The usage of fossil fuels results in a high amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and renewable green energy requirements entail saving ecological balance. Therefore, microalgae cultivation is widespread as a suitable raw material to produce renewable and sustainable fuel. Mathematical models are useful tools for the estimation of different conditions of a system. In this study, mathematical models were developed for monitoring the cultivation of local species of microalgae based on the chlorophyll-a and biomass concentration. Coefficients that were calculated from the Monod kinetic model were μmax; 0.03 day-1, KS, Ci; 0.53 mM with an R2 value of 0.93 and from the Aiba inhibition kinetic model was μmax and KS, Ci 1.48 day-1 and 0.08 mM with an R2 value of 0,73. According to the literature, there was no model was developed for the determination of kinetic coefficients based on chlorophyll-a production due to the inorganic carbon consumption. While both growth and inhibition models were developed for the inorganic carbon consumption, chlorophyll-a concentration was used for the growth model and biomass concentration was used for the inhibition model which caused and directly affected by the decrease of light penetration. The maximum biomass and chlorophyll-a concentrations were found as 1.2 g/L and 27.8 mg/L respectively with 10.24 mg/L. day-1 nitrogen and 1.19 mg/L.day-1 phosphorus uptake rate.
Keywords: Inorganic carbon; Kinetic model; Microalgal growth; Mixed culture; Specific growth rate.
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