What this work is about, in plain words
When should the flow of fresh medium be switched on, and at what rate, to get the largest spirulina yield? The authors tested calculations from a mathematical model by experiment.
In flow cultivation, part of the culture is regularly withdrawn and replaced with fresh medium. How much to withdraw and when to start is not known in advance, yet the total yield depends on it. This is especially important, for example, when growing spirulina in greenhouses, where the season is limited. The authors set out to find the optimal flow regime for Spirulina platensis and to test calculations from a previously developed mathematical model.
The culture was grown in the laboratory with parts withdrawn at different rates, and the actual yield was compared with the calculated one.
According to the authors, the experiments confirmed the calculation approach. The largest yield is obtained if the flow is started at the beginning of the phase of steady (linear) growth and run at the maximum rate the culture can withstand. The flow method turned out to be more advantageous than batch growth.
The work provides a practical rule for planning flow cultivation of spirulina.
Limitations. Laboratory experiments under constant conditions. For greenhouses with natural light, the regime needs to be refined taking weather and season into account.