大规模微藻光生物反应器的研究进展

微藻同时具备CO2固定和有机废水生物净化的双重效果,且微藻生物质在食品、饲(饵)料、生物能源开发等领域受到广泛关注,然而高效的微藻光生物反应器是微藻大规模养殖的重要瓶颈问题之一。本文中,笔者综述了封闭式微藻光生物反应器的类型、基本结构及其优缺点,对开放式微藻光合反应器陆续被改善、研发和试用进行了介绍,同时对开发复合型微藻光合反应器以及采用封闭型微藻光合反应器制种和开放式光合反应器快速生产的微藻养殖模式进行了简述,以期为微藻的大规模培养提供一定参考依据。     

封闭式光生物反应器研究进展

国际上80～90年代,封闭式光生物反应器是微藻生物技术的重要研究热点,也是微藻生物技术产业化的关键技术之一。本文较全面地介绍了用于微藻大规模培养的封闭式光生物反应器研究现状。将封闭式光生物反应器分为柱式、管式、板式和光导纤维反应器等类型。工业放大前景的管式和板式光生物反应器采取了典型个案分析的方法,列表比较了典型反应器的主要技术参数,并对它们的技术发展趋势进行了归纳总结。     

用管式光生物反应器培养螺旋藻的研究

微藻大规模培养主要有敞开式大池培养和封闭式光生物反应器培养两种主要方式。管式光生物反应器是封闭式光生物反应器的主要类型之一。与其它类型相比,管式光生物反应器放大较易,成本较低。国外关于管式光生物反应器已有不少研究［１～３］但关于管式光生物反应器产率与光强和光暗比的关系等方面的研究尚未得出明确的结论。国内管式光生物反应器的研究较少［４］,尚未见有关管式光生物反应器中微藻悬浮液流变特性基础参数和产率影响因素的报道。螺旋藻是丝状体蓝藻,螺旋藻蛋白质含量高,其蛋白质所含必需氨基酸丰富,是国内外大规模商业…     

微藻规模培养技术研究进展

产油微藻是最具潜力的生物能源油脂资源之一,有关微藻生物能源的技术研究开发近年来受到国内外持续重视。微藻能源生产是一个涉及到从藻种、规模培养技术与装备,到能量转化加工全产业链的复杂过程,其中以解决微藻生物量资源的规模培养是整个产业过程的核心。从微藻的产能潜力分析出发,对微藻的光自养与异养模式以及微藻的开放池和光反应器培养研究进展进行了总结,特别分析了近些年发展起来的微藻序贯式异养—稀释—光诱导和贴壁培养技术等。并对涉及微藻培养的相关技术包括光能利用、水源和二氧化碳源解决,以及污染及其控制研究进展进行了分析。在此基础上,提出微藻规模培养必须以高效抗逆工业性状和高值化学品联产特色藻种的选育,与装备创新为重点和突破口,并将废气/废水等利用与规模培养相结合,从而构建起与环境处理相耦联的微藻能源—高值化学品多联产产业技术体系。     

微藻藻种的筛选和育种及基因工程改造

正利用微藻油脂、烷烃或微藻淀粉生产生物柴油或生物酒精已成为国际生物能源研究领域的前沿和各个国家尤其是西方发达国家能源科技竞争的热点。然而,微藻生物燃料面临用于大规模工业化培养的微藻品种较少、生产成本高而难于商业化应用的问题。文章深入研究微藻生物技术的发展,对目前微藻藻种筛选、育种和基因工程技术改造进行分析,为进一步发掘筛选新的微藻生物资源、获得富含生物燃料原料成分及多种生物活性成分的优良藻种提供指导,加快微藻的生物产品和生物燃料商业化生产。     

