Large-Scale PBRs
Precise Phototrophic Cultivation of Algae and Cyanobacteria
About...

PSI Large-Scale Photobioreactors are systems that create a controlled artificial environment for upscaling of photosynthetic microorganisms’ biomass production. Standard systems are based on flat cultivation vessel (25 l or 100 l in volume) whereas customized systems comprising range of various cultivation tanks that meets different customers’ requirements. The cultivation unit is operated by the stand-alone Control Unit.

Key Features

  • Flat cultivation vessel with a short light path for an optimal illumination
  • Glass material suitable for chemical sterilization
  • Bi-color LED panel
  • Precise control of cultivation conditions (illumination, temperature, aeration, etc.)
  • Optical density and Chlorophyll-a fluorescence determination


  • Variable cultivation strategies (pH-stat, turbidostatic, anaerobic, etc.)
  • Further upscaling by PBRs cascading
  • Compact design with wheels for easier manipulation
  • Customized versions
  • Online software control

Large-Scale Photobioreactors


PSI Large-Scale Photobioreactors are systems that create a controlled artificial environment for upscaling of photosynthetic microorganisms’ production and their metabolites. Standard systems are based on flat cultivation vessel (25 l or 100 l in volume) whereas customized systems comprising range of various cultivation tanks that meets customers’ requirements. The cultivation unit is operated by the stand-alone Control Unit.


Cultivation Vessel


  • Flat, rectangular glass cultivation vessel with a short light path (6.5 cm ± 5 %) for an optimal irradiance.
  • Different size: 25 l, 100 l.
  • Integrated temperature sensor, water level sensors, heater, foam trap.
  • Stainless steel vessel lid with gas and electronics fittings accompanied with silicone sealings.
  • Integrated aeration plastic U-tube with porous polyethylene sparger (pore size 50 µm). Autoclavable (with limited reuse).
  • Emptying valve.
  • Chemical sterilization.
  • Aluminum frame with wheels for easy manipulation.



Thermoregulation


  • In-built temperature regulation in the range of 30 - 60 °C (with ambient temperature around 20 °C).
  • Cooling module (optional) widens the temperature range to 15 - 60 °C (ambient temperature not exceeding 30 °C). It includes water cooling coil, cooling unit, electronics and software control.


Illumination


  • LED technology.
  • Bi-color light panel with separately controllable channels.
  • Cool white-red. Other color combination on request.
  • Total illumination intensity up to 500 and 300 µmol. m-2. s-1 for white and red light, respectively.
  • Optionally, up to 2,200 µmol. m-2 . s-1 with the Light Upgrade (available only for 25 l PBR).
  • Light path: 6.5 cm ± 5 %.
  • Illumination is independently adjustable for light color in intensity, timing and modulation.
  • Constant light conditions or the alternation of various light and dark cycles.
  • The duration of the individual cycles: from seconds up to days.
  • The mode of the light cycles: constant, linear increase or decrease, sinusoid mode for simple imitation of diurnal rhythms. Moreover, java scripting is incorporated in the Photobioreactor Control Software (advanced version) for a creation of the advanced light protocols (for example automatic light intensity adjustment in dependence on the actual biomass concentration).
  • Additional Protective Glasses: Radiation safety glasses protecting against excessive LED radiation – equipped with side cover and protective filters. One pair of glasses is provided with the device free of charge.



Aeration System


  • Aeration system provides mixing and also air/CO2 supply to cultures.
  • Integrated aeration plastic U-tube with porous polyethylene sparger (pore size 50 µm). Autoclavable (with limited reuse).
  • The air source: Air pump supplemented with a valve, which interrupts bubbling before the OD and fluorescence measurements to avoid any bubble interference with the measurements and thus to allow for more precise readings.
  • Optionally, the Photobioreactor can be linked to the Gas Mixing System GMS 150 that provides precise concentration and flow rate of the required gases.


