TY - JOUR
T1 - Hydrodynamic and mass transfer characterization of a flat-panel airlift photobioreactor with high light path
AU - Reyna-Velarde, Rodolfo
AU - Cristiani-Urbina, Eliseo
AU - Hernández-Melchor, Dulce Jazmin
AU - Thalasso, Frédéric
AU - Cañizares-Villanueva, Rosa Olivia
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - This work evaluates the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa), the gas hold-up (ε) and the mixing time (tm) as a function of superficial gas velocity (UG) in a flat-panel photobioreactor (PBR) with high light path. CO2 utilization efficiency and volumetric power consumption (P/V) were also evaluated. A 50 L working volume photobioreactor was developed, 0.67 m in length, 0.57 m in height and 0.15 m in width (light path). The height-width ratio was 3.8, which is lower than reported in most PBRs. Initially, experiments were performed with air and tap water (biphasic system) and, subsequently, using a Spirulina sp. culture (triphasic system: air, culture medium, cells). Minimum and maximum superficial gas velocity values were 5 × 10-5 and 8.4 × 10-3 m s-1, respectively. Maximum values for kLa and ε were 20.34 h-1 (0.0057 s-1) and 0.033 in the biphasic system, and 31.27 h-1 (0.0087 s-1) and 0.065 in the triphasic system. CO2 utilization efficiency was 30.57%. Results indicate that the hydrodynamic and mass transfer characteristics of this photobioreactor are more efficient than those reported elsewhere for tubular and other flat-plate PBRs, which opens the possibility of using PBRs with higher light paths than yet proposed.
AB - This work evaluates the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa), the gas hold-up (ε) and the mixing time (tm) as a function of superficial gas velocity (UG) in a flat-panel photobioreactor (PBR) with high light path. CO2 utilization efficiency and volumetric power consumption (P/V) were also evaluated. A 50 L working volume photobioreactor was developed, 0.67 m in length, 0.57 m in height and 0.15 m in width (light path). The height-width ratio was 3.8, which is lower than reported in most PBRs. Initially, experiments were performed with air and tap water (biphasic system) and, subsequently, using a Spirulina sp. culture (triphasic system: air, culture medium, cells). Minimum and maximum superficial gas velocity values were 5 × 10-5 and 8.4 × 10-3 m s-1, respectively. Maximum values for kLa and ε were 20.34 h-1 (0.0057 s-1) and 0.033 in the biphasic system, and 31.27 h-1 (0.0087 s-1) and 0.065 in the triphasic system. CO2 utilization efficiency was 30.57%. Results indicate that the hydrodynamic and mass transfer characteristics of this photobioreactor are more efficient than those reported elsewhere for tubular and other flat-plate PBRs, which opens the possibility of using PBRs with higher light paths than yet proposed.
KW - Airlift
KW - Gas hold-up
KW - Mass transfer
KW - Mixing time
KW - Photobioreactor
KW - Spirulina
KW - ka
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=75249101719&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cep.2009.11.014
DO - 10.1016/j.cep.2009.11.014
M3 - Artículo
SN - 0255-2701
VL - 49
SP - 97
EP - 103
JO - Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification
JF - Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification
IS - 1
ER -