• Clean Technology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2000

Removal rates of hydrogen sulfide were investigated to known effects of several light sources with external and internal irradiation on the desulfurization using C. thiosulfatophilum. In the case of internal illumination system, optical-fiber photobioreactor was applied to increase the light availability. Furthermore, sunlight was used as the main light energy in the daytime and metal-halide lamp was applied as an additional light energy at night. Light energy of 99% was saved by the application of the LED's array in comparison with the incandescent light source. $H_2S$ removal rates at 5,000 lux in a 4-L photobioreactor were shown as 0.040, 0.138, 0.136, and 0.134 (${\mu}mol$ $H_2S/min$)/(mg protein/L), respectively, in the following order of light sources, when several light sources such as fluorescent, energy-saving, incandescent, halogen lamp, and filtered light at 460 nm were applied. Removal rate per unit cell concentration with the internal light diffused optical-fibers increased about 1 six times as much as that with the external light sources. Removal rate per unit cell concentration, using sunlight in the daytime and a metal-halide lamp at night, was 0.41 less than 0.869 (${\mu}mol$ $H_2S/min$)/(mg protein/L) using a 400 W metal-halide lamp day and night, since the automatic sunlight collection system can transmit the light intensity as only 10% of that with a metal-halide lamp.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.1-8
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• 2009

Photobioreactor (PBR) that houses and cultivates microalgae providing a suitable environment for its growth, such as light, nutrients, CO2, heat, etc. is now getting more popular in the last decade. Among the many types of PBRs, the bubble column type is very attractive because of its simple construction and easy operation. However, despite the availability of these PBRs, only a few of them can be practically used for mass production. Many limitations still holdback their use especially during their scale-up. To enlarge the culture volume and productivity while supplying optimum environmental conditions, various PBR structures and process control are needed to be investigated. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was economically used to design a bubble-column type PBR taking the place of field experiments. CFD is a promising technique which can simulate the growth and production of microalgae in the PBR. To study bubble column PBR with CFD, the most important factor is the possibility of realizing bubble. In this study, multi-phase models which are generally used to realize bubbles were compared by theoretical approaches and comparing in a 2D simulation. As a result, the VOF (volume of fluid) model was found to be the most effective model to realize the bubbles shape as well as the flow inside PBR which may be induced by bubble injection. Considering the accuracy and economical efficiency, 0.005 second time step size was chosen for 2.5 mm mesh size. These results will be used as criteria for scale-up in the PBR simulation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.503-510
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• 2016

The accumulation (internal and superficial distribution) of magnesium ions (Mg²⁺) by the green freshwater microalga Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) was investigated under autotrophic culture in a stirred photobioreactor. The concentrations of the three forms of Mg²⁺ (dissolved, extracellular, and intracellular) were determined with atomic absorption spectroscopy during the course of C. vulgaris growth. The proportions of adsorbed (extracellular) and absorbed (intracellular) Mg²⁺ were quantified. The concentration of the most important pigment in algal cells, chlorophyll a, increased over time in proportion to the increase in the biomass concentration, indicating a constant chlorophyll/biomass ratio during the linear growth phase. The mean-average rate of Mg²⁺ uptake by C. vulgaris grown in a culture medium starting with 16 mg/l of Mg²⁺ concentration was measured. A clear relationship between the biomass concentration and the proportion of the Mg²⁺ removal from the medium was observed. Of the total Mg²⁺ present in the culture medium, 18% was adsorbed on the cell wall and 51% was absorbed by the biomass by the end of the experiment (765 h). Overall, 69% of the initial Mg²⁺ were found to be removed from the medium. This study supported the kinetic model based on a reversible first-order reaction for Mg²⁺ bioaccumulation in C. vulgaris, which was consistent with the experimental data.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.1260-1268
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• 2013

A series of experiments were carried out with three native strains of microalgae to measure growth rates, biomass, and lipid productivities. Scenedesmus sp. IMMTCC-6 had better biomass growth rate and higher lipid production. The growth, lipid accumulation, and carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) consumption rate of Scenedesmus sp. IMMTCC-6 were tested under different NaOH concentrations in modified BBM. The algal strain showed the maximum specific growth rate (0.474/day), biomass productivity (110.9 mg $l^{-1}d^{-1}$), and $CO_2$ consumption rate (208.4 mg $l^{-1}d^{-1}$) with an NaOH concentration of 0.005 M on the $8^{th}$ day of cultivation. These values were 2.03-, 6.89-, and 6.88-fold more than the algal cultures grown in control conditions (having no NaOH and $CO_2$). The $CO_2$ fixing efficiency of the microalga with other alternative carbon sources like $Na_2CO_3$ and $NaHCO_3$ was also investigated and compared. The optimized experimental parameters at shake-flask scale were implemented for scaling up the process in a self-engineered photobioreactor. A significant increase in lipid accumulation (14.23% to 31.74%) by the algal strain from the logarithmic to stationary phases was obtained. The algal lipids were mainly composed of $C_{16}/C_{18}$ fatty acids, and are desirable for biodiesel production. The study suggests that microalga Scenedesmus sp. IMMTCC-6 is an efficient strain for biodiesel production and $CO_2$ biofixation using stripping solution of NaOH in a cyclic process.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.55-63
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• 2012

