Enhanced flashing light effect with up-down chute baffles to improve microalgal growth in a raceway pond

Bioresour Technol. 2015 Aug:190:29-35. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.04.050. Epub 2015 Apr 22.

Abstract

Novel up-down chute baffles that sequentially generate clockwise and anticlockwise liquid vortexes were developed to increase vertical liquid velocity between the bottom dark area and the top light area in a raceway pond. The vertical liquid velocity, mixing time, and mass transfer coefficient were measured as functions of paddlewheel speed and air aeration rate by using a particle imaging velocimeter, pH probes, and dissolved oxygen probes. The up-down chute baffles decreased the liquid mixing time and increased the mass transfer coefficient by 41% and 25%, respectively. Besides, the vertical liquid velocity increased from ∼0.5cm/s to ∼6.1cm/s. As a result, the dark-light cycle period was reduced to 1/12. This enhanced flashing light effect with up-down chute baffles increased biomass yield by 32.6% in the same raceway pond.

Keywords: Chute baffle; Flash light; Flow field; Microalgae; Raceway pond.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Proliferation / physiology
  • Cell Proliferation / radiation effects
  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Light
  • Lighting / instrumentation*
  • Microalgae / physiology*
  • Microalgae / radiation effects*
  • Photic Stimulation / instrumentation*
  • Photobioreactors / microbiology*
  • Photosynthesis / physiology
  • Photosynthesis / radiation effects
  • Ponds / microbiology*
  • Radiation Dosage