Photobioreactors - models of photosynthesis and related effects

Mathematical models representing the process of photosynthesis in bioreactors are a relevant matter from the point of view of basic engineering science and of great importance for bioprocess industry. Models of this process that are found in the literature sources cover a very wide range of sophistication degrees. The aspects that have been studied most are the irradiance distribution in a photobioreactor and the kinetics of photosynthesis. The interaction of fluid dynamics and photosynthesis has deserved the attention of researchers only in the last decade. In the present review, the available information of photosynthesis relevant to bioreactor simulation design has been presented. Special attention is given to the integration of liquid flow, be it as simulated cycles or as measured fluid trajectories, and to the relevance of the kinetic models for the design and scale-up of photobioreactors.