Abstract

A culture of the microalgae Scenedesmus sp. in a pilot closed raceway photo bioreactor (CRPB), with flue gas injection from a diesel engine was implemented. Two different nutritional medium, Z-8 and EPA were used to feed the culture growth that was monitored in terms of total and partial biomass productivity, carbon fixation and oil production during nine days. The system was sequentially sampled measuring the gas flow and concentration of the injected CO2, the amount of biomass harvested and the concentration of CO2 in the degassing flow. In addition, the pH was measured in the culture to assess the amount of CO2 instantaneously dissolved. The results at the steady state, showed a carbon fixation efficiency ranging between 21.6 % and 44.9 %, and that the Z-8 medium was clearly better than the EPA in terms of CO2 capture and therefore biomass and oil production. A continuous increasing of oil content in microalgae biomass up to 6.6 % dry basis, with maximum oil production rate of 2.27 g m-3d-1 was observed, with a maximum rate of biomass production of 44.97 g m-3d-1 and a maximum carbon capture rate of 2.27 g m-3d-1 was achieved with the culture medium Z-8.