Strategies for Improving the Productivity and Cost-effectiveness of Microalgal Production Systems

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atmire.migration.oldid4258
dc.contributor.advisorDe la Hoz Siegler, Hector
dc.contributor.authorCanon-Rubio, Karen Andrea
dc.contributor.committeememberBergerson, Joule
dc.contributor.committeememberHettiaratchi, Patrick
dc.contributor.committeememberDe Visscher, Alex
dc.date.accessioned2016-04-25T21:41:19Z
dc.date.available2016-04-25T21:41:19Z
dc.date.issued2016
dc.date.submitted2016en
dc.description.abstractMicroalgae cultivation is a potential solution for renewable energy supply issues and environmental remediation; however, low CO2 absorption rates and volumetric productivities restrain commercial application of algal biotechnology. Mixotrophic and high-alkalinity/high-pH approaches for improving the productivity and cost-effectiveness were evaluated. Although mixotrophic cultivation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii at low light exposure and high inoculum concentrations showed an improvement in biomass productivity (0.080±0.057 g/L·d in phototrophic experiments versus 0.44±0.163 g/L·d in mixotrophic experiments), values were not sufficient to improve performance of large scale microalgal technology. On the other hand, the high-alkalinity/high-pH approach showed a better performance in terms of lower use of resources and smaller equipment size reflected in three-fold less water requirements, twice the energy return on energy investment (EROI) and four-fold lower production costs (8.03 to 1.63 2013 US$/kg biomass). Economic and environmental results highlight the potential of high–alkalinity/high-pH systems in terms of productivity and cost-effectiveness of microalgal technology.en_US
dc.identifier.citationCanon-Rubio, K. A. (2016). Strategies for Improving the Productivity and Cost-effectiveness of Microalgal Production Systems (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/27885en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/27885
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11023/2902
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.facultyGraduate Studies
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subjectEngineering
dc.subjectEngineering--Chemical
dc.subjectEngineering--Environmental
dc.subject.classificationMicroalgal productivityen_US
dc.subject.classificationAlkaliphilesen_US
dc.subject.classificationMixotrophic cultivationen_US
dc.subject.classificationBioenergyen_US
dc.subject.classificationCO2 Captureen_US
dc.titleStrategies for Improving the Productivity and Cost-effectiveness of Microalgal Production Systems
dc.typemaster thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineChemical and Petroleum Engineering
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (MSc)
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
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