Continuous controlled long-term operation and modeling of a closed loop connecting an air-lift photobioreactor and an animal compartment for the development of a life support system

Alemany, Laura; Peiro, Enrique; Arnau, Carolina; García, David; Poughon, Laurent; Cornet, Jean‐François; Dussap, Claude-Gilles; Gerbi, Olivier; Lamaze, Brigitte; Lasseur, Christophe; Gòdia, Francesc

doi:10.1016/j.bej.2019.107323

Cited by 19 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The photosynthetic bioreactor (compartment 4a in the MELiSSA loop) is an 80 L cylindrical radially lighted external-loop gas lift photobioreactor providing between 5 and 10% of oxygen requirements for one human. Alemany et al (2019) have demonstrated the validity of the radiative transfer model with a series of experimental tests of FIGURE 3 | EPS biomass fraction predicted. 1FR-one-side lighted flat reactor; 2FR-two-side lighted flat reactor; RCR-radially lighted cylindrical reactor.…”

Section: Model For Operation Of the C4a In Melissa Pilot Plantmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Dark dot area is the metabolically unfeasible domain predicted for a P/2e − > 1.5. gas-connected C4a and mock-up crew compartment (C5) that has been conceived and operated as a 3-rats' isolator. The photobioreactor model used by Alemany et al (2019) is a "Ntank in series" model to characterize the nonideal mixing status of both liquid and gas phases into the 80 L air-lift PBR that is used. The biological model relies on a former approach of L. indica growth with a model based on separate kinetics for active biomass synthesis (proteins and main cell constituents) and exopolysaccharides (EPS).…”

Section: Model For Operation Of the C4a In Melissa Pilot Plantmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Photobioreactor Limnospira indica Growth Model: Application From the MELiSSA Plant Pilot Scale to ISS Flight Experiment

Poughon

Creuly

Gòdia

et al. 2021

Front. Astron. Space Sci.

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Bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) are the foundation stone to self-sustainable manned space missions. The MELiSSA is a BLSS concept that has evolved through a mechanistic engineering approach designed to acquire both theoretical and technical knowledge on each subsystem independently and, therefore, produces the necessary knowledge and experience needed to co-integrate all the subsystems together with a high level of control. One of the subsystems is a photobioreactor colonized by an axenic culture of the cyanobacterium Limnospira indica PCC8005 for revitalizing the air for the crew. This subsystem was extensively studied, and a mass balanced mechanistic model was developed to describe, predict, and control the photobioreactor. The model was based on a light transfer limitation model coupled to a kinetic model for the cyanobacteria growth through a Linear Thermodynamics of Irreversible Processes (LTIP) approach, including substrate limitation. The model was integrated into several hydrodynamic models adapted to several photobioreactors design and experiments, from a 100 L airlift pilot scale ground photobioreactor to a 50 ml membrane photobioreactor for ISS flight. Through this article we detail the principles of this mechanistic model and their application to different photobioreactor scales for predictive and descriptive simulations.

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Section: Model For Operation Of the C4a In Melissa Pilot Plantmentioning

confidence: 84%

Section: Model For Operation Of the C4a In Melissa Pilot Plantmentioning

confidence: 99%

Photobioreactor Limnospira indica Growth Model: Application From the MELiSSA Plant Pilot Scale to