Energetic Performance of Photobioreactors for Algal
Cultivation
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Abstract
Microalgae
are currently being investigated as a potential fuel
crop. For algae to be an energy-efficient fuel crop, cultivation systems
and operating conditions that have been optimized for biomass productivity
have to be refocused toward energy production. In this work, data
from the literature on a variety of algal photobioreactors (PBRs)
were compiled to reassess them in terms of biomass productivity per
unit energy input to the cultivation process. This assessment showed
that PBRs that have been optimized for biomass productivity without
considering the energy input did not necessarily perform well in terms
of energy efficiency. This review recommends that selection of algal
PBRs for energy production should consider optimal geometry for efficient
utilization of incident light, and their operation should be based
on the optimal sparging rate for efficient mixing to maximize energy
efficiency