Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation modeling for the cultivation of microalgal monoculture in axenic enclosed bubble column photobioreactor (BCPBR)
Imran Ahmad , Shahid Husain , Lamiaa H.S. Hassan , Nadeem A. Khan , Sasan Zahmatkesh , Bing-Jie Ni
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Researchers are more concerned with axenic-enclosed PBRs, where there is less or no chance of contamination during the production of biochemical and highly valuable metabolites, and monocultures of microalgae are being grown more frequently. It is a closed, manufactured vessel that aids in the photosynthesis of microalgal cells using artificial light or sunlight as the energy source. In this study, the bubble column PBR (BCPBR) was selected because it possessed some advantages over other PBRs for the growth of Chlorella vulgaris. The BCPBR system prevents contact between the enclosed microalgal cells and the environment, allowing the culturing of microalgae species that are difficult to grow in open pond systems. To compare BCPBR performance quantitatively, the efficient mixing expected in BCPBR, as discussed in the literature, was applied to the CFD model. The experimental results observed during the cultivation of C. vulgaris with restaurant wastewater (RWW) in BCPBR clearly showed better mixing, high growth, and improved treatment efficiency. CFD analysis was conducted on the evolution of bubbles in the BCPBR. The Pressure-Implicit with Splitting of Operators (PISO) pressure correction method is used for velocity and pressure coupling. A geo-reconstruct approach is used to construct the interface, and a second-order upwind calculation technique is used to determine the flow parameters. Therefore, CFD simulation in this study will contribute to the following aspects: (i) the volume fraction contours and velocity contours are going to validate the experimental study as the homogenous mixing favors the growth and productivity, (ii) To study how the size of the nozzle and inlet velocity affect the turbulence generated by bubbles in a BCPBR to identify the optimal nozzle size and velocity for the required turbulence.
期刊介绍:
Algal Research is an international phycology journal covering all areas of emerging technologies in algae biology, biomass production, cultivation, harvesting, extraction, bioproducts, biorefinery, engineering, and econometrics. Algae is defined to include cyanobacteria, microalgae, and protists and symbionts of interest in biotechnology. The journal publishes original research and reviews for the following scope: algal biology, including but not exclusive to: phylogeny, biodiversity, molecular traits, metabolic regulation, and genetic engineering, algal cultivation, e.g. phototrophic systems, heterotrophic systems, and mixotrophic systems, algal harvesting and extraction systems, biotechnology to convert algal biomass and components into biofuels and bioproducts, e.g., nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, animal feed, plastics, etc. algal products and their economic assessment