二氧化碳减排产柴油微藻培养体系研究进展

污水资源化、二氧化碳减排及微藻生物柴油是当前能源与环境领域的前沿课题。以下围绕污水及烟道气资源化培养产油微藻的培养体系,就藻种、营养条件、培养方式、培养环境及微藻生物反应器等影响产油微藻培养的因素研究进展进行了综述。在综述的基础上提出：由于微藻具有特殊营养方式,通过藻种筛选、微藻营养条件和培养环境的优化以及高效光生物反应器和生产工艺等的创新,可利用污水进行产油微藻生产,以获得生物柴油等高附加值产品,实现微藻生物能源、污水资源化处理和CO2减排三者高度耦合的产油微藻生产体系,从而减少微藻培养费用及污水处理费用,因此,该体系具有重要的环境、社会、经济价值和商业化应用前景。     

一种用于微藻培养的新型板式光生物反应器

微藻的闪光效应可以大幅提高微藻的光效率,提高微藻产量。通过在传统的板式光生物反应器中加入斜挡板以增强微藻的闪光效应。以小球藻为模型藻种,考察了新型板式光生物反应器内不同光强和不同进口流速对小球藻生长速率和光效率的影响。结果表明,当进口流速为0.16 m/s时,随着光强的提高,小球藻的细胞浓度逐渐增加,光效率逐渐降低;在500μmol/(m2·s)的光强条件下,小球藻细胞浓度和光效率均随着进口流速的提高而增加。新型板式光生物反应器内小球藻的细胞浓度比传统板式光生物反应器提高了39.23%,表明在传统板式光生物反应器内加入斜挡板可有效增强微藻的闪光效应。     

微藻养殖中的新型光生物反应器系统

目前世界上微藻的大规模养殖仍普遍采用开放池式生产系统,该系统具有许多不足之处;开发高效、易于控制的新型生产系统是今后开展的趋势。本文对一些新型光生物反应器系统如优化的浅水道工生产系统、密闭管道式、发酵罐式光生物反应器、高密度藻类光生物反应器以及其它类型的光生物反应器进行了较为详细的介绍。     

微藻规模化培养技术研究进展及产业化概况

正首先,对目前微藻规模化生产中应用最广的光自养培养模式,按照其所用培养装置的不同,分别介绍了开放式大池和封闭式光生物反应器培养系统产业化现状及其最新研究进展。其次,对微藻另外两种培养方式异养培养和混养(兼养)培养的产业化现状、各自存在的问题进行了总结和分析。最后,对近年来出现的具有较好产业化前景的微藻培养新技术进行了简介。     

基于模糊综合评价的产生物柴油微藻藻种筛选

产生物柴油微藻大规模培养对微藻藻种的性能要求较高。从丰富的藻种资源中筛选到高品质的藻种一直是个亟待解决的问题。通过研究3株产油微藻,从系统工程的角度综合整个微藻生物柴油的技术工艺,建立了以生长速率、含油率、油脂组成等18种指标的二级评价体系,采用二级模糊综合评价的模糊数学方法对产生物柴油微藻的性能进行综和分析、筛选。最终确定供评价的三株微藻二级模糊综合评价集：小球藻LICME001［0.360 0.315 0.192 0.069 0.064］,微绿球藻LICME002［0.277 0.331 0.236 0.104 0.052］和葡萄藻LICME003［0.325 0.371 0.232 0.071 0.060］。根据最大隶属度法则分析得：小球藻LICM001株产生物柴油微藻品质为优等级别,适合产生物柴油的技术工艺要求;微绿球藻LICME002和葡萄藻LICME003为良等级别的产生物柴油藻种。     

Commercial production of microalgae: ponds, tanks, tubes and fermenters

The commercial culture of microalgae is now over 30 years old with the main microalgal species grown being Chlorella and Spirulina for health food, Dunaliella salina for β-carotene, Haematococcus pluvialis for astaxanthin and several species for aquaculture. The culture systems currently used to grow these algae are generally fairly unsophisticated. For example, Dunaliella salina is cultured in large (up to approx. 250 ha) shallow open-air ponds with no artificial mixing. Similarly, Chlorella and Spirulina also are grown outdoors in either paddle-wheel mixed ponds or circular ponds with a rotating mixing arm of up to about 1 ha in area per pond. The production of microalgae for aquaculture is generally on a much smaller scale, and in many cases is carried out indoors in 20–40 l carboys or in large plastic bags of up to approximately 1000 l in volume. More recently, a helical tubular photobioreactor system, the BIOCOIL™, has been developed which allows these algae to be grown reliably outdoors at high cell densities in semi-continuous culture. Other closed photobioreactors such as flat panels are also being developed. The main problem facing the commercialisation of new microalgae and microalgal products is the need for closed culture systems and the fact that these are very capital intensive. The high cost of microalgal culture systems relates to the need for light and the relatively slow growth rate of the algae. Although this problem has been avoided in some instances by growing the algae heterotrophically, not all algae or algal products can be produced this way.     

