Comparison of two different pneumatically mixed column photobioreactors for the cultivation of Artrospira platensis (Spirulina platensis)

Internal loop airlift and bubble column photobioreactors (PBR) were compared with respect to their performances during cultivation of Artrospira platensis (Spirulina platensis). Culture conditions were kept the same and different parameters were examined through the experiments. It was observed that a higher dry biomass weight and chlorophyll-a concentration was obtained in the airlift PBR yielding a maximum growth rate of 0.45 day−1, while 0.33 day−1 was reached in the bubble column PBR. Subsequently, a 17-day of production was carried out in the selected PBR to fully determine the performance of the PBR. Maximum growth rate of 0.47 day−1 was reached during long term cultivation.