Maximizing microalgae productivity in a light-limited chemostat

Abstract

Light supply is one of the most important parameters to be considered for enhancing microalgae growth in photobioreactors (PBR) with artificial light. However, most of the mathematical works do not consider incident light as a parameter to be optimized. In this work based on a simple model of light-limited growth, we determine optimal values for the dilution rate and the incident light intensity in order to maximize the steady-state microalgal surface productivity in a continuous culture. We also show that in optimal conditions there is a minimal initial microalgal concentration (and we give a simple expression to determine it) to guarantee the persistence of the population. Finally, in the context of enhancing microalgae productivity by reducing light absorption by microalgae, we conclude our work by studying the influence of the chlorophyll-carbon quota on the maximal productivity.