School of Mechanical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Porter School of Environmental Studies, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Biotechnol Bioeng. 2018 Jul;115(7):1694-1704. doi: 10.1002/bit.26588. Epub 2018 Apr 10.
Marine macroalgae are a potential feedstock for biorefineries that can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and contribute to bioeconomy. New knowledge and technologies for efficient conversion of solar energy into macroalgae biomass are needed to increase biomass yields and energy conversion efficiency. In this work, we show that the green macroalgae from Ulva sp. can grow under the pulsed light in a photobioreactor with higher exergy conversion efficiency in comparison to cultivation under constant light with the same intensity. In the tested frequencies, 1-40 Hz and duty cycles (DC) 1-100%, DC has a stronger impact on the growth rate than frequency. The efficiency of light transformation into biomass increased with decreasing DC. Pulsating with DC 20% led to 60% of the biomass chemical energy yield for the respective constant light (DC 100%). Models of Ulva sp. growth rate and exergy conversion efficiency as a function of pulsating light parameters were developed. These results open new directions to enhance solar to chemical energy conversion through macroalgae by controlling the light distribution in the macroalgal biomass.
海洋大型藻类是生物炼制的潜在原料，可以减少对化石燃料的依赖，并有助于生物经济的发展。为了提高生物质产量和能量转换效率，需要新的知识和技术来实现太阳能到大型藻类生物质的高效转化。在这项工作中，我们表明，与相同强度的恒定光照相比，绿藻在光生物反应器中可以在脉冲光下生长，具有更高的外能转换效率。在所测试的频率 1-40 Hz 和占空比（DC）1-100%下，DC 比频率对生长速率的影响更强。随着 DC 的降低，光转化为生物质的效率增加。在 DC 20%的脉动下，对于相应的恒定光（DC 100%），生物质化学能的产量增加了 60%。建立了 Ulva sp.生长速率和外能转换效率作为脉动光参数函数的模型。这些结果为通过控制大型藻类生物质中的光分布来增强太阳能到化学能的转换开辟了新的方向。
