Multistage continuous cultivation of blue-green alga spirulina maxima in the flat tank photobioreactors with recycle

Spirulina maxima was continuously cultivated in four 64-liter flat tank photobioreactors in cascade, under continuous 30 klx fluorescent light and nonaseptic condition, in an industrial grade synthetic medium which bubbled with atmospheric air. The increase in the number of stages resulted in the higher biomass concentration and allowed operation with a dilution rate D higher than the alga specific growth rate μ. However, multistage operation does not permit a significant increase in productivity. The recycling of the all culture medium with biomass increased the net productivity of the first two stages of the multistage system. The flat tank design offered great advantages over other geometrical configurations by occupying less space for indoor cultivation, minimizing the water loss by evaporation, and permitting a greater flexibility in construction, installation, and operation. This system was operating continuously for two years in our laboratory for indoor mass production of S. maxima biomass. The flat tank configuration gave the highest areal productivity Pa = 60.5 g/m²·d and highest volumetric productivity Pv = 1.17 g/L·d when operated as a single stage continuous cultivation with high solid recycle. These values are the highest ever reported for any indoor or outdoor mass production system for S. maxima.