What this work is about, in plain words
A review of portable photobioreactors: what small automatic microalgae cultivators that a person without special training can handle should be like.
Demand for microalgae biomass, such as chlorella and spirulina, is growing among private consumers too. But large installations require qualified staff, and fresh wet biomass does not keep for long. The authors asked: what should a small automated cultivator be like if a non-specialist, for example on a small farm, is to use it?
The work is a review: it analyzes the design requirements for such a device, taking into account the biology of algae and technical possibilities, and gives examples of existing portable photobioreactors.
The authors describe what is important to consider in design: lighting, mixing, temperature control, monitoring culture growth, and ease of maintenance and carrying. For each device found, its parameters, advantages and drawbacks are listed. The authors' conclusion: at the time of publication, no fully automated portable system for producing biomass in small volumes existed.
The review is useful as a starting point for those developing or choosing a small cultivator.
Limitations. This is a review without the authors' own tests of the devices. The market for portable cultivators may have changed since 2019.