Methodology for the fast direct estimation of spectral radiative transport properties in microalgae photobioreactors

Light distribution within photobioreactors is critical for the photosynthetic activity of microalgae in biotechnological processes. The radiative transport properties allow determining the radiant energy distribution, which is highly useful when designing, optimizing, and scaling photobioreactors. As radiation transport is strongly affected by process-dependent phenomena, simple, fast, and accurate in-situ estimation methodologies are of paramount importance. This paper presents a methodology for estimating microalgae cultures’ spectral radiative transport properties (i.e., the extinction coefficient, single-scattering albedo, and scattering phase function), considering measurements of incoming, transmitted, and dispersed energies by the microalgae culture within a modular spherical system. The experimental and numerical methods presented allow us to quickly and independently estimate the spectral radiative transport properties in a single setup. The methodology shows acceptable accuracy when estimating the spectral radiative transport properties of Chlorella vulgaris (400–700 nm). Thus, the proposed methodology has the potential for in-process monitoring and real-time analysis of light transport phenomena in photobioreactors.