Nowadays, microalgae are considered as a promising new sustainable feedstock due to its higher photosynthetic activity and growth rates compared to other plants. However, its high energy need in the cultivation process, the prevalence of manual work and the high costs deem the production and commercialization of it difficult. Consequently, the challenge of artificial microalgae production is not only to replicate and enhance the optimum natural growth conditions, but to make it automated and profitable. The purpose of this research was to develop an automated system to monitor and control specific growth conditions in order to improve the algae biomass production process. This research required the planning and installation of a control cabinet on a flat plate photobioreactor, components selection, installation of sensors and software programming in LabVIEW. The result of this research was a system that monitors the basic environmental growth parameters, which are temperature, light and pH. In addition to the monitoring system, a control system for light and CO2 flow was integrated to simulate specific growth conditions of microalgae. Further research is required in order to strengthen the idea of a fully automated flat plate photobioreactor for a more efficient microalgae cultivation. This approach may lead to a technology that can be used as a base model for future applications on more reactors.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Statement of Problem
1.2 Thesis Objectives
2 Literature Review of Microalgae
2.1 What are Microalgae?
2.2 What does Microalgae contain?
2.3 Advantages and Disadvantages of Microalgae Cultivation
2.4 Commercial History of Microalgae
2.5 Production techniques of Microalgae
2.5.1 Open-Systems
2.5.2 Closed-Systems
2.6 Comparison between Open-Systems and Closed-Systems
2.6.1 Economic confrontation
2.7 Net Energy Ratio (NER)
2.8 Commercialization of Microalgae
2.9 Future trends of Microalgae
3 Literature Review of Automation, Control System and Sensor Technology
3.1 Automation
3.2 Historical Background of Automation
3.3 Control System
3.4 Automatic Control System
3.5 Mathematical Modeling of Control Systems
3.5.1 Unit-Step Response of First-Order System
3.5.2 Unit-Ramp Response of First-Order System
3.5.3 Unit-Impulse Response of First-Order System
3.6 On-Off Control Action
3.7 Sensor Technology
4 Materials and Methods
4.1 Variables affecting microalgae cultivation
4.1.1 Temperature
4.1.2 Light
4.1.3 pH
4.2 Flat Plate Photobioreactor at Water Research Center for Latin America & Caribbean at ITESM Monterrey
4.3 Selected Sensors and Components for Monitoring & Control System
4.3.1 PAR-Sensor
4.3.2 pH Sensor
4.3.3 Stainless Steel Temperature Probe
4.3.4 SensorDAQ
4.3.5 Precision Mass Flow Controller
4.3.6 Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID)
4.4 Development of Monitoring and Control System for Flat Plate Photobioreactor with LabVIEW
4.4.1 Stage 1: Sensor testing with LabVIEW
4.4.2 Stage 2: Control cabinet installation with components and Sensors on PBR
4.4.3 Stage 3: Human Machine Interface (HMI) development for Monitoring and Control System with LabVIEW
5 Tests and Results
6 Conclusion and Recommendations
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this research is to develop a user-friendly automated monitoring and control system for a flat plate photobioreactor to optimize microalgae biomass production. By integrating sensors, a control cabinet, and a software interface, the research aims to reduce manual labor and simulate precise growth conditions such as temperature, light, and pH to enhance cultivation efficiency.
- Automation of flat plate photobioreactor systems.
- Integration of sensor technology and data acquisition in LabVIEW.
- Implementation of control strategies for lighting and CO2 supply.
- Economic evaluation and performance analysis of microalgae cultivation systems.
Excerpt from the Book
1.2 THESIS OBJECTIVES
The objective of the bachelor’s thesis “Pattern light simulation and sensing automation of flat plate photobioreactor for sustainable growth and cultivation of Microalgae” is to develop a user-friendly monitoring and control system for a flat plate photobioreactor by considering the basic environmental growth conditions of microalgae. In order to achieve that, the installation of a control cabinet and the selection of components are needed in order to carry out the monitoring and control operations. The development and implementation of an automated monitoring and control system for an algae photobioreactor eliminates the need of manual work and measurement processes. Furthermore, the labor expenses to complete the work will decrease enormously. In order to analyze microalgae profoundly, data acquisition is needed. To obtain data, sensors will be set and installed. Data collecting, data management and data experiments will be done efficiently by adjusting and selecting parameters in the system that will be built. With a well installed automated system, future errors or complications in the cultivation process of microalgae would be prevented and easily adjusted.
This whole approach guarantees an operating system that provides a user-friendly usage and an achievement of high efficient work. The computer-based human machine interface (HMI), which is a software application that presents information to the user about the status of a process, will give the ability to control the photobioreactor with the user’s instructions. An interface will be made to displayed information in a graphic format (Graphical User Interface or GUI).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the importance of microalgae for sustainable feedstock and outlines the need for automation in flat plate photobioreactors.
2 Literature Review of Microalgae: Discusses the biological nature of microalgae, their composition, cultivation systems, historical development, and future commercial trends.
3 Literature Review of Automation, Control System and Sensor Technology: Covers the theoretical foundations of automation, control systems, mathematical modeling, and the specific role of sensor technology.
4 Materials and Methods: Details the hardware components, sensors used, and the development process of the monitoring and control system using LabVIEW.
5 Tests and Results: Presents the experimental verification of the system, including sensor testing, light and flow control functionality, and data logging capabilities.
6 Conclusion and Recommendations: Summarizes the research achievements and provides suggestions for further system improvements and future studies.
Keywords
Microalgae, Photobioreactors, Automation, Control Systems, Sensor Technology, LabVIEW programming, Biofuel, Biomass, Data Acquisition, HMI, Sustainability, Temperature control, pH regulation, CO2 supply.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core purpose of this research?
The research aims to create an automated, user-friendly monitoring and control system for flat plate photobioreactors to improve the consistency and efficiency of microalgae cultivation.
What are the primary areas covered in this study?
The work covers microalgae biology, existing cultivation techniques, automation theory, and the practical implementation of a control system using hardware components and LabVIEW software.
What is the main objective of the thesis?
The primary goal is to develop an automated interface that allows for the real-time monitoring and control of environmental parameters like light, temperature, and pH to enhance biomass production.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The project follows a systems engineering approach, involving component selection, control cabinet construction, mathematical modeling of control actions, and extensive software development in LabVIEW.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body focuses on the technical setup of the flat plate photobioreactor, specific sensor integrations, logic and diagram design for data acquisition, and experimental performance validation.
How would you describe this work using keywords?
Key terms include Microalgae, Photobioreactors, Automation, Control Systems, LabVIEW, Sensor Technology, and Sustainable energy production.
How is the light control system implemented?
The light control system utilizes a DAQ Assistant in LabVIEW to trigger light groups (L1, L2, L3) via relays, allowing the user to switch them individually or in combination to simulate specific growth conditions.
What role does LabVIEW play in this setup?
LabVIEW serves as the development platform for creating the Graphical User Interface (GUI), handling data acquisition from sensors, performing statistical analysis, and managing the automated control logic for hardware.
Why are flat plate photobioreactors preferred in this study?
They are chosen for their high illumination surface, superior temperature control capabilities, and their compact design, which makes them highly effective for mass cultivation of microalgae.
- Citation du texte
- Erim Sezer (Auteur), 2015, Pattern light simulation and sensing automation of flat plate photobioreactor for sustainable growth and cultivation of Microalgae, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/304453
