Construction and optimization of a tubular biorreactor for cultivation of microalga Chlorella sp. utilizing leachate as culture medium

• Grant number: 13/22315-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2014
• End date: September 01, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Messias Borges Silva
• Grantee: Iago Rezende Meyer
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Undergraduate Research Project aims at the construction of a tubular bioreactor to cultivate microalga Chlorella sp. on a continuous regime, utilizing organic and inorganic nutrients from leachate of Cachoeira Paulista, São Paulo. The project can be divided in three main stages: construction of the bioreactor, factor analysis in the operation of the process and system optimization. The project will focus on the optimization of physical parameters in operation, as average residence time (based on the entry volumetric flow), cultivation temperature, dilution rate of the leachate and luminous intensity. It is intended to achieve as a result a protocol of the microalgal cultivation in the leachate, to accumulate biomass and lipids, as well as to reduce the organic load present in the leachate, which can facilitate future treatments.