studyData evaluated (points) 3‐7 7‐10 1‐10 Outdoor air lift reactor
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productivity by cell counting
Specific growth rate (h^‐1) 0.0216 0.009 0.0208 0.022R^2 0.99 0.97 0.94
Miron, Asterio Sanchez, Francisco Garcia Camacho, Antonio Contreras Gomez, and Emilio Molina Grima. "Bubble Column and Airlift Photobioreactors for Algal Culture." AIChE Journal 46 (September 2000): 1872-1887.
REFERENCES
Miron, Asterio Sanchez, Francisco Garcia Camacho, Antonio Contreras Gomez and Emilio Molina Grima "Bubble Column and AirliftGomez, and Emilio Molina Grima. Bubble Column and Airlift Photobioreactors for Algal Culture." AIChE Journal 46 (September 2000): 1872-1887.
Miron Asterio Sanchez Antonio Contreras Gomez Francisco GarciaMiron, Asterio Sanchez, Antonio Contreras Gomez, Francisco Garcia Camacho, Emilio Molina Grima, and Yusuf Chisti. "Comparative Evaluation of compact photobioreactors for large scale monoculture of microalgae." Journal of Biotechnology (Elsevier) 70 (1999): 249-g gy ( ) ( )270.
IPCC. "Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage - Special Report." Motreal, 2005.
Chisti, Yusuf. Air Lift Bioreactors. New York: Elsevier Applied Science, 1989.
Bayless, David. Apparatus and method for growing biological organisms f f l d th U it d St t f A i P t t
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for fuel and other purposes. United States of America Patent 0264708. November 15, 2007.
QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?
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IV. CONSTRUCTION
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