Yearlong Evaluation of Performance and Durability of a Pilot-Scale Revolving Algal Biofilm (RAB) Cultivation System
Abstract
Current algal cultivation has been mainly performed in open ponds or photobioreactors in which algal cells are suspended and harvested through flocculation and centrifugation. A unique attachment based Revolving Algal Biofilm (RAB) cultivation system was recently developed for easy biomass harvest with enhanced biomass productivity. The objective of this research was to evaluate the performance (durability, algal growth, and the geometry) of the RAB system at pilot-scale. A yearlong test of the RAB system was successfully conducted at a greenhouse facility at Boone, Iowa, USA. The RAB resulted in an average of 302% increase in biomass productivity compared to a standard raceway pond, with a maximum biomass productivity (ash free) of 18.9 g/m(2)-day being achieved. The RAB with a vertical configuration generated higher productivity than the triangular RAB. Collectively, the research shows that the RAB as an efficient algal culture system has great potential for being deployed at commercial scale.
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The revolving algal biofilm system was developed to achieve higher land utilization efficiency and biomass productivity than the open raceway pond.
“For instance, the revolving algal bio fi lm system was developed to achieve higher land utilization ef fi ciency and biomass productivity than the open raceway pond (ORP) (Gross and Wen, 2014).”
From Strategies to Produce Cost-Effective Third-Generation Biofuel From Microalgae (2021) · cites this paper as Gross and Wen, 2014
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- Authors
- Gross, M., & Wen, Z.
- Affiliations
- Iowa State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wen, Zhiyou
- ORCID
- Wen, Zhiyou
- Venue
- Bioresource Technology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-11
- Volume
- 171
- Pages
- 50-58
- ISSN
- 0960-8524 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2026875143
- Cited by
- 168
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 3.63
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Bioresource Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Grow Iowa Values Fund
- Regent’s Innovation Fund
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Algal biology and biofuel production
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Innovations in Aquaponics and Hydroponics Systems
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Keywords
- algae cultivation, biomass productivity, biomass harvesting, system durability, raceway ponds, pilot-scale evaluation, greenhouse cultivation
- MeSH terms
- Biotechnology, Pilot Projects, Biofilms, Biomass, Bioreactors, Microalgae
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