From laboratory to commercial production: a case study of a Spirulina (Arthrospira) facility in Musina, South Africa

Until recently, most large commercial scale microalgal production systems employed open systems. However, several large-scale closed systems have now been built and, for the first time, actual comparisons can be made. There are major operational differences between open and closed photobioreactors and, consequently, the growth physiology of the microalgae is different between the two systems. Several of the factors governing growth can, within certain boundaries, be manipulated while others are specific to the cultivation system. Crucial factors are the optical depth, turbulence, light acclimated state of the organism, nutrient availability and metabolite accumulation. In the final analyses, systems are used for specific purposes and each will determine which system is the most suitable, since there is no universal all-purpose photobioreactor.     

Factors governing algal growth in photobioreactors: the “open” versus “closed” debate

Until recently, most large commercial scale microalgal production systems employed open systems. However, several large-scale closed systems have now been built and, for the first time, actual comparisons can be made. There are major operational differences between open and closed photobioreactors and, consequently, the growth physiology of the microalgae is different between the two systems. Several of the factors governing growth can, within certain boundaries, be manipulated while others are specific to the cultivation system. Crucial factors are the optical depth, turbulence, light acclimated state of the organism, nutrient availability and metabolite accumulation. In the final analyses, systems are used for specific purposes and each will determine which system is the most suitable, since there is no universal all-purpose photobioreactor.     

微藻培养系统内光现象的研究进展

分析了微藻培养系统内光传递过程的数学模型和光分布影响因素,重点综述了光暗循环对微藻生长影响的实验研究和CFD技术应用研究进展,展望了微藻培养系统内光现象的发展方向,以期为规模化、高效微藻培养光生物反应器的设计、优化和放大提供参考。     

Effects of outdoor cultures on the growth and lipid production of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaeodactylum tricornutum</Emphasis> using closed photobioreactors

One of the principal challenges for large scale production of microalgae is the high costs of biomass production. Aiming for minimize this problem, microalgal biodiesel production should focus on outdoors cultures, using available solar light and allowing lower energy cost process. Testing species that proved to be common and easy to culture may be a good approach in this process. The present work reports indoor-outdoor cultures of Phaeodactylum tricornutum using different bioreactors types, using cell growth, biochemical composition, and the profiles of the fatty acids produced as the parameters to test the optimization processes. The results show that the use of outdoor cultures is a good choice to obtain P. tricornutum biomass with a good potential for biodiesel production. The microalgae produced reached better growth efficiency, major lipid content and showed an increment in the percentage of saturated fatty acids (required on the biodiesel production) respect indoor cultures. These results are important to show the relevance of using outdoor cultures as a way to improve the efficiency and the energetic balance of the biodiesel production with P. tricornutum algae.     

Enclosed outdoor photobioreactors: light regime,photosynthetic efficiency,scale-up,and future prospects

