Conceptual design of a hybrid thin layer cascade photobioreactor for microalgal biodiesel synthesis
Chung Hong Tan
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Malaysia
Search for more papers by this authorXuefei Tan
College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Heilongjiang Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
Dalian SEM Bio-Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., Dalian, China
Search for more papers by this authorShih-Hsin Ho
State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
Search for more papers by this authorSu Shiung Lam
Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (Akuatrop) & Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development (Bio-D Tropika), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Pau Loke Show
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Malaysia
Correspondence
Pau Loke Show, The University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Email: [email protected]
The Hong Phong Nguyen, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Email: [email protected]
Xuefei Tan, College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Heilongjiang Institute of Technology, Harnin, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
The Hong Phong Nguyen
Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Correspondence
Pau Loke Show, The University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Email: [email protected]
The Hong Phong Nguyen, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Email: [email protected]
Xuefei Tan, College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Heilongjiang Institute of Technology, Harnin, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorChung Hong Tan
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Malaysia
Search for more papers by this authorXuefei Tan
College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Heilongjiang Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
Dalian SEM Bio-Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., Dalian, China
Search for more papers by this authorShih-Hsin Ho
State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
Search for more papers by this authorSu Shiung Lam
Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (Akuatrop) & Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development (Bio-D Tropika), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Pau Loke Show
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Malaysia
Correspondence
Pau Loke Show, The University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Email: [email protected]
The Hong Phong Nguyen, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Email: [email protected]
Xuefei Tan, College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Heilongjiang Institute of Technology, Harnin, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
The Hong Phong Nguyen
Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Correspondence
Pau Loke Show, The University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Email: [email protected]
The Hong Phong Nguyen, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Email: [email protected]
Xuefei Tan, College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Heilongjiang Institute of Technology, Harnin, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorFunding information: Akademi Sains Malaysia, Grant/Award Number: MOSTI02-02-12-SF0256; Fundamental Research Grant Scheme Malaysia, Grant/Award Number: FRGS/1/2019/STG05/UNIM/02/2; Prototype Research Grant Scheme, Malaysia, Grant/Award Number: PRGS/2/2015/SG05/UNIM/03/1; Universiti Malaysia Terengganu under Golden Goose Research Grant Scheme, Grant/Award Number: Vot 55191; MyPAIP-PHC-Hibiscus Grant: MyPAIP/1/2020/STG05/UNIM/1
Summary
Even though microalgae are able to produce various valuable metabolites, microalgal culture on an industrial scale still faces challenging difficulties. Open systems may be cheaper to construct, easier to operate and maintain, and possess greater surface area to volume ratio, but they are also easily contaminated, have high water loss due to evaporation, and suffer from unfavorable weather. On the other hand, closed photobioreactor systems possess higher biomass yields, better control over culture parameters, and lower contamination risks. However, photobioreactors are costlier to construct and maintain. Thus, a hybrid semi-closed thin layer cascade photobioreactor was proposed to cultivate high-density microalgal cultures for biodiesel production. Computational fluid dynamics analysis was carried out to observe fluid behavior in the hybrid photobioreactor design. The simulation results showed satisfactory performance in the improved design, making the photobioreactor a potential candidate for microalgal biodiesel production.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
None.
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