Optimizing light distribution and controlling biomass concentration by continuously pre-harvesting Spirulina platensis for improving the microalgae production

To improve the microalgae production in batch cultivation, a cultivation mode that continuously pre-harvesting Spirulina platensis from photobioreactor (PBR) with culture medium recycling was proposed. For realizing the continuously pre-harvesting cultivation mode, a Spirulina platensis culture column PBR with overflowing device was designed, which could adjust pre-harvesting rate through the overflowing device. By adjusting the pre-harvesting rate, the biomass concentration could be kept when biomass accumulation and pre-harvesting biomass were equal. Hence, the meridional light attenuation could be reduced by controlling biomass concentration in PBR. The maximum microalgae production were 44.6%, 10.98% higher in total production than that cultivated in batch cultivation without pre-harvesting and periodically pre-harvesting cultivation mode respectively, which was realized in pre-harvesting rate 0.228 mL min−1 and biomass concentration 1.8 g L−1. Besides, a model was built by mass balance and polynomial fitting for evaluating the continuously pre-harvesting cultivation mode.