Decrease in light/dark cycle of microalgal cells with computational fluid dynamics simulation to improve microalgal growth in a raceway pond
Abstract
In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to systemically analyze the movement of algae in a vortex flow field produced by up-down chute baffles. The average cell light/dark (L/D) cycle period, vertical fluid velocity, fraction of time the algae was resides in light zone and the L/D cycle period were investigated under different paddlewheel speeds and microalgal concentrations. Results showed that the L/D cycle period decreased but the vertical fluid velocity increased when the up-down chute baffles were used. The L/D cycle period decreased by 24% (from 5.1s to 3.9s), and vertical fluid velocity increased by 75% when up-down chute baffles were used with paddlewheel speed of 30r/min. The probability of L/D cycle period of 3s increased by 52% from 0.29 to 0.44 with the up-down chute baffles. This led to approximately 22% increase in biomass yield without changing the paddlewheel speed.
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The purpose of the listed models covers a variety of applications, including mechanistic understanding, investigations on flashing-light effect, design optimization, and optimization of operating conditions.
“The purpose of the listed models covers a variety of applications, including the mechanistic understanding of photobioreactors [17-21], investigations on the flashing-light effect [22-31], photobioreactor design optimization [21,22,29,32-42] and optimization of operating conditions [26,34-36,43-45].”
From Modeling and Simulation of Photobioreactors with Computational Fluid Dynamics—A Comprehensive Review (2022) · cites this paper as [22]
A number of different turbulence models were employed by researchers: the k-ε model, the RNG k-ε model, the realizable k-ε model, and the k-ω models are the most commonly used ones.
“According to Table 1, a number of different turbulence models were employed by researcher: the k -# model [32,33,43], the RNG k -# model [22], the realizable k -# model [35], and the k -w models [22,33] are the most commonly used ones.”
From Modeling and Simulation of Photobioreactors with Computational Fluid Dynamics—A Comprehensive Review (2022) · cites this paper as [22]
The rotation of the paddle wheel is considered using the sliding mesh technique, where an interface divides the numerical mesh into two parts: one is static while the other one moves with the rotating part at constant velocity.
“The rotation of the paddle wheel is considered using the sliding mesh technique [22,32,33,35], where an interface divides the numerical mesh into two parts: one is static while the other one moves with the rotating part at constant velocity.”
From Modeling and Simulation of Photobioreactors with Computational Fluid Dynamics—A Comprehensive Review (2022) · cites this paper as [22]
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- Authors
- Yang, Z., Cheng, J., Ye, Q., Liu, J., Zhou, J., & Cen, K.
- Affiliations
- State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Cheng, Jun
- Venue
- Bioresource Technology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-11
- Volume
- 220
- Pages
- 352-359
- ISSN
- 0960-8524 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2509669997
- Cited by
- 45
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 1.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Bioresource Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation (51476141)
- National key research and development program (2016YFB0601003)
- Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation (LR14E060002)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Algal biology and biofuel production
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Fluid Dynamics and Mixing
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Keywords
- microalgae growth, raceway ponds, light-dark cycle, cell residence time, vortex flow, biomass yield
- MeSH terms
- Light, Photoperiod, Biomass, Computational Biology, Hydrodynamics, Microalgae, Ponds
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