Optimizing greenhouse design for enhanced microalgae production: A CFD Analysis of microclimate and water thermal dynamics in raceway ponds

Hicham Fatnassi, Reda Errais and Christine Poncet

Ecological Modelling, 2025, vol. 499, issue C

Abstract: The increasing demand for sustainable biomass has made microalgae farming into the spotlight as a viable source of biofuels, nutraceuticals, and other valuable products. Raceway ponds are one of the most common systems in algaculture due to their simplicity and cost-effectiveness. However, their efficiency is significantly influenced by surrounding microclimate conditions. In this study, we present a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis aimed at optimizing greenhouse design to enhance microalgae production in a raceway pond housed within a controlled greenhouse environment. The research focuses on evaluating the influence of greenhouse microclimate parameters on water's thermal dynamics in the pond. Simulations were conducted to assess how different greenhouse geometries and ventilation configurations affect the heat exchange between the water surface and air within the greenhouse, as well as the internal flow dynamics, both of which are critical for optimal algae growth.

Keywords: Sustainable Algae Cultivation; CFD Analysis; Greenhouse design; Raceway pond; Water's Thermal Fields (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:499:y:2025:i:c:s030438002400334x

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2024.110946

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