Microalgae & cyanobacteria
Microalgae and cyanobacteria are sources of carotenoids such as fucoxanthin and astaxanthin, of other pigments such as phycocyanin, of fatty acids and of biomass. In photosynthetic cultures, yield depends on managing light intensity and wavelength, reactor geometry, gas flow and mixing, pH and nutrient (especially nitrogen) conditions together. Our BioSIS controller has been used in studies run by researchers of the Department of Bioengineering at Ege University with airlift and flat-panel photobioreactors and published in peer-reviewed journals.
Application-specific process requirements
Light and reactor geometry
Light intensity, wavelength and the ratio of illuminated surface to volume determine growth and product accumulation. These parameters are set differently in internally illuminated airlift and flat-panel configurations.
Airlift hydrodynamics and scale-up
In airlift reactors, mixing and gas transfer are provided by the air flow. Scale-up evaluates criteria such as mixing time, superficial gas velocity, the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (kLa) and volumetric power input; computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be used to predict the flow pattern.
pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature
The BioSIS controller measures online through a combined temperature-dissolved oxygen probe and a pH probe; pH is held at set point with acid and base pumps. Dissolved oxygen, which rises with photosynthesis, is monitored.
Nutrient and stress conditions
Nitrogen limitation and light stress can be used to increase lipid and pigment accumulation; because these conditions reduce growth rate, they are optimised strain by strain.
Production methods used
Talamus models for this application
| Model | Scale | Working volume | Sterilisation | Delivery | Control structure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BioSIS Airlift | Laboratory systems | Laboratory-scale photobioreactor; 1.8 L (internally illuminated airlift) and 6 L (flat panel) working volume in published studies | Autoclave | Benchtop | Shared loop and data structure |
| TLM Lab | Laboratory systems | Laboratory scale; vessel volume and number of parallel reactors per configuration | Autoclave | Benchtop | Shared loop and data structure |
Published studies in this field
System details follow each publication’s own description.
- Alpural A, Dincoglu B, Demirel Z, Imamoglu E (2025). Effect of nitrogen on lipid production of Chlorococcum novae-angliae. Systems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing 5(1): 215–222. doi:10.1007/s43393-024-00310-7Microalgae cultivation; nitrogen limitation
- Tepe U, Aslanbay Guler B, Demirel Z, Imamoglu E (2025). Effect of light intensities in triple co-culture. Sustainable Landscape Planning and Natural Resources Management, Springer: 149–154. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-81288-0_16Triple co-culture; light intensity
- Khazi MI, Demirel Z, Liaqat F, Eltem R, Conk Dalay M (2024). Development of an efficient process to extract C-phycocyanin from marine cyanobacterial strains and evaluation of its bioactive potential. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology 99(8): 1897–1906. doi:10.1002/jctb.7693Cyanobacteria cultivation; phycocyanin extraction
- Şener N, Demirel Z, İmamoğlu E, Conk Dalay M (2022). Optimization of culture conditions for total carotenoid amount using response surface methodology in green microalgae Ankistrodesmus convolutus. Aquatic Sciences and Engineering 37(1): 29–37. doi:10.26650/ASE2020785091Flat-panel photobioreactor, 6 L; BioSIS controller
- Demirel Z, Imamoglu E, Conk Dalay M (2020). Growth kinetics of Nanofrustulum shiloi under different mixing conditions in flat-plate photobioreactor. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology 63: e20190201. doi:10.1590/1678-4324-2020190201Flat-panel photobioreactor, 6 L working volume; BioSIS controller
- Aslanbay Guler B, Deniz I, Demirel Z, Imamoglu E (2020). Computational fluid dynamics simulation in scaling-up of airlift photobioreactor for astaxanthin production. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering 129(1): 86–92. doi:10.1016/j.jbiosc.2019.06.010Airlift photobioreactor; scale-up and CFD
- Aslanbay Guler B, Deniz I, Demirel Z, Imamoglu E (2020). Evaluation of scale-up methodologies and computational fluid dynamics simulation for fucoxanthin production in airlift photobioreactor. Asia-Pacific Journal of Chemical Engineering 15(6): e2532. doi:10.1002/apj.2532Airlift photobioreactor, scale-up from 1 L to 2 L; CFD
- Çalışkan G (2020). Mikroalglerden biyojenik nanopartiküllerin sentezlenmesi ve kullanım potansiyelinin araştırılması. Doktora tezi, Ege Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, İzmir.Microalgae cultivation
- Deniz I, Demirel Z, Imamoglu E, Conk Dalay M (2019). Enhanced microalgal lipid production in internally illuminated airlift photobioreactor. Marine Technology Society Journal 53(2): 38–45. doi:10.4031/MTSJ.53.2.4Internally illuminated airlift photobioreactor, 1.8 L; BioSIS controller
- Aslanbay Guler B, Deniz I, Demirel Z, Oncel SS, Imamoglu E (2019). Comparison of different photobioreactor configurations and empirical computational fluid dynamics simulation for fucoxanthin production. Algal Research 37: 195–204. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2018.11.019Different photobioreactor configurations; CFD
- Aslanbay Guler B, Deniz I, Demirel Z, Oncel SS, Imamoglu E (2019). Transition from start-up to scale-up for fucoxanthin production in flat plate photobioreactor. Journal of Applied Phycology 31(3): 1525–1533. doi:10.1007/s10811-018-1696-7Flat-panel photobioreactor; scale-up
- Khazi MI, Demirel Z, Conk Dalay M (2018). Enhancement of biomass and phycocyanin content of Spirulina platensis. Frontiers in Bioscience (Elite) 10: 276–286. doi:10.2741/e822Photobioreactor; Pikolab controller, temperature-DO and pH probes
- Demirel Z, Tok R, İlter I, Akyıl S, Erdoğan A, Koç M, Ertekin FK, Conk Dalay M (2018). Biyokütle için mikroalg ve siyanobakterinin büyük ölçekli üretimi. Aquatic Research 1(2): 64–76. doi:10.3153/AR18008Review; large-scale production systems
- Demirel Z, Imamoglu E, Conk Dalay M (2017). Screening of fatty acid composition in Nitzschia sp.. Turkish Journal of Biochemistry 42(3): 273–277. doi:10.1515/tjb-2016-0294BioSIS controller; combined temperature-DO probe and pH probe
- Demirel Z, Imamoglu E, Conk Dalay M (2015). Fatty acid profile and lipid content of Cylindrotheca closterium cultivated in air-lift photobioreactor. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology 90(12): 2290–2296. doi:10.1002/jctb.4687Laboratory-scale internal-loop airlift photobioreactor
Technical consultation request
Information on the strain, target product, illumination layout and target reactor volume is sufficient for an initial assessment.