Extremum Seeking Control of Batch Cultures of Microalgae Nannochloropsis Oculata in Pre-Industrial Scale Photobioreactors

Extremum seeking control is applied to batch cultures of microalgae Nannochloropsis Oculata with the objective of maximizing the growth rate through manipulation of the pH. A commercial biomass monitor (BugEye from BugLab) using on-line optical density (OD) measurements at 725 nm is used to provide signals relative to both biomass density and growth. Parameters for the optimization algorithm are derived from system identification data and simulation results on a phenomenological simulator built specifically to represent the system. A summary of the simulator development and validation on available data from the physical system, a pre-industrial scale photobioreactor, are also presented.