PowerPoint Presentation

Active Spatial Sunlight DilutionTMIncreases Areal Productivity of Microalgae- A Presentation at ISAP Conference 2014, SydneyWeixing Tan, PhD

Grande Prairie Regional College, Canada

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Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - You need to insert slide numbers starting from the next slide to allow easy reference by audience during questions and comments period at the end of your presentation. I have inserted slide numbers to this versionKey Limitation for Microalgae Industrial Application

Low areal productivity (Benemann 2003)Directly impacts economic bottom lineUnder 20 g/m2/day for open pondsRecently reported from Algenol in (Photobioreactor) PBR: 10,000 gal (ethanol)/acre/yr (equivalent to 32.5 g/m2/day) (Spall et al. 2011)Up to 50-70 g/m2/day as reported in PBRs (Spall et al. 2011; Sudhakar & Premalatha 2012)

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Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - The title of this slide can be "Key limitations for commercializing microalgae technology"Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - I change the order of the heading i.e Low area productivity was used as a sub heading instead of being part of the main titleAdebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - I defined PBR where it was first usedKey Limitation for Microalgae Industrial Application Inefficient sunlight utilization by microalgae Major contribution to low productivity 50-90% of the energy losses (Zemke et al. 2008; Sudhakar & Premalatha 2012)Maximum efficiency 12% of the total solar input after reductions of PAR portion (47%), transmission (95%) & photoconversion (27%)Equivalent to approximately 150-200 g/m2/dayReported productivities were only 10-30% of this maximum.

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Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - The title of this slide should be the same as the previous one. So if you change the title of the previous one to the one I suggested, remember to change this one tooAnalysis of Sunlight Utilization by Microalgae

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What are holding us up from the maximum?The culprits - photosaturation and suboptimal environments (difficult to reduce respiration/maintenance)Inefficient sunlight utilization is the key limiting factor, representing 60-100% of the recoverable opportunities a conclusion recognized for over 50 years (e.g. Vonshak & Torzillo 2003). Photosaturation: 4.2 % of the solar input or equivalent 50 g/m2/dayPhotoinhibition (at 30% of the suboptimal environments) : 0-1.7% or 0-20 g/m2/day

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Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - strongly suggest you change this title. My own suggestion is " Factors limiting efficient use of sunlight"Vonshak & Torzillo (2003)Energy Loss during Photosynthesis6

PhotosaturationQuenchingPhotoinhibition

Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - I have changed the order of things on this slide. You need to include the article citation for the reference below the figureWhat we can doThree solutions suggested by Vonshak & Torzillo (2003) algae density & mixing rate logistics, energy intensive, sheering stress, scalabilityImprove light distribution in the culture cumbersome, expensive, scalabilityAlgal strains with small antenna to be proved yet, trade-off?

We suggest the 4th: Active Spatial Sunlight DilutionTM simple, inexpensive, scalable & works (patented PCT/CA2014/050450)

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Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - I changed the title a little bitWhat is Active Spatial Sunlight DilutionTM?

Orienting 2 opposing surfaces ACTIVELY in parallel to the sunray:Reduces or DILUTES sunlight exposureAllows uniform sunlight on both surfaces, diminishing shading

in Parallel

in Perpendicular

vs

When facing the sun

Spatial Sunlight Dilution in Microalgae/Plant Systems9

Moving the System and Tracking the Sun through a Day

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(We are developing a simpler, inexpensive & automated system.)System Diagram for This Study11

(PAR sensor)Photobioreactor (PBR) System(Florescence light for hybrid 24/7 operation)

(Computer Control System)12

Sunlight Dilution on E-W PBR Surfaceswith Uniform ExposureEastWestWhen we align the panel in parallel to the sun13

Description of the PBR SystemOne panel with 24x2=48 round glass tubes (244x2.7 cm), 61 LGlasses staggered at 1 cm spacing on both surfaces, facing E-W 2 curtains (12 cm spacing) on each side to simulate the scale-upMoving at 1 increment in ~10:30-17:30 each day by computerPAR sensors on E-W sides and in perpendicular to SunOne air bubbler in each tube (~500-1000 m)Culture circulation by air-lifting

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Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - Change the last point a bitMicroalgae CultureChlorella vulgaris (UTEX 2714) grown auto-trophically2 cycles of 3 mostly sunny days in September 2012Culture conditions:3% CO2 flue gas (mixed with air) from natural gas generatorTemperature inside solarium: 22-25/22C (day/night)Balanced chemical nutrient solution with initial 413 ppm N at pH 6.5Starting algae density of ~1.26 g/L and then measured each day

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Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - Preliminary Results Sunlight Dilution (1st example)

(Some troughs werefrom structural beams)16

Preliminary Results Sunlight Dilution (2nd example)(Some troughs werefrom structural beams)17

Preliminary Results Microalgae ProductivityAverage volumetric productivity = 0.634+0.207 g/L/dayEquivalent to 106 g/m2/day when calculated on a scaled industrial configuration

(Chlorella vulgaris)18

Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - I cropped the picture to remove the former label on itCurrent and Future Research and DevelopmentConstruction of 5-panel system with a simpler, inexpensive & automated design (300 L) for further testing of scalabilityNutrient and water recyclingMicrobe controlDevelopment and construction of a pilot scale system beside a emission source

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Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - I changed the titleAdebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - I also modified points 2 &3ConclusionOvercoming photosaturation and photoinhibition is the most promising strategy to significantly increase microalgae productivity.The Active Spatial Sunlight DilutionTM concept is a simple and scalable solution.It increases areal productivity by:Distributing a diluted and desirable fraction of sunlight to more compacted PBR surface areasDiminishing mutual shading on opposite PBR surfacesSignificantly reducing photosaturation and photoinhibition

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Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - I changed the first point a little bitAcknowledgementsMajor Sponsors/PartnersNatural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), CanadaConocoPhillips Canada Ltd., CanadaEnEco Systems Inc, Canada, Europe, South AmericaWoodmere Nursery Ltd., CanadaRheaume Engineering Inc., Canada

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Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - Move acknoledgement slides to the end of the presentation before the last slide. i.e. they should be slide 21 and 22.Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - AcknowledgementsResearch TeamWeixing Tan, PhD, Principal Investigator (plant ecophysiology)Abigail Adebusuyi, PhD (microbiology and biotechnology)Melissa Day, PhD (microbiology, 2011-13)Ali Al-Asadi, PhD (astronomy and physics)Bruce Rutley, PhD PAg (agricultural production systems)Laurie Lin (mechanical engineering)Jordan Pickup (computing)Aurele Lemay (electrical)

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Adebusuyi, Abigail (AA) - I changed my area of specialization to microbiology and biotechnologyThanks!

Comments & Questions

Weixing Tanwtan@gprc.ab.ca23