Application of Rapid Prototyping Technology to Rapid Development of Flat Panel (FP) Photobioreactor Case for Microalgae

The quantity of the microalgae and the lipid content in the microalgae are highly dependent on the cultivation system and methodology, so that the development of a proper photobioreactor (PBR) for the microalgae is an important research topic in the field of the bio-fuel production. In order to manufacture a prototype flat panel (FP) PBR case with characteristic shapes, a long lead time and a high cost are needed. Rapid prototyping (RP) technology can overcome the shortcomings for the manufacture of a prototype case due to the potential of the rapid fabrication of three-dimensional parts. The objective of this paper is to investigate the applicability of RP technology to the development of a FP PBR case with characteristic shapes for microalgae. The stereolithography (SL) process was employed for the manufacture of the prototype case. The influence of the surface treatment on the optical characteristics of the SL part was examined to obtain the proper surface conditions of the prototype case. Two types of FP PBR cases were manufactured from the SL process and post-processing. Cultivation experiments were performed using the fabricated FP PBR cases and two types of microalgae. The manufacturing and culture characteristics of the RP FP PBR cases were discussed. The manufacturing time and cost of the FP PBR cases were less than 234 hrs (17 days) and USD 4,500, respectively. The results of the cultivation experiments showed that the RP FP PBR can successfully cultivate microalgae. Through the comparison of the productivity of the RP FP PBR cases with that of the flask, it was noted that the productivity of the RP FP PBR cases with characteristic shapes is increased by more than 30% as compared to that of a flask. From these results, it was shown that RP technology is applicable to the rapid development of FP PBR cases with characteristic shapes.