Influence of fluid-mechanical parameters on volumetric mass transfer coefficient in a spout–fluid bed with a draft tube

Improving microalgal growth by strengthening the flashing light effect simulated with computational fluid dynamics in a panel bioreactor with horizontal baffles

Biological CO₂ elimination by photosynthetic microalgae is a sustainable way to mitigate CO₂ from flue gas and other sources. Computational fluid dynamics was used to simulate algal cell movement with an enhanced flashing light effect in a novel panel bioreactor with horizontal baffles. Calculation results showed that the light/dark (L/D) cycle period decreased by 17.5% from 17.1 s to 14.1 s and that the horizontal fluid velocity increased by 95% while horizontal baffles were used under a 0.02 vvm air aeration rate and a microalgal concentration of 0.85 g L⁻¹. The probability of the L/D cycle period within 5–10 s increased from 27.9% to 43.6%, indicating a 56% increase when horizontal baffles existed. It was proved by experiments that the mass-transfer coefficient increased by 31% and the mixing time decreased by 13% under a 0.06 vvm air aeration rate when horizontal baffles were used, and the algal biomass yield increased by ∼51% along with the decrease in the L/D cycle period when horizontal baffles were used.

Biological CO₂ elimination by photosynthetic microalgae is a sustainable way to mitigate CO₂ from flue gas and other sources.

Improving microalgal growth with small bubbles in a raceway pond with swing gas aerators

A novel swing gas aerator was developed to generate small bubbles for improving the mass transfer coefficient and microalgal growth rate in a raceway pond. A high-speed photography system (HSP) was used to measure the bubble diameter and generation time, and online precise dissolved oxygen probes and pH probes were used to measure the mass transfer coefficient and mixing time. Bubble generation time and diameter decreased by 21% and 9%, respectively, when rubber gas aerators were swung in the microalgae solution. When water pump power and gas aeration rate increased in a raceway pond with swing gas aerators and oscillating baffles (SGAOB), bubble generation time and diameter decreased but solution velocity and mass transfer coefficient increased. The mass transfer coefficient increased by 25% and the solution velocity increased by 11% when SGAOB was used, and the microalgal biomass yield increased by 18%.

Optimizing gas transfer to improve growth rate of Haematococcus pluvialis in a raceway pond with chute and oscillating baffles

Up-down chute and oscillating (UCO) baffles were used to generate vortex and oscillating flow field to improve growth rate of Haematococcus pluvialis in a raceway pond. Effects of gas flow rate, solution velocity, and solution depth on solution mass transfer coefficient and mixing time were evaluated using online pH and dissolved oxygen probes. Mass transfer coefficient increased by 1.3 times and mixing time decreased by 33% when UCO baffles were used in the H. pluvialis solution, resulting in an 18% increase in biomass yield with 2% CO2. The H. pluvialis biomass yield further increased to 1.5g/L, and astaxanthin composition accumulated to 29.7mg/L under relatively higher light intensity and salinity.

Improving microalgal growth with reduced diameters of aeration bubbles and enhanced mass transfer of solution in an oscillating flow field

A novel oscillating gas aerator combined with an oscillating baffle was proposed to generate smaller aeration bubbles and enhance solution mass transfer, which can improve microalgal growth in a raceway pond. A high-speed photography system (HSP) was used to measure bubble diameter and generation time, and online precise dissolved oxygen probes and pH probes were used to measure mass-transfer coefficient and mixing time. Bubble diameter and generation time decreased with decreased aeration gas rate, decreased orifice diameter, and increased water velocity in the oscillating gas aerator. The optimized oscillating gas aerator decreased bubble diameter and generation time by 25% and 58%, respectively, compared with a horizontal tubular gas aerator. Using an oscillating gas aerator and an oscillating baffle in a raceway pond increased the solution mass-transfer coefficient by 15% and decreased mixing time by 32%; consequently, microalgal biomass yield increased by 19%.

Enhanced solution velocity between dark and light areas with horizontal tubes and triangular prism baffles to improve microalgal growth in a flat-panel photo-bioreactor

Novel horizontal tubes and triangular prism (HTTP) baffles that generate flow vortices were developed to increase solution velocity between dark and light areas and thus improve microalgal growth in a flat-panel photo-bioreactor. Solution velocity, mass-transfer coefficient, and mixing time were measured with a particle-imaging velocimeter, dissolved oxygen probes, and pH probes. The solution mass-transfer coefficient increased by 30% and mixing time decreased by 21% when the HTTP baffles were used. The solution velocity between dark and light areas increased from ∼0.9cm/s to ∼3.5cm/s, resulting in a decreased dark-light cycle period to one-fourth. This enhanced flashing light effect with the HTTP baffles dramatically increased microalgae biomass yield by 70% in the flat-panel photo-bioreactor.

Improving CO2 fixation with microalgae by bubble breakage in raceway ponds with up-down chute baffles

The aeration gas was broken into smaller bubbles with enhanced local solution velocity to improve CO2 fixation with microalgae in raceway ponds with up-down chute baffles. A high-speed photography system and online precise pH probes were used to measure bubble generation and residence times, which were affected by paddlewheel speed, aerator orifice diameter, gas flow rate, and solution depth. Bubble generation time (from gas reaching aerator orifice surface to completely escaping from the aerator) decreased because of the enhanced local solution velocity, whereas bubble residence time increased because of the vortex flow field produced by up-down chute baffles. Bubble generation time decreased by 27% and bubble residence time increased by 27% when paddlewheel speed was 10r/min with an aeration gas rate of 0.03vvm. The decreased generation time and increased residence time of aeration bubbles promoted microalgae biomass yield by 29% in optimized flow fields in raceway ponds.