EVALUACIÓN COMPARATIVA DEL CRECIMIENTO DE LA MICROALGA chlorococcum sp. EN FOTOBIORREACTORES DISCONTINUOS DE TIPO TUBULAR Y PANEL

Biomass production of microalgae is determined by culture conditions that areused. It could be light intensity, airlift system, photobioreactor design andphysical support presence or absence.The optimization of the described variables is necessary to obtain at harvesttime (8 days) a higher average (1x107 cel · mL-1) concentration. For thisreason, the aim of this investigation was to compare operating conditions andphotobioreactor design in a CMIE-H2-001 Chlorococcum sp. culture.This investigation used flat and tubular photobioreactors evaluating threevariables. First, the light intensity with two levels: 1500 lux and 3000 lux.Second, airlift system with two levels: semicontinuous and continuous aeration.Third, physical support with two levels: presence or absence.The employed microalgae were able to get adapted into a cheap economicenvironment without losing productivity (1,5mL Nitrofoska solution per liter) witha maximum production of 1,19x107±5,13x105cel·mL-1in a Tubular photobioreactorwith continuous aeration, mesh presence support, and 3000 lux oflight intensity. On the other hand, flat photobioreactor achieved a maximumproduction of 1,18x107±2,65x105cel·mL-1 after a culture time of 8 days withcontinuous aeration, 3000lux of light intensity and absence of physical support.Finally, statistical analysis did not showed significant differences between bothphotobioreactors types of this investigation, so it could be concluded that bothculture systems can be adjusted to production up to 1,x107 cel·mL-1