Design and construction of agitated photobioreactor airlift for lipids and carbohydrates production

• Grant number: 10/03764-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2011
• End date: January 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Rubens Maciel Filho
• Grantee: Sergio Santos de Jesus
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Bioreators are used in all kinds of bioprocess, including those for making vaccines, antibiotics, amino acids, and many other high-value-added products such as the carotenoids and also in the biodiesel production. Many different designs of photobioreactors have been developed, but a tubular photobioreactor seems to be most satisfactory for producing algal biomass on the scale needed for high-value-added production. The microalgae productions in tubular photobioreactors that circulate the culture by using an airlift device are especially attractive for several reasons: circulation is achieved without moving parts and this provides a robust culture system with a reduced potential for contamination. The aim of the work is the design and construction of a mechanically agitated photobioreactor airlift and lipids and carbohydrates production through the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris. The studies of the fermentation will carried out in a laboratory scale in an stirred photobiorreactor airlift designed and constructed in this work, the C. vulgaris microalgae and vegetable waste will used. The bioreactor designed will the glass and internal recirculation (a concentric draft-tube airlift vessel device) in its exterior with LED lamps which can be operated at a gradient of light intensity. An experimental design will used to evaluate the best conditions of process, where the influence of the concentration, pH, stirring, intensity of light and flow rate of the CO2 will investigate. The biomass is analyzed concerning by lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins.

Scientific publications

(8)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE JESUS, SERGIO S.; FERREIRA, GABRIELA F.; WOLF MACIEL, MARIA REGINA; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS. Biodiesel purification by column chromatography and liquid-liquid extraction using green solvents. FUEL, v. 235, p. 1123-1130, JAN 1 2019. (10/03764-3, 15/19609-0)

DE JESUS, SERGIO S.; FERREIRA, GABRIELA F.; MOREIRA, LARISSA S.; WOLF MACIEL, MARIA REGINA; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS. Comparison of several methods for effective lipid extraction from wet microalgae using green solvents. RENEWABLE ENERGY, v. 143, p. 130-141, DEC 2019. (15/19609-0, 10/03764-3)

DE JESUS, SERGIO S.; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS. Potential of algal biofuel production in a hybrid photobioreactor. Chemical Engineering Science, v. 171, p. 282-292, NOV 2 2017. (08/57873-8, 10/04903-7, 10/03764-3)

DE JESUS, SERGIO S.; MOREIRA NETO, JOAO; SANTANA, ALINE; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS. Influence of impeller type on hydrodynamics and gas-liquid mass-transfer in stirred airlift bioreactor. AICHE JOURNAL, v. 61, n. 10, p. 3159-3171, OCT 2015. (08/57873-8, 10/04903-7, 10/03764-3)

DE JESUS, SERGIO S.; FERREIRA, GABRIELA F.; MOREIRA, LARISSA S.; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS. Biodiesel production from microalgae by direct transesterification using green solvents. RENEWABLE ENERGY, v. 160, p. 1283-1294, NOV 2020. (15/19609-0, 10/03764-3)

DE JESUS, SERGIO S.; NETO, JOAO MOREIRA; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS. Hydrodynamics and mass transfer in bubble column, conventional airlift, stirred airlift and stirred tank bioreactors, using viscous fluid: A comparative study. Biochemical Engineering Journal, v. 118, p. 70-81, FEB 15 2017. (08/57873-8, 10/04903-7, 10/03764-3)

DE JESUS, SERGIO S.; FERREIRA, GABRIELA F.; FREGOLENTE, V, LEONARDO; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS. Laboratory extraction of microalgal lipids using sugarcane bagasse derived green solvents. ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS, v. 35, p. 292-300, NOV 2018. (10/03764-3, 15/19609-0)

DE JESUS, SERGIO S.; SANTANA, ALINE; PONCE, GUSTAVO H. S. F.; MACIEL FILHO, RUBENS. Potential use of vegetable waste for biofuel production. JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, v. 92, n. 1, p. 90-99, JAN 2017. (08/57873-8, 10/04903-7, 10/03764-3)