title: Enhancement of microalgae production by embedding hollow light guides to a flat-plate photobioreactor.
abstract: To offset the adverse effects of light attenuation on microalgae growth, hollow polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) tubes were embedded into a flat-plate photobioreactor (PBR) as light guides. In this way, a fraction of incident light could be transmitted and emitted to the interior of the PBR, providing a secondary light source for cells in light-deficient regions. The average light intensity of interior regions 3-6cm from surfaces with 70μmolm(-2)s(-1) incident light was enhanced 2-6.5 times after 3.5days cultivation, resulting in a 23.42% increase in biomass production to that cultivated in PBR without PMMA tubes. The photosynthetic efficiency of microalgae in the proposed PBR was increased to 12.52%. Moreover, the installation of hollow PMMA tubes induced turbulent flow in the microalgae suspension, promoting microalgae suspension mixing. However, the enhanced biomass production was mainly attributed to the optimized light distribution in the PBR.
authors: Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Chongqing University, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400044, China; Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China.
authors: Yahui
authors: Y
authors: Sun
authors: Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Chongqing University, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400044, China; Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China. Electronic address: yunhuang@cqu.edu.cn.
authors: Yun
authors: Y
authors: Huang
authors: Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Chongqing University, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400044, China; Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China.
authors: Qiang
authors: Q
authors: Liao
authors: Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Chongqing University, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400044, China; Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China.
authors: Qian
authors: Q
authors: Fu
authors: Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Chongqing University, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400044, China; Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China.
authors: Xun
authors: X
authors: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D018533:Biomass; D048408:Chlorella vulgaris / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008027:Light; D058086:Microalgae / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D058433:Photobioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000528:radiation effects; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate
keywords: Hollow light guides; Light attenuation; Microalgae; Photobioreactor; Photosynthetic efficiency