title: Integrated hollow fiber membranes for gas delivery into optical waveguide based photobioreactors.
abstract: Compact algal reactors are presented with: (1) closely stacked layers of waveguides to decrease light-path to enable larger optimal light-zones; (2) waveguides containing scatterers to uniformly distribute light; and (3) hollow fiber membranes to reduce energy required for gas transfer. The reactors are optimized by characterizing the aeration of different gases through hollow fiber membranes and characterizing light intensities at different culture densities. Close to 65% improvement in plateau peak productivities was achieved under low light-intensity growth experiments while maintaining 90% average/peak productivity output during 7-h light cycles. With associated mixing costs of ∼ 1 mW/L, several magnitudes smaller than closed photobioreactors, a twofold increase is realized in growth ramp rates with carbonated gas streams under high light intensities, and close to 20% output improvement across light intensities in reactors loaded with high density cultures.
authors.affiliation: Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Syed Saad
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ahsan
authors.affiliation: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Abdurrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gumus
authors.affiliation: Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Aadhar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: The Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Largus T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Angenent
authors.affiliation: Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. Electronic address: de54@cornell.edu.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erickson
mesh_terms: D061249:Batch Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000502:physiology; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005740:Gases / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008027:Light; D008029:Lighting / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D055096:Optical Devices; D058433:Photobioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D016062:Porosity; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000295:instrumentation*; D046939:Synechocystis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D018511:Systems Integration
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D008567:Membranes, Artificial
keywords: Algae; Hollow fiber membranes; Photobioreactors; Scatterers; Waveguides