Characterisation of a simple ‘hanging bag’ photobioreactor for low‐cost cultivation of microalgae

作者：Jing Cui, Saul Purton, Frank Baganz · 发表于：Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology · 年份：2021 · DOI：10.1002/jctb.6985 · 被引用次数：25 · 研究领域：Algal biology and biofuel production、Catalytic Processes in Materials Science、Fluid Dynamics and Mixing

Abstract BACKGROUND Microalgae are a diverse group of photosynthetic microorganisms of significant interest to the biotechnology industry, either as a sustainable source of natural compounds, or as light‐driven cell factories to produce recombinant metabolites and proteins. Their ability to utilise light, CO 2 , and basic nutrients leads to a simple and low‐cost phototrophic cultivation process. This is particularly relevant to low‐ and middle‐income countries, all of which require a cultivation system that is cheap, technically simple to operate, readily scalable, and can meet basic Good Manufacturing Practice requirements. A disposable ‘hanging bag’‐type photobioreactor operated as a bubble column fits these criteria. RESULTS In this study, the characterisation and design modifications to improve the performance of a 15 L hanging bag is reported. The bubble behaviour using different sparger designs was investigated together with gas hold‐up, mixing time, and mass transfer coefficient of CO 2 . A gas flow rate of 5 L min −1 using a new sparger design and a modified height‐to‐diameter ratio of the bag led to a two‐fold improvement in algal biomass productivity when culturing the green microalga Chlorella sorokiniana . The cultivation of a luciferase‐expressing Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain in the modified hanging bag also demonstrated an 11% increase in luciferase content. CONCLUSION This is the first attempt to characterise this simple hanging bag system that brings the i...