Microalgae bio-fixation efficiency of carbon dioxide through innovative planar photobioreactor

The high anthropogenic activity of recent centuries has led to an urgent need to improve CO2 capture and sequestration technologies. In this context, microalgae systems have gained importance, thanks to their high photosynthetic efficiency and the many applications to which they can be destined. For this reason, a new photobioreactor prototype was developed, consisting of two interconnected units: a photostage loop, composed by fluorescent lamps and two parallel alveolar flat-panel, and an obscured tank in which culture mixing is achieved. The photobioreactor is also equipped with a system of sensors that allows to control all the growth parameters of the culture and a system to control the CO2 flow rate introduced. In this study a series of parameters were monitored to characterize the photobioreactor both as regards the hydraulic and the luminous parts. Furthermore, a series of biological tests were carried out using the alga Acutodesmus obliquus to verify the growth system under different hydraulic conditions (4÷18 L min-1) and the CO2 removal efficiency of this microalgal species. The next phase will be to try to optimize the photobioreactor from an energy point of view in order to maximize the efficiency of the entire system.