Photobioreactor design

The recorded studies describing and proposing devices to harness solar energy for the production of biomass and specific bioproducts date from long ago. Many early studies were collected in a now classic book edited back in 1953 by Burlew (1953). However, in spite of the long time that has passed and the large amount of documentation that has accumulated, there is still a clear need for further study and understanding in the field of photobioreactors. This chapter starts by defining the difference between standard chemical reactors and photobioreactors. It points out the relevance of fluid dynamics in the generation of cyclic illumination in large-scale photosynthetic processes and presents a selection of proposed devices where ingenuity and creativity have been used in the quest for a proper device for mass production. Finally, the chapter sets out a series of recent research work that in the author’s opinion constitutes the correct way to reach eventually the optimal science-based photobioreactor design.