Enclosed outdoor photobioreactors need to be developed and designed for large-scale production of phototrophic microorganisms. Both light regime and photosynthetic efficiency were analyzed in characteristic examples of state-of-the-art pilot-scale photobioreactors. In this study it is shown that productivity of photobioreactors is determined by the light regime inside the bioreactors. In addition to light regime, oxygen accumulation and shear stress limit productivity in certain designs. In short light-path systems, high efficiencies, 10% to 20% based on photosynthetic active radiation (PAR 400 to 700 nm), can be reached at high biomass concentrations (>5 kg [dry weight] m(-3)). It is demonstrated, however, that these and other photobioreactor designs are poorly scalable (maximal unit size 0.1 to 10 m(3)), and/or not applicable for cultivation of monocultures. This is why a new photobioreactor design is proposed in which light capture is physically separated from photoautotrophic cultivation. This system can possibly be scaled to larger unit sizes, 10 to >100 m(3), and the reactor liquid as a whole is mixed and aerated. It is deduced that high photosynthetic efficiencies, 15% on a PAR-basis, can be achieved. Future designs from optical engineers should be used to collect, concentrate, and transport sunlight, followed by redistribution in a large-scale photobioreactor.     

A novel genetic engineering platform for the effective management of biological contaminants for the production of microalgae

Microalgal cultivation that takes advantage of solar energy is one of the most cost‐effective systems for the biotechnological production of biofuels, and a range of high value products, including pharmaceuticals, fertilizers and feed. However, one of the main constraints for the cultivation of microalgae is the potential contamination with biological pollutants, such as bacteria, fungi, zooplankton or other undesirable microalgae. In closed bioreactors, the control of contamination requires the sterilization of the media, containers and all materials, which increases the cost of production, whereas open pond systems severely limits the number of species that can be cultivated under extreme environmental conditions to prevent contaminations. Here, we report the metabolic engineering of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to use phosphite as its sole phosphorus source by expressing the ptxD gene from Pseudomonas stutzeri WM88, which encodes a phosphite oxidoreductase able to oxidize phosphite into phosphate using NAD as a cofactor. Engineered C. reinhardtii lines are capable of becoming the dominant species in a mixed culture when fertilized with phosphite as a sole phosphorus source. Our results represent a new platform for the production of microalgae, potentially useful for both closed photobioreactors and open pond systems without the need for using sterile conditions nor antibiotics or herbicides to prevent contamination with biological pollutants.     

Current Large-Scale US Biofuel Potential from Microalgae Cultivated in Photobioreactors

Current assessments of the commercial viability and productivity potential of microalgae biofuels have been forced to extrapolate small-scale research data. The resulting analyses are not representative of microalgae cultivation and processing at industrial scale. To more accurately assess the current near-term realizable, large-scale microalgae productivity potential in the USA, this paper presents a model of microalgae growth derived from industrial-scale outdoor photobioreactor growth data. This model is combined with thermal models of the photobioreactor system and 15?years of hourly historical weather data from 864 locations in the USA to more accurately assess the current productivity potential of microalgae. The resulting lipid productivity potential of Nannochloropsis is presented in the form of a map that incorporates various land availability models to illustrate the near-term feasible cultivation locations and corresponding productivity potentials for the USA. The discussion focuses on a comparison of model results with productivity potentials currently reported in literature, an assessment demonstrating the scale of Department of Energy 2030 alternative fuel goals, and a critical comparison of productivity potential in several key regions of the USA.     

Adjusted light and dark cycles can optimize photosynthetic efficiency in algae growing in photobioreactors

Biofuels from algae are highly interesting as renewable energy sources to replace, at least partially, fossil fuels, but great research efforts are still needed to optimize growth parameters to develop competitive large-scale cultivation systems. One factor with a seminal influence on productivity is light availability. Light energy fully supports algal growth, but it leads to oxidative stress if illumination is in excess. In this work, the influence of light intensity on the growth and lipid productivity of Nannochloropsis salina was investigated in a flat-bed photobioreactor designed to minimize cells self-shading. The influence of various light intensities was studied with both continuous illumination and alternation of light and dark cycles at various frequencies, which mimic illumination variations in a photobioreactor due to mixing. Results show that Nannochloropsis can efficiently exploit even very intense light, provided that dark cycles occur to allow for re-oxidation of the electron transporters of the photosynthetic apparatus. If alternation of light and dark is not optimal, algae undergo radiation damage and photosynthetic productivity is greatly reduced. Our results demonstrate that, in a photobioreactor for the cultivation of algae, optimizing mixing is essential in order to ensure that the algae exploit light energy efficiently.