Pilot Scale of Microalgal Production Using Photobioreactor

Abstract

Microalgal gained much interest as a promising sustainable feedstock for the production of food, feed, bulk chemicals and biofuels. Pilot scale of microalgal is needed to bridge the gap between laboratory scale research and commercial application. Commercial applica- tions of microalgal have been used for a wide array of functions including, pharmaceuti- cal, health sector, nutraceutical, cosmetics and agriculture. Numerous photobioreactors (PBRs) of different volume and shapes have been designed. Cost of PBR has a major influence on production cost for large scale biomass. There are several ways to reduce production cost depends on the type of algal strain, type of PBRs, CO2 and the production technology of the biomass. Dilution rate is an important factor, which affects the biomass productivity, rate and ultimately what needs to be maximized.