Simulation of photosynthetically active radiation distribution in algal photobioreactors using a multidimensional spectral radiation model

TY - JOUR

T1 - Simulation of photosynthetically active radiation distribution in algal photobioreactors using a multidimensional spectral radiation model

AU - Kong, Bo

AU - Vigil, R. Dennis

N1 - Funding Information: The authors acknowledge financial support for this work from the Phillips 66 Company and the National Science Foundation ( CBET-1236676 ). We also gratefully acknowledge Prof. Martin Spalding for providing algae used in this work.

PY - 2014/4

Y1 - 2014/4

N2 - A numerical method for simulating the spectral light distribution in algal photobioreactors is developed by adapting the discrete ordinate method for solving the radiative transport equation. The technique, which was developed for two and three spatial dimensions, provides a detailed accounting for light absorption and scattering by algae in the culture medium. In particular, the optical properties of the algal cells and the radiative properties of the turbid culture medium were calculated using a method based on Mie theory and that makes use of information concerning algal pigmentation, shape, and size distribution. The model was validated using a small cylindrical bioreactor, and subsequently simulations were carried out for an annular photobioreactor configuration. It is shown that even in this relatively simple geometry, nontrivial photon flux distributions arise that cannot be predicted by one-dimensional models.

AB - A numerical method for simulating the spectral light distribution in algal photobioreactors is developed by adapting the discrete ordinate method for solving the radiative transport equation. The technique, which was developed for two and three spatial dimensions, provides a detailed accounting for light absorption and scattering by algae in the culture medium. In particular, the optical properties of the algal cells and the radiative properties of the turbid culture medium were calculated using a method based on Mie theory and that makes use of information concerning algal pigmentation, shape, and size distribution. The model was validated using a small cylindrical bioreactor, and subsequently simulations were carried out for an annular photobioreactor configuration. It is shown that even in this relatively simple geometry, nontrivial photon flux distributions arise that cannot be predicted by one-dimensional models.

KW - Algae

KW - Photobioreactors

KW - Radiation

KW - Simulation

KW - Transport

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84896873097&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.01.052

DO - 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.01.052

M3 - 文章

C2 - 24589382

AN - SCOPUS:84896873097

SN - 0960-8524

VL - 158

SP - 141

EP - 148

JO - Bioresource Technology

JF - Bioresource Technology

ER -