The Application of Transparent Glass Sponge for Improvement of Light Distribution in Photobioreactors
Open accessAbstract
A new concept for improving light dilution and light distribution in photobioreactors by applying transparent, openpored sponges was realized during cultivation experiments. A manufacturing process based on the polymer replica technique was established. A polyurethane template is impregnated with a nanoscaled SiO2 powder suspension (solids loading of 60 wt% at around pH 10) and dried. The green body is prepared by burning-out the polymer at 800°C. Subsequently the sintering of the remaining SiO2 structure to transparent cellular bodies is carried out at 1330°C. Many different factors influence the process. The slurry stabilization (viscosity, zeta-potential, pH) is important to generate a stable and self-supporting SiO2 shell around the template and achieve appropriate green bodies. The sintering temperature determines the transition of amorphous (transparent) into crystalline silica. The 8 ppi sponge has a porosity of 0.9, the specific surface area of 568 m-1 means an increase of the (inner) surface to volume ratio of the reactor. Porous glass has a very high surface to volume ratio (about 0.26 m2/g of glass at 10 μm pore size). Because of multiple and complex reflection of light into the porous glass, the algae can obtain light energy at any location of the total volume. First cultivation experiments in special designed Miniplate reactors show an increase in growth rate (about +25%) at low cell densities. The photo conversion efficiency was enlarged from 4.9% for the empty reactor to 5.6% and 5.9% for the 8 and 15 ppi sponge filled reactor. The effect and the improved efficiency of biomass build-up per applied light will be more apparent at high cell densities. Therefore concentration of the standard Tris-Phosphate (TP) medium (2.5 fold) and feeding are necessary.
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Algae within the pores of the sponges become illuminated from all directions due to multiple and complex reflections in the glass sponges, focusing light and counteracting attenuation.
“Algae grow within the pores of the sponges and become illuminated from all directions due to the multiple and complex reflections in the glass sponges. The illumination from all directions toward the center of each pore focuses the light, as shown in Figure 3. This focus effect counteracts the attenuation of light due to the scattering and absorption of algae along the light path.”
From Comprehensive Computational Model for Coupled Fluid Flow, Mass Transfer, and Light Supply in Tubular Photobioreactors Equipped with Glass Sponges (2022) · cites this paper as [2]
Light dilution is achieved by increasing the illumination area by the surface area of the sponges and decreases the light path in the microalgal culture.
“The so-called light dilution is achieved by increasing the illumination area by the surface area of the sponges in addition to the surface area of the PBR itself. The sponges conduct light to deeper positions (Figure 2) in the PBR and also decrease the light path in the microalgal culture.”
From Comprehensive Computational Model for Coupled Fluid Flow, Mass Transfer, and Light Supply in Tubular Photobioreactors Equipped with Glass Sponges (2022) · cites this paper as [2]
Common approaches to overcome steep light gradients in photobioreactors include internal illuminations, reduction of the light path, enlargement of the reactor surface, or installation of light-diluting structures.
“Common approaches to overcome the (steep) light gradients are internal illuminations [1], the straightforward reduction of the light path using more reactor units, the enlargement of the reactor surface, or the installation of light-diluting structures in the reactor [2].”
From Comprehensive Computational Model for Coupled Fluid Flow, Mass Transfer, and Light Supply in Tubular Photobioreactors Equipped with Glass Sponges (2022) · cites this paper as [2]
Installation of transparent polyurethane sponges in a photobioreactor improves the light pattern in microalgal cultures.
“One way to improve the light pattern in microalgal cultures is the installation of transparent polyurethane sponges in a PBR.”
From Comprehensive Computational Model for Coupled Fluid Flow, Mass Transfer, and Light Supply in Tubular Photobioreactors Equipped with Glass Sponges (2022) · cites this paper as [2]
Due to memory and computation time limitations, the pore sizes of 0.002 m to 0.004 m from the original experiments cannot be resolved.
“Due to memory and computation time limitations, the pore sizes of 0.002 m to 0.004 m from the original experiments [2] cannot be resolved.”
From Comprehensive Computational Model for Coupled Fluid Flow, Mass Transfer, and Light Supply in Tubular Photobioreactors Equipped with Glass Sponges (2022) · cites this paper as [2]
Compared to the original pore sizes of approximately 0.003 m, the present pore size increased by about a factor of 10.
“Compared to the original pore sizes of approximately 0.003 m in [2] the present pore size increased by about a factor of 10.”
From Comprehensive Computational Model for Coupled Fluid Flow, Mass Transfer, and Light Supply in Tubular Photobioreactors Equipped with Glass Sponges (2022) · cites this paper as [2]
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- Authors
- Jacob, A., Bucharsky, E. C., & GuenterSchell, K.
- Venue
- Journal of Bioprocessing & Biotechniques
- Publisher
- OMICS Publishing Group
- Published
- 2012
- Volume
- 02
- Issue
- 01
- ISSN
- 2155-9821 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2332206278
- Cited by
- 19
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- doi.org
- Licence
- other-oa
- Locations
- Journal of Bioprocessing & Biotechniques (publishedVersion)
- Repository KITopen (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion)
- KITopen (other-oa)
- Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (FOR 583)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Algal biology and biofuel production
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Greenhouse Technology and Climate Control
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Fluid Dynamics and Mixing
- Keywords
- photobioreactors, light distribution, porous glass, algae cultivation, microalgae growth rate, photoelectric conversion efficiency, surface-to-volume ratio
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