Study on Turbulent Kinetic Energy in Closed Photobioreactor

Abstract:

Microalgae are an important source for biodiesel, one kind of renewable energy. The turbulence of the algal fluid can be intensified through optimizing the structure parameters of the disturbing devices and the operation conditions in photobioreactor, thereby the algae production increased. Turbulent kinetic energy is the measurement of turbulence intensity. Through control variable method, turbulent kinetic energy is simulated by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Based on the simulation, the slope angle and interval distance of two neighboring disturbing devices whose cross section is a right triangle, the ratio of disturbing device height to the fluid-depth, and the inlet velocity are all optimized, which is effectively enhance the turbulence.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 448-453)
• Pages: 1675-1678
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.448-453.1675
• Online since: October 2013
• Authors: Lin Li*, Jun Ying Zhu, Jun Feng Rong, Wei Liu, Cheng Gang Bai
• Keywords: Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Disturbing Device, Microalgae Photobioreactor, Turbulent Kinetic Energy

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