CO2 capture and lipid production performance of microalgae in the S-shaped photobioreactor under different culture modes

Abstract

An S-shaped photobioreactor was designed by adding grooves and baffles in the traditional photobioreactor to improve the culture efficiency of microalgae. After that, the parameters of the characterization of the S-shaped photobioreactor, such as the mixing time, gas holdup, and gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient, were determined. The biomass, lipid production rate, and average CO2 capture rate of microalgae were then analyzed under different culture modes. Finally, the feasibility of using digested piggery wastewater combined with simulated flue gas was explored as a culture mode for the microalgae and the lipid properties of the microalgae were analyzed. The results revealed that, at a flow rate of 0.08 vvm, the mixing time was reduced by 8.5 s, the gas hold-up increased by 44.6% and the gas–liquid mass transfer ability was also improved. Improvements were also observed in the biomass values, lipid production rate, and average CO2 capture rate of the microalgae under different culture conditions, with respective values reaching 0.23 g·(L·d)–1, 70.28 mg·(L·d)–1, and 0.43 g·(L·d)–1 under the mixotrophic mode. Additionally, digested piggery wastewater combined with the simulated microalgae flue gas culture was determined to be feasible. The biomass, lipid production rate, and the average CO2 capture rate of microalgae, the values of which were 0.22 g·(L·d)–1, 52.55 mg·(L·d)–1, and 0.41 g·(L·d)–1, respectively. Lipid was observed to have the potential to produce high-quality biofuel.