Batch Growth Kinetics of Nannochloris Eucaryotum and its Cultivation in Semi-Batch Photobioreactors under 100 %v/v CO2: Experimental and Modeling Analysis

The growth kinetics of Nannochloris eucaryotum in batch reactors is quantitatively investigated in this work with the purpose to obtain the main kinetic parameters needed to design photobioreactors for its cultivation at the industrial scale. Specifically, maximum growth rate, half saturation constants and yields coefficients for nitrates and phosphates, respectively, are determined by fitting the experimental data. The reliability of the obtained parameter values is then successfully tested by predicting further experimental data through the model. Finally, the effects resulting from the use of 100 % (v/v) CO2 gas as carbon source on the growth and lipid production are investigated.