Oxygen accumulation in photobioreactors

138 Pages·2014·4.19 MB·English

Oxygen accumulation
in photobioreactors
Cláudia Sousa
Oxygen accumulation in
photobioreactors
Cláudia Alexandra da Fonseca e Sousa
Thesis committee
Promotor
Prof. dr. ir. R. H. Wijffels
Professor at Bioprocess Engineering
Wageningen University
Co-promotor
Dr. ir. M.H. Vermuë
Assistant professor at Bioprocess Engineering
Wageningen University
Other members
Prof. dr. ir. G. Zeeman, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Prof. dr. G.J.W. Euverink, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Prof. dr. E. Molina Grima, University of Almeria, Spain
Dr. ir. A.J.B. van Boxtel, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
This research was conducted under the auspices of the Graduate School VLAG
(Advanced studies in Food Technology, Agrobiotechnology, Nutrition and Health
Sciences).
Oxygen accumulation in
photobioreactors
Cláudia Alexandra da Fonseca e Sousa
Thesis
submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of doctor
at Wageningen University
by the authority of the Rector Magnificus
Prof. dr. M.J. Kropff,
in the presence of the
Thesis Committee appointed by the Academic Board
to be defended in public
on Tuesday May 21, 2013
at 4 p.m. in the Aula.
Cláudia Sousa
Oxygen accumulation in photobioreactors
136 pages
PhD thesis Wageningen University, Wageningen, NL (2013)
With references, with summaries in English, Dutch and Portuguese
ISBN: 978-94-6173-554-6

Table of contents
Table of con ten ts
Table of contents
Chapter 1. General introduction & thesis outline 1
1.1. Microalgae 1
1.2. Large-scale outdoor cultivation 2
1.3. Photosynthesis, photorespiration & photoinhibition 3
1.4. Thesis outline 7
1.5. References 9
Chapter 2. Growth of the microalgaeN eochloris oleoabundans at high
partial oxygen pressures and sub-saturating light intensity 15
2.1. Introduction 16
2.2. Material and methods 17
2.2.1. Cultures and medium 17
2.2.2. Photobioreactor 18
2.2.3. Dry weight concentration 19
2.2.4. Specific absorption coefficient 20
2.2.5. Photosynthesis-irradiance curve (PI- curve) 21
2.3. Results and discussion 21
2.3.1. Light regime 21
2.3.2. Growth and productivity 23
2.3.3. Implications on reactor design 26
2.4. Conclusions 28
2.5. Acknowledgements 28
2.6. References 28
Appendix 2A. Distribution of incident photon flux density over photobioreactor
surface 32
Table of contents
Appendix 2B. Calculation of light gradient in photobioreactor 33
Appendix 2C. Specific absorption spectrum N. oleoabundans 34
Chapter 3. Effect of Oxygen at low and high light intensity on the
growth of Neocholoris oleoabundans 37
3.1. Introduction 38
3.2. Material and methods 40
3.2.1. Cultures and medium 40
3.2.2. Photobioreactor 40
3.2.3. Dry weight concentration 41
3.2.4. Chlorophyll and carotenoids 41
3.3. Results and discussion 42
3.3.1. Controlled cultivation of algae at high and low light intensity 42
3.3.2. Oxygen effects of microalgal growth at high and low light intensity 43
3.3.3. Oxygen effects of pigment content at high and low light intensity 44
3.4. Conclusions 48
3.5. Acknowledgements 48
3.6. References 49
Chapter 4. Effect of Dynamic Oxygen Concentrations on the growth of
Neocholoris oleoabundans at sub-saturating light conditions 55
4.1. Introduction 56
4.2. Materials and methods 57
4.2.1. Cultures and medium 57
4.2.2. Photobioreactor 57
4.2.3. Light regime 58
4.2.4. Dry weight concentration 59
4.2.5. Chlorophyll and Carotenoid determination 59
Table of con ten ts
4.3. Results and discussion 60
4.3.1. Effect of the applied light-regime and the dynamically changing 02 on
algal growth 60
4.3.2. Effect on biomass yield on photons 63
4.3.3. Chlorophyll and carotenoid content 64
4.3.4. Final remarks 66
4.4. Conclusions 67
4.5. Acknowledgements 68
4.6. References 68
Chapter 5. Effect of Dynamic Oxygen Concentrations on the growth of
Neochloris oleoabundans at high light conditions 73
5.1. Introduction 74
5.2. Material and method 75
5.2.1. Culture and photobioreactor system 75
5.2.2. Light regime 76
5.2.3. Off-line analysis of samples 76
5.3. Results and discussion 77
5.3.1. Effect of dynamic 02 and light regime on algal growth 77
5.3.2. Chlorophyll and carotenoid content 80
5.4. Conclusions 81
5.5. Acknowledgements 81
5.6. References 82
Chapter 6. Oxygen production in photobioreactors A look to the
economics 85
6.1. Introduction 85
6.1.1. Effects of oxygen on microaigai growth 86