Abstract
In this paper the preparations are described to develop a production of oil rich microalgal biomass under south European conditions. Ten microalgal species were compared in shake flasks in an incubator for potential for oil production. Potential oil production capacity was assayed as maximum total fatty acid (TFA) concentration and volumetric TFA productivity. TFA concentration ranged from 5 to 40% DW while TFA productivity rate ranged from 0 to 204 mg TFA L−1 day−1. To control the oil enrichment process in the outdoor microalgal batch culture, a quadratic equation was proposed, predicting the TFA concentration based on biomass inverse nitrogen quota. A concentrated substrate was developed to add to sea water, made from natural sea-salt and tap water.
Highlights
Industrial scale photosynthetic production of microalgal biomass mainly depends on open-pond technology whereas photobioreactor technology is applied to produce high-value products and inoculum for pond production
This paper reports on the achievements to develop microalgal oil production for fuel, based on a disposable, soft-sleve tubular photobioreactor
The tubes were placed on the ground, which was partly to avoid the high cost of scaffolding, partly out of necessity as the soft sleeves require full-length support from below
Summary
Industrial scale photosynthetic production of microalgal biomass mainly depends on open-pond technology whereas photobioreactor technology is applied to produce high-value products and inoculum for pond production. The tubes were placed on the ground, which was partly to avoid the high cost of scaffolding, partly out of necessity as the soft sleeves require full-length support from below. The current work was carried out in 2010 and 2011, and the purpose was to select a suitable strain to test the tubular microalgal biomass production technology, which was Huelva University provided access to both laboratory and processing facilities and suitable outdoor space for the later pilot reactor tests at its field research station in Matalascañas. Batch production in practice requires a sustained supply of starter culture for the reactor but the short production cycles means lower sanitary demands as predatory or competing organisms are normally not allowed sufficient time to attain troublesome concentrations in the plant
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