Optimization and synergistic enhancement of microalgae productivity in laboratory raceway ponds via co-regulation of automated light-supplemented mixers and electric field system
Abstract Raceway pond systems face inherent challenges in achieving optimal biomass productivity due to limitations in vertical mixing efficiency and uneven light distribution, compounded by the intrinsic dilute nature of phototrophic cultures. The combination of automated light-supplemented mixers...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-025-02658-x |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849335659622301696 |
|---|---|
| author | Siyuan Ren Cong Shao Feifei Zhu Michael Schagerl Xinjuan Hu Mostafa Sobhi Ling Xu Jingya Qian Shuhao Huo |
| author_facet | Siyuan Ren Cong Shao Feifei Zhu Michael Schagerl Xinjuan Hu Mostafa Sobhi Ling Xu Jingya Qian Shuhao Huo |
| author_sort | Siyuan Ren |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Raceway pond systems face inherent challenges in achieving optimal biomass productivity due to limitations in vertical mixing efficiency and uneven light distribution, compounded by the intrinsic dilute nature of phototrophic cultures. The combination of automated light-supplemented mixers and electric field treatment introduces a promising strategy to enhance raceway pond gas‒liquid mass transfer, improve microalgae biomass production, and increase carbon fixation. Computational fluid dynamics simulations identified an optimal mixing configuration employing a 75° inclined blade rotating counterclockwise at 300 rpm, which reduced dead zones from approximately 15.5% to 1.1% and shortened the light–dark exposure of cells to 2.7 s in a laboratory-scale raceway pond (71.4 dm3). Additionally, daily one-hour electrostatic field stimulation at 0.6 V cm⁻1 during the logarithmic growth phase significantly enhanced algal growth. The novel raceway pond system achieved a 20% increase in the productivity of Limnospira fusiformis and elevated the maximum carbon fixation rate to 0.14 g L⁻1 d⁻1, representing a 43% improvement and the high-value phycocyanin increased by 14.4%. This approach enhanced mixing efficiency and light utilization, providing a scalable strategy for high-value microalgae production in controlled bioreactors. Graphical abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-39d59a287d7c4412bd9e562ed31af02e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2731-3654 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts |
| spelling | doaj-art-39d59a287d7c4412bd9e562ed31af02e2025-08-20T03:45:11ZengBMCBiotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts2731-36542025-06-0118111610.1186/s13068-025-02658-xOptimization and synergistic enhancement of microalgae productivity in laboratory raceway ponds via co-regulation of automated light-supplemented mixers and electric field systemSiyuan Ren0Cong Shao1Feifei Zhu2Michael Schagerl3Xinjuan Hu4Mostafa Sobhi5Ling Xu6Jingya Qian7Shuhao Huo8School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu UniversitySchool of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu UniversitySchool of Life Sciences, Jiangsu UniversityDepartment of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of ViennaSchool of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu UniversityAgricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria UniversitySchool of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu UniversitySchool of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu UniversitySchool of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu UniversityAbstract Raceway pond systems face inherent challenges in achieving optimal biomass productivity due to limitations in vertical mixing efficiency and uneven light distribution, compounded by the intrinsic dilute nature of phototrophic cultures. The combination of automated light-supplemented mixers and electric field treatment introduces a promising strategy to enhance raceway pond gas‒liquid mass transfer, improve microalgae biomass production, and increase carbon fixation. Computational fluid dynamics simulations identified an optimal mixing configuration employing a 75° inclined blade rotating counterclockwise at 300 rpm, which reduced dead zones from approximately 15.5% to 1.1% and shortened the light–dark exposure of cells to 2.7 s in a laboratory-scale raceway pond (71.4 dm3). Additionally, daily one-hour electrostatic field stimulation at 0.6 V cm⁻1 during the logarithmic growth phase significantly enhanced algal growth. The novel raceway pond system achieved a 20% increase in the productivity of Limnospira fusiformis and elevated the maximum carbon fixation rate to 0.14 g L⁻1 d⁻1, representing a 43% improvement and the high-value phycocyanin increased by 14.4%. This approach enhanced mixing efficiency and light utilization, providing a scalable strategy for high-value microalgae production in controlled bioreactors. Graphical abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-025-02658-xMicroalgaeRaceway pondsComputational fluid dynamicsGas‒liquid mass transferDynamic stirringElectrostatic field |
| spellingShingle | Siyuan Ren Cong Shao Feifei Zhu Michael Schagerl Xinjuan Hu Mostafa Sobhi Ling Xu Jingya Qian Shuhao Huo Optimization and synergistic enhancement of microalgae productivity in laboratory raceway ponds via co-regulation of automated light-supplemented mixers and electric field system Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts Microalgae Raceway ponds Computational fluid dynamics Gas‒liquid mass transfer Dynamic stirring Electrostatic field |
| title | Optimization and synergistic enhancement of microalgae productivity in laboratory raceway ponds via co-regulation of automated light-supplemented mixers and electric field system |
| title_full | Optimization and synergistic enhancement of microalgae productivity in laboratory raceway ponds via co-regulation of automated light-supplemented mixers and electric field system |
| title_fullStr | Optimization and synergistic enhancement of microalgae productivity in laboratory raceway ponds via co-regulation of automated light-supplemented mixers and electric field system |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimization and synergistic enhancement of microalgae productivity in laboratory raceway ponds via co-regulation of automated light-supplemented mixers and electric field system |
| title_short | Optimization and synergistic enhancement of microalgae productivity in laboratory raceway ponds via co-regulation of automated light-supplemented mixers and electric field system |
| title_sort | optimization and synergistic enhancement of microalgae productivity in laboratory raceway ponds via co regulation of automated light supplemented mixers and electric field system |
| topic | Microalgae Raceway ponds Computational fluid dynamics Gas‒liquid mass transfer Dynamic stirring Electrostatic field |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-025-02658-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT siyuanren optimizationandsynergisticenhancementofmicroalgaeproductivityinlaboratoryracewaypondsviacoregulationofautomatedlightsupplementedmixersandelectricfieldsystem AT congshao optimizationandsynergisticenhancementofmicroalgaeproductivityinlaboratoryracewaypondsviacoregulationofautomatedlightsupplementedmixersandelectricfieldsystem AT feifeizhu optimizationandsynergisticenhancementofmicroalgaeproductivityinlaboratoryracewaypondsviacoregulationofautomatedlightsupplementedmixersandelectricfieldsystem AT michaelschagerl optimizationandsynergisticenhancementofmicroalgaeproductivityinlaboratoryracewaypondsviacoregulationofautomatedlightsupplementedmixersandelectricfieldsystem AT xinjuanhu optimizationandsynergisticenhancementofmicroalgaeproductivityinlaboratoryracewaypondsviacoregulationofautomatedlightsupplementedmixersandelectricfieldsystem AT mostafasobhi optimizationandsynergisticenhancementofmicroalgaeproductivityinlaboratoryracewaypondsviacoregulationofautomatedlightsupplementedmixersandelectricfieldsystem AT lingxu optimizationandsynergisticenhancementofmicroalgaeproductivityinlaboratoryracewaypondsviacoregulationofautomatedlightsupplementedmixersandelectricfieldsystem AT jingyaqian optimizationandsynergisticenhancementofmicroalgaeproductivityinlaboratoryracewaypondsviacoregulationofautomatedlightsupplementedmixersandelectricfieldsystem AT shuhaohuo optimizationandsynergisticenhancementofmicroalgaeproductivityinlaboratoryracewaypondsviacoregulationofautomatedlightsupplementedmixersandelectricfieldsystem |