Promotion of Microalgal Growth, CO 2 Fixation, and Pollutant Removal in Piggery Effluent by a Column Photobioreactor with Funnel-Shaped Spoilers

Yinghui Ji, Hui Zhang, Pin Wang, Guohui Lin, Haining Yang and Hai-Xiang Cheng ()
Additional contact information
Yinghui Ji: College of Chemical and Material Engineering, Quzhou University, Quzhou 324000, China
Hui Zhang: School of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji’an 343009, China
Pin Wang: Zhejiang Geological Institute of Metallurgical Geology of China, Quzhou 324000, China
Guohui Lin: Zhejiang Juhua Cogeneration Co., Ltd., Quzhou 324000, China
Haining Yang: Zhejiang Juhua Cogeneration Co., Ltd., Quzhou 324000, China
Hai-Xiang Cheng: College of Chemical and Material Engineering, Quzhou University, Quzhou 324000, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: To enhance contact time between microalgae and nutrients in reactors, thereby improving the growth rate of microalgae and increasing pollutant removal efficiency, two funnel-shaped spoilers were added inside a traditional column photobioreactor. Compared to conventional column photobioreactors, the addition of these spoilers resulted in increased updraft, which improved horizontal flow. This change led to a greater shear force near the spoilers and a reduction in bubble diameter. As a result, the mass transfer coefficient and gas content increased by 12.17% and 7.71%, respectively, while the mixing time decreased by 30.57%. These improvements resulted in an 18.18% increase in microalgal biomass, a 13.95% increase in the CO 2 fixation rate, and increases of 4.48%, 7.5%, and 4.7% in the removal of COD, TP, and NH 4 + -N, respectively, in the column photobioreactor with funnel-shaped spoilers. This was achieved when CO 2 was introduced at a concentration of 10%, compared to a conventional column photobioreactor. This innovative design enhances the growth efficiency of microalgae, offering a new solution for reducing carbon emissions, promoting recycling of water resources, and advancing sustainable development.

Keywords: column photobioreactor; funnel-shaped spoilers; microalgal growth; CO 2 fixation; pollutant removal (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/10/4511/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/10/4511/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:10:p:4511-:d:1656600

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().