title: Analysis of light regime in continuous light distributions in photobioreactors.
abstract: Maximum photobioreactor (PBR) efficiency is a must in applications such as the obtention of microalgae-derived fuels. Improving PBR performance requires a better understanding of the "light regime", the varying irradiance that microalgal cells moving in a dense culture are exposed to. We propose a definition of light regime that can be used consistently to describe the continuously varying light patterns in PBRs as well as in light/dark cycles. Equivalent continuous and light/dark regimes have been experimentally compared and the results show that continuous variations are not well represented by light/dark cycles, as had been widely accepted. It has been shown that a correct light regime allows obtaining photosynthetic rates higher than the corresponding to continuous light, the so-called "flashing light effect" and that this is possible in commercial PBRs. A correct PBR operation could result in photosynthetic efficiency close to the optimum eight quanta per O(2).
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almería, Almería, Spain.
authors.forename: Celeste
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brindley
authors.forename: F G Acién
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fernández-Sevilla
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008027:Light; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D058433:Photobioreactors; D012542:Scattering, Radiation