simulated large-scale process to produce bulk oil and lipid-extracted algae in an
agro-industrial biorefinery. These authors also found values of US$ 0.40/kg and
US$ 0.07/kg (corrected to 2017) to produce bulk oil and lipid-extracted algae,
respectively.
2.3.4 Scaling-up in Heterotrophic Bioreactors
Another differential of heterotrophic cultivation is the scaling-up relatively easy,
and the bioreactors are available commercially for cultivation of several microorganisms with working volumes up to 100,000 L. Li et al. (2007) investigated the
scale-up from 250 mL flasks to 11,000 L bioreactors of a heterotrophic cultivation
with C. protothecoides to biodiesel production. The authors were successful in
scaling-up and suggested that it is feasible to expand heterotrophic Chlorella cultivation for biodiesel production at the industry level.
According to Perez-Garcia and Bashan (2015), the practical aspects required for
large-scale biofuel production from heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae are as
follows: (i) the species must be robust and able to grow in the absence of light and
under extreme conditions, such as high or low pH, high temperatures, or high
salinity; (ii) the microalgae strain must also have a rapid growth to be able to
compete with other heterotrophic microorganisms and thus avoid contamination;
(iii) the exogenous carbon source must be inexpensive and easily found;
Table 3 Biomass microalgae productivity in heterotrophic cultivations
Microalgae
Bioreactor Carbon source
Total
volume
(L)
Productivity
(g/L/d)
References
Phormidium
autumnale
Bubble
column
Slaughterhouse
wastewater
5
0.64
Roso et al.
(2015)
Phormidium
autumnale
Bubble
column
Cassava starch
2
1.02
Francisco
et al. (2014)
Phormidium
autumnale
Bubble
column
Cassava
wastewater
2
6.68
Francisco
et al. (2015)
Chlorella
minutissima
Fermenter Glycerol
7
0.44
Katiyar
et al. (2017)
Chlorella
protothecoides
Stirring
tank
Glucose
5
7.40
Xiong et al.
(2008)
Chlorella
protothecoides
Fermenter Cassava powder
hydrolysate
5
7.66
Lu et al.
(2010)
Chlorella
pyrenoidosa
Stirred
bioreactor
Food waste
hydrolysate
2
3.45
Pleissner
et al. (2013)
Aphanothece
microscopica
Nägeli
Bubble
column
Fish processing
wastewater
4.5
0.44
Queiroz
et al. (2011)
2 Microalgal Production Systems with Highlights …
17
agro-industrial biorefinery. These authors also found values of US$ 0.40/kg and
US$ 0.07/kg (corrected to 2017) to produce bulk oil and lipid-extracted algae,
respectively.
2.3.4 Scaling-up in Heterotrophic Bioreactors
Another differential of heterotrophic cultivation is the scaling-up relatively easy,
and the bioreactors are available commercially for cultivation of several microorganisms with working volumes up to 100,000 L. Li et al. (2007) investigated the
scale-up from 250 mL flasks to 11,000 L bioreactors of a heterotrophic cultivation
with C. protothecoides to biodiesel production. The authors were successful in
scaling-up and suggested that it is feasible to expand heterotrophic Chlorella cultivation for biodiesel production at the industry level.
According to Perez-Garcia and Bashan (2015), the practical aspects required for
large-scale biofuel production from heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae are as
follows: (i) the species must be robust and able to grow in the absence of light and
under extreme conditions, such as high or low pH, high temperatures, or high
salinity; (ii) the microalgae strain must also have a rapid growth to be able to
compete with other heterotrophic microorganisms and thus avoid contamination;
(iii) the exogenous carbon source must be inexpensive and easily found;
Table 3 Biomass microalgae productivity in heterotrophic cultivations
Microalgae
Bioreactor Carbon source
Total
volume
(L)
Productivity
(g/L/d)
References
Phormidium
autumnale
Bubble
column
Slaughterhouse
wastewater
5
0.64
Roso et al.
(2015)
Phormidium
autumnale
Bubble
column
Cassava starch
2
1.02
Francisco
et al. (2014)
Phormidium
autumnale
Bubble
column
Cassava
wastewater
2
6.68
Francisco
et al. (2015)
Chlorella
minutissima
Fermenter Glycerol
7
0.44
Katiyar
et al. (2017)
Chlorella
protothecoides
Stirring
tank
Glucose
5
7.40
Xiong et al.
(2008)
Chlorella
protothecoides
Fermenter Cassava powder
hydrolysate
5
7.66
Lu et al.
(2010)
Chlorella
pyrenoidosa
Stirred
bioreactor
Food waste
hydrolysate
2
3.45
Pleissner
et al. (2013)
Aphanothece
microscopica
Nägeli
Bubble
column
Fish processing
wastewater
4.5
0.44
Queiroz
et al. (2011)
2 Microalgal Production Systems with Highlights …
17