Optimal cultivation of microalgae including cyanobacteria
Microalgae, including cyanobacteria, are trending as a valuable feedstock to produce food supplements, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and animal feed. But there are complex challenges in industrial production that need to be comprehended and managed. Especially in the scope of pre-cultivation. The tension is between cost-effective production and the most possible sterility in the process chain, as well as a consistently high quality of harvest yields. For this purpose, Subitec provides turnkey systems, consisting of single cultivation modules and the associated support and cultivation infrastructure. Core of the cultivation modules are unique photobioreactors, which gently and highly efficiently perform photosynthesis based on the proprietary Flat Panel Airlift technology (FPA). The reactor design developed by the Fraunhofer Institute fulfills the requirements of almost every microalgae for a successful production process: from the pre-culture and scale-up phase to the industrial microalgae production and the intended build-up of products up to harvesting. The outcome is plannable production volumes as well as maximum output per volume with high and stable product quality. Finally, the closed complete system ensures that no contaminating substances can infiltrate from the outside. Optimal conditions for the best possible extraction of important high value substances such as astaxanthin, beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acids or toxins as ingredients of pharmaceutical products.
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Well-designed photobioreactors for excellent photosynthesis process
To ensure rapid growth of the microalgae with consistent quality, precise control of light, CO2 input and temperature is required. In addition, the sensitive handling of the microalgae within the entire process is a necessary condition for achieving stable high harvest yields. Subitec's well-designed photobioreactors enable homogeneous penetration of the culture due to the patented Flat Panel Airlift technology (FPA). This unique technology maximises the surface of the small air bubbles, which leads to a perfect input of CO2. Due to the airlift technology, no mechanical pumps are required. Therefore, there are no unintended shearing effects on the microalgae to be produced. In addition, the all-over and double-sided LED lighting, based on the specially developed Growlight technology, allows a wide range of options for setting the right light spectrum - suitable for any type of microalgae. Combined with the flexible temperature control, the intelligent system provides excellent conditions for a highly efficient photosynthesis process. The easy control of the complete system, consisting of cultivation modules, nutrient preparation unit, cleaning and sterilisation unit as well as harvesting unit, allows a smooth production process - even without in-depth technical expertise in plant control.
Turnkey solution for sustainable production
Compared to other microalgae production methods, such as open-pond, plastic-bag or glass-tube photobioreactors, Subitec's CM180 cultivation module requires significantly less space. The net floorspace is only 17 square metres for a total of 5.4 cubic metres of culture volume. As a result, the volume per square metre is 385 litres. Pre-assembled cultivation modules and the standardised and precision-fit cultivation infrastructure allow for a quick and cost-effective set-up on-site at the customer's premises. The complete system guarantees a short-term and plannable start of production. Made in in Germany, Subitec's systems stand for long-term life cycle performance and deliver consistently high production yields. The automated production process, harvesting and cleaning (CIP & SIP) can be controlled and monitored automatically on site using a central PLC or via an external remote function.
Next Level Microalgae Production
Specially designed to fit the needs of fast-growing markets, the modular system offers the possibility of easy and flexible expansion as production volumes increase. One or more CM180 cultivation modules can be easily added to the system according to the intended production target. The CM180 cultivation module consists of 30 coupled 180-litre FPA photobioreactors and has 285 square metres of illuminated surface. This is illuminated in an energy-saving and fully enclosed way with special Growlight LEDs using light wavelengths optimised for biomass growth. This will result in maximum area productivity for continuous 24/7 indoor production. The internal cooling and self-circulation of the culture medium as well as the controllable gassing with filtered fresh air and CO2 provide excellent growth conditions for microalgae including cyanobacteria. The individual cultivation modules are connected to each other via the shared cultivation infrastructure to form a production facility. In addition to the cultivation module, this includes the nutrient preparation unit, the cleaning and sterilisation unit and the harvesting unit.
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