Automation of algae cultivation
Algae can be cultured in different systems, from open pond systems with hardly any regulation to photobioreactors in which all parameters can be regulated. The different systems all have their advantages and disadvantages, the open pond has low investment cost but is very sensitive for contamination. The photobioreactors are fully automated and easy to keep axenic but have really high investment costs. A third system to culture algae are the Seacap systems, these systems fit right in between the other systems with their advantages and disadvantages. Seacaps can be seen as simplified reactors.
Algae cultivation in SEAcap systems is still labor intensive. Partners involved in the RAAK Pro RAAQUA project are looking for automation methods to make the SEAcap systems more stable, productive and cost efficient. Nowadays the systems are determined on biomass concentration based on cell counts, which is highly time consuming. The dilution rate is set manually depending on the growth rate of the biomass. In this research we are asking you to develop and test a method to automate the biomass determination and the dilution rate, like the turbidostat method used in photobioreactors.
Research type: literature study, experiments (HZ, Vlissingen)
Research level: minor / internship / final thesis (BSc./MSc. level)
Prerequisite: good understanding of biology/chemistry; good analytical skills; communicative
Partners: Wageningen UR, several Small and Medium (Aquaculture) Enterprises, national and international knowledge partners, Centre of Expertise Delta Technology
Researcher involved: research group aquaculture (Jasper van Houcke)