Algae Viability Analysis with FlowCam: Effect of Continuous Flow Electrocoagulation Flocculation

Algae Viability Analysis with FlowCam: Effect of Continuous Flow Electrocoagulation Flocculation

Large-scale, commercialized microalgae cultivation and harvesting processes which are used to produce algae-based biofuels are resource intensive.

  1. Microalgae are grown in highly-diluted solutions;
  2. High volumes of water are required;
  3. Processes to dewater algae during harvest consume a lot of energy.FlowCam 20X collage of Nannochloropsis

Centrifugation, chemical coagulation, and electrocoagulation flocculation (ECF) using batch reactors are a few examples of existing harvest processes.  These methods require high energy input, large amounts of chemicals, and/or additional infrastructure such as settling tanks.

Right: From the Fluid Imaging Technologies lab- Nannochloropsis at 20X

A study from Seattle University and Utah State University (Shuman et al., 2016) examined the effects of pre-concentrating Nannochloropsis sp. using a continuous flow method of ECF, as opposed to a batch reactor ECF.  Water was pre-treated with direct current and then applied to algae at pond concentrations at various flow rates.  The ECF process and its effects on cell viability were observed during the study using a FlowCam. 

Read the abstract here.

Interested? Learn more about FlowCam applications for algae viability analysis


REFERENCES

Shuman, T.R., Mason, G., Reeve, D., Schacht, A., Goodrich, A., Napan, K., Quinn, J. (2016) Low-energy input continuous flow rapid pre-concentration of microalgae through elector-coagulation-flocculation. Chemical Engineering Journal, 297, 97-105.  

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