We present results of optical design and fabrication of a light guiding plate (LGP) to be used as an illumination system for photobioreactors. Modeling of a light-emitting diode (LED) light source, a reflection film, and LGP patterns was performed. Especially, the LGP patterns were modeled as Lambertian scatterers. The modeling parameters (reflectance, scatterer width) were determined through matching simulations with the experimentally measured illuminance distribution for a test LGP. An LGP for an LED light source was designed with the extracted model parameters, and fabricated using a computerized numerical control machine. Optical characteristics including average illuminance and uniformity of illuminance distribution were measured for the fabricated LGP.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 2012

In the present study, the biomass productivity of two green microalgae (Chlorella sp. and Dunaliella salina DCCBC2) were assessed in a 12 L tubular photobioreactor under optimum culture conditions. In the batch culture optimization process, the Chlorella sp. biomass was obtained as 1.2 g/L under atmospheric air as a sole $CO_2$ source and other culture conditions as follows: light intensity, temperature, pH, $NH_4Cl$ and $K_2HPO_4$ were 100 ${\mu}E/m^2/s$, $27^{\circ}C$, 7.0, 20.0 mM and 2.0 mM, respectively. On the other hand, 2.9 g/L of D. salina DCCBC2 biomass production was observed under the following conditions: light intensity, temperature, pH, $KNO_3$ and $K_2HPO_4$were 80 ${\mu}E/m^2/s$, $27^{\circ}C$, 8.0, 3.0 mM and 0.025 mM, respectively. At 1% $CO_2$ supply to the reactor, the Chlorella sp. production was reached 1.53 g/L with 25% increment under the same operating conditions. In addition, the maximum D. salina DCCBC2 biomass was observed as 3.40 g/L at 3% $CO_2$ concentration. Based on the aforementioned optimized conditions, the dilution rate and maximal biomass productivity of Chlorella sp. and D. salina DCCBC2 in the continuous cultivation were 0.4/d and 0.6 g/L/d and 0.6/d and 1.5 g/L/d, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2016

In this paper, we report the results of a study on the design and fabrication of a light-guiding plate (LGP) using a hybrid light-emitting diode (LED) and sunlight source that can be applied to a photobioreactor. LGP patterns for the LED source were designed and engraved on an LGP, together with previously reported patterns for a sunlight source. A control system for the hybrid LGP was designed to maintain the output photon flux density (PFD) from the LGP at a constant value. When the target value of the output PFD was set to $70{\mu}E/(m^2{\cdot}s)$, the error range of the output PFD was found to be within ${\pm}2%$.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.475-481
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• 2000

The growth of the microalgal Spiulina platensis in a batch photobioreactor had been studied to determine the influence of temperature, light intensity, and culture medium on the growth and c-phycocyanin content of the biomass. The most favorable conditions for high biomass and c-phycocyanin production were as follows: light intensity of 3500 lux, temperature of $35^{\circ}C,\;NaHCO_3\;of\;1.0{\%}$ for pH control, $0.2{\~}0.3{\%}\;Na_2CO_3$ for carbon source, and $0.2{\~}0.3{\%}\;NaCO_3$ for nitrogen source. The c-phycocyanin and chlorophyll content on most favorable condition were about $11{\%},\;1.0{\%}$, respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.539-544
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• 2013

The effects of culture depth (2-10 cm) and cell density on the growth rate and biomass productivity of Chlorella sp. XQ-200419 were investigated through the use of a self-designed open circular pond photobioreactor-imitation system. With increases in culture depths from 2 to 10 cm, the growth rate decreased significantly from 1.08 /d to 0.39 /d. However, the biomass productivity only increased slightly from 8.41 to 11.22 $g/m^2/d$. The biomass productivity (11.08 $g/m^2/d$) achieved in 4 cm culture with an initial $OD_{540}$ of 0.95 was similar to that achieved in 10 cm culture with an initial $OD_{540}$ of 0.5. In addition, the duration of maximal areal productivity at a 4 cm depth was prolonged from 1 to 4 days, a finding that was also similar to that of the culture at a 10 cm depth. In both cases, the initial areal biomass densities were identical. Based on these results and previous studies, it can be concluded that the influence of culture depth and cell density on areal biomass productivity is actually due to different areal biomass densities. Under suitable conditions, there are a range of optimal biomass densities, and areal biomass productivity reaches its maximum when the biomass density is within these optimal ranges. Otherwise, biomass productivity will decrease. Therefore, a key factor for high biomass productivity is to maintain an optimal biomass density.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.401-405
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• 1995

An open pond type photobioreactor for mass cultivation of S. platensis was designed and the growth parameters from different cultivation processes were compared. 0.30(1/day) of specific growth rate and 1.69(g/$\ell$) of maximum cell density were obtained from batch cultivation. In fed-batch cultivation, specific growth rate and maximum cell density were estimated as 0.22(1/day) and 1.75(g/$\ell$), respectively. Maximum biomass productively from continuous cultivation was obtained as 0.44 (g/$\ell$/day). It proves that an outdoors-mass cultivation of S. platensis considering optimal environmental condition is economically feasible. In addition, the biomass productivity was studied in two different mixing systems such as agitation and air sparging methods. The biomass productivity by an agitation method was better than that in an air sparging method.