Selection of Operating Parameters for Outdoor Gas Treatment Photobioreactors

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emission has been accused of causing 60% of global warming. Among the proposed CO2 sequestration and conversion methods, photosynthetic CO2 conversion by microalgae is regarded as the most promising long-term solution to improve carbon recycle due to its high efficiency, mild reaction conditions, and co-production of valuable biomass and oxygen (O2). In order to achieve optimal biomass production and gas treatment performance, operating parameters of an outdoor photobioreactor (PBR) needs to be carefully designed to satisfy the biological demands of then cultivated microalgae. In this work, a platform with experimental set-up and procedures to select operating parameters for an outdoor gas treatment PBR has been established. Operating conditions (illumination, temperate and CO2 availability conditions) have been selected for biomass production and gas treatment of a bubble column PBR with Chlorella sp. with the established method. In addition, with the innovative illumination system in the experimental set-up providing simulated diurnal cycle, performance of a potential outdoor gas treatment PBR with Chlorella sp. in Hong Kong has been predicted.