title: Haematococcus pluvialis cultivation in split-cylinder internal-loop airlift photobioreactor under aeration conditions avoiding cell damage.
abstract: The effects of superficial gas velocity in the riser (U(Gr)) and gas entrance velocity (v) on the growth of Haematococcus pluvialis cultivated in a split-cylinder internal-loop airlift photobioreactor were investigated. Cell growth decreased when U(Gr) and v were increased above 12 mm s(-1) and 22.8 m s(-1), respectively. The maximum cell density of H. pluvialis was 110 x 10(4) vegetative cells ml(-1) and the chlorophyll-a titer was 7 mg l(-1). The cell damage in the photobioreactor was greater when v was increased by an increase in U(Gr) rather than by a decrease in sparger internal diameter. The overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k(L)a) of the photobioreactor was measured at the same U(Gr) (6-24 mm s(-1)) and v (12-80 m s(-1)). The k(L)a values reached in the airlift photobioreactor were between 10 h(-1) and 32 h(-1).
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biocatálisis, Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, CP 07300, México, DF, México.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vega-Estrada
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Montes-Horcasitas
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Domínguez-Bocanegra
authors.forename: R O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Cañizares-Villanueva
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000254:growth & development*; D046508:Culture Techniques; D013997:Time Factors