Strengthening flash light effect with a pond-tubular hybrid photobioreactor to improve microalgal biomass yield

Poor light utilization efficiency and large occupied area of traditional raceway pond photobioreactors result in low areal microalgal biomass yield in industrial applications. In this study, a pond-tubular hybrid photobioreactor (PTH-PBR) comprising raceway ponds and horizontal tubes was developed to strengthen flash light effect and improve areal microalgal biomass yield. The highest flash cycle frequency (0.63 Hz) of microalgae cells along flow pathway was obtained in the raceway pond of PTH-PBR when shaded area percentage was 20% and ratio of adjacent tube interval to tube diameter was 1, which enhanced microalgal biomass yield by 31.2% than traditional raceway pond. Meanwhile, intracellular chlorophyll content increased by 33.6% and PSII maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) increased by 8.1% due to decreased photoinhibition stress. The areal microalgal biomass yield of PTH-PBR was 54.7% higher than that of traditional raceway pond without horizontal tubes.