OD and Chlorophyll-a Fluorescence Monitoring


  • Integrated Turbidimeter (OD 680 and 720 nm) and Double-Modulation Fluorometer (blue and red excitation lights) for automatic measurements (optional).
  • The optical path of OD and Chl-a fluorescence measurement: 10 mm.
  • OD 720 measures light scattering on particles and can serve as a proxy for biomass growth whereas OD 680 is linked to the chlorophyll absorption and can be used for an estimation of chlorophyll concentration.
  • Chlorophyll-a fluorescence measurement can be used for a rough evaluation of the biomass physiological state. Blue and red excitation light. Determined parameters: F0, FT, FM, F’M, (F’M – FT/F’M).
  • The Photobioreactor Control Software enables remote online visualization of recorded data in real-time. Moreover, the software allows to fit the OD data with the various regression functions to facilitate the evaluation of the actual growth rate.


Sensors


  • Temperature sensor (Platinum Pt 1000 sensor) is an integral part of the cultivation vessel.
  • Probe Controller (optional): enables connecting up to six measuring sensors to the Photobioreactor.
  • pH Module (optional) includes digital membrane pH sensor InPro 3253i/SG/325, cable, SW control.
  • O2 Module (optional) to measure concentration of dissolved O2 (includes digital optical O2 sensor InPro 6860i/320, cable, SW control).
  • CO2 Module (optional) to determine the dissolved carbon dioxide concentration in the medium (includes digital CO2 sensor InPro 5000i/320, cable, SW control).


Cultivation Strategies


  • The highly flexible use is enabled through connection and control of several additional pumps. Such design allows to use any of the measured parameters (for example OD, pH, dCO2 or dO2, including information from water level sensors) as a control regulator in order to operate the system in automatic regime.
  • Two PWM diaphragm pumps (optional) and up to 8 peristaltic pumps (optional) can be linked to the Photobioreactor for supply of different nutrients, medium, catalysts, inhibitors, toxicants, base or acid, organisms, etc.
  • Batch cultivation
  • Semi-continuous cultivation
  • Turbidostatic cultivation
  • Chemostatic cultivation
  • Anaerobic cultivation
  • Turbidostat Module (optional): maintains a pre-set cell concentration (determined through OD 680 or OD 720) in a constant biomass volume. The pre-set cell concentration can be constant, fluctuating in a various range or dynamically changed. The module includes two diaphragm pumps and supporting control software.
  • Chemostat Module (optional): In chemostat mode pH value of the cultivation media is continuously adjusted by acid or base addition to the cultivation vessel in order to keep pH level on defined level. The module includes two peristaltic pumps (one pump serves adding acid, the other pump adds base), one diaphragm pump and supporting control software.
  • pH-Stat cultivation through Gas Mixing System GMS 150 (optional): The Photobioreactor Control Software for GMS 150 enables to create a Java script that will keep the pH of the cultivation medium on defined level through a regulated gaseous CO2 addition.
  • Anaerobic cultivation via gas-tight lid and N2 sparging.




Customized Large-Scales Photobioreactors


  • Vertical Tubular Airlift Photobioreactor is a modular system scalable between 100 – 1,000 l. Ambient or artificial LED illumination. Monitoring of OD 680, 720 and chlorophyll fluorescence. Additional probes: pH/T, dO2, CO2
  • Stainless 1,000 l Photobioreactor. Temperature controlled cultivation tank with the immersed LED lighting and integrated sparging system. Monitoring of OD 680, 720 and chlorophyll fluorescence. Additional probes: pH/T, dO2, CO2
  • Modular Helical Tubular Photobioreactor (250 l per one unit) with a degassing system. Ambient or artificial LED illumination. Monitoring of OD 680, 720 and chlorophyll fluorescence. Additional probes: pH/T, dO2, CO2



Photobioreactor Control Software


  • The entire Photobioreactor system and all its cultivation and monitoring functions and accessories is controlled via the Photobioreactor Control Software. The control software provides intuitive and dynamic interface for online monitoring and visualization of all measured data as well as creation of user-defined protocols.
  • An advance version of Photobioreactor Control Software must be ordered for large-scale Photobioreactor.
  • For more details see our website about the Photobioreactor Control Software.



