Purifae — a modular bioreactor for microalgae culture made of biopolymer using additive techniques.
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| Title: | Purifae — a modular bioreactor for microalgae culture made of biopolymer using additive techniques. |
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| Authors: | Wojciechowska, Olimpia1 (AUTHOR), Grzywaczyk, Adam1 (AUTHOR), Styrna, Zuzanna1 (AUTHOR), Staszak, Maciej1 (AUTHOR), Smułek, Wojciech1 (AUTHOR) wojciech.smulek@put.poznan.pl |
| Source: | Bioprocess & Biosystems Engineering. Jun2026, Vol. 49 Issue 6, p1513-1523. 11p. |
| Subjects: | Photobioreactors, Three-dimensional printing, Chlorella, Biopolymers, Natural resources, Computational fluid dynamics, Microalgae cultures & culture media |
| Abstract: | The growing demand for sustainable bioresources has intensified interest in efficient microalgae cultivation systems. This study presents Purifae, an innovative modular photobioreactor fabricated from transparent polylactic acid (PLA) using additive manufacturing techniques. Two geometries, i.e., a flat-panel and a tube-in-tube configuration, were designed and computationally analyzed to assess hydrodynamic performance and process robustness for microalgae cultivation. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations evaluated wall shear stress distributions under varying flow conditions. Both designs maintained hydrodynamically safe conditions, with over 92% of wall areas below the critical shear threshold (τ > 0.36 Pa). Experimental validation using Chlorella homosphaera BA25 confirmed stable biomass growth under optimized conditions (light intensity = 600 lx, 12/12 h light/dark cycle, aeration with sterile air). Excessive illumination or CO₂ enrichment led to reduced productivity, highlighting the importance of balanced light and gas parameters. The Purifae system combines low-cost fabrication, modular scalability, and biocompatible materials, providing an adaptable platform for laboratory-scale cultivation with operational stability and hydrodynamic safety profiles (over 92% safe zone coverage) comparable to established reactor geometries. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of additive manufacturing in photobioreactor development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Engineering Source |
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