Applications


  • Verification of cultivation upscaling
  • Biomass production
  • End-product yield optimization

[h1]Documents[/h1] [list] [*][b] Large-Scale PBR manual (pdf)[/b] [*][b] Technical specifications (pdf)[/b] [/list] [h1]Promotional Materials[/h1] [list] [*][b] Photobioreactors leaflet (pdf)[/b] [/list]

Pricing

Basic configuration

Version Characteristics Price
Photobioreactor System 100 L (Base)
Flat cultivation tank (100 L working volume) with integrated temperature regulation and bubble stirring of the culture.
 17,290 €
Photobioreactor System 25 L (Base)
Flat cultivation tank (25 L working volume) with integrated temperature regulation and bubble stirring of the culture.
 12,960 €
Control Unit with a Storing Rack *
Includes a PC with ADVANCED version software for control of the Photobioreactor and all its accessories as well as data collection and visualization. Included are also storing rack and separate touch screen positioned on the rack door.
 5,939 €


Optional accessories

Standard Illumination Module for 25L PBR
Bi-color, LED-based panel for 25 L Photobioreactor. Controllable in intensity, timing and modulation. Maximum intensity 800 µmol.m-2. s-1 (total for both colors).
 2,699 €
Illumination Module for 100L PBR
Bi-color, LED-based panel for 100 L Photobioreactor. Controllable in intensity, timing and modulation. Maximum intensity 800 µmol.m-2. s-1 (total for both colors).
 4,299 €
Optical Module
Includes PAM fluorometer for measuring Ft and QY as well as turbidometer for measuring optical density at 680 nm and 720 nm.
 5,399 €
Electrode Module
Enables connecting up to six measuring sensors to the Photobioreactor. Standard sensors: pH/T, dO2, CO2. Sensors are not included in the price of the Electrode Module; cable is included for each purchased sensor.
 3,570 €
pH/T Sensor *
Supplementary pH/T sensor for measuring pH in the cultivated suspension (without cable).
 855 €
CO2 Sensor *
CO2 Sensor for measuring dissolved carbon dioxide (without cable).
 3,450 €
dO2 Sensor *
Optical dO2 sensor for measuring dissolved oxygen (without cable). Included is also calibration kit.
 2,690 €
Turbidostat Module
Enables continuous cultivation of the culture (growth-associated parameters may be optical density or measured fluorescence). Includes one pump with needed accessories and software support.
 4,099 €
Chemostat Module / pH Stat Module
Includes two Peristaltic Pumps PP 600 and software support. One pump serves adding acid, the second pump adds base. The pumps may be controlled manually or by the software.
 4,299 €
Cooling Module
Enables widening the range of temperature for cultivation to 15-60 °C (ambient temperature must be around 20 °C).
 4,099 €
Gas Mixing System
GMS 150/TORA-10L
High-precision gas mixing system includes two channels: Channel 1 for Air-N2; Channel 2 for CO2. Maximum total flow is 10 L (for 25 L PBR).
9,390 €
Gas Mixing System
GMS 150/TORA-20L
High-precision gas mixing system includes two channels: Channel 1 for Air-N2; Channel 2 for CO2. Maximum total flow is 20 L (for 100 L PBR).
9,390 €
Enhanced Illumination Module for 25L PBR
Enhanced illumination panel (bi-color, LED-based) for 25 L Photobioreactor. Controllable in intensity, timing and modulation. Maximum intensity 2,200 µmol.m-2. s-1 (total for both colors).
 4,299 €


Spare components

Additional Cable to pH/T Sensor (25 L and 100 L) *
Supplementary cable and connector to pH/T sensor. Includes also USB dongle for sensor calibration.
 270 €
Additional Cable to dO2 Sensor (25L and 100L)*
Supplementary cable and connector to dO2 sensor. Includes also USB dongle for sensor calibration.
 639 €
Additional Cable to CO2 Sensor (25L and 100L)*
Supplementary cable and connector to CO2 sensor. Includes also USB dongle for sensor calibration.
 270 €
Additional Protective Glasses *
Radiation safety glasses protecting against excessive LED radiation – equipped with side cover and protective filters. One pair of glasses is provided with the device free of charge.
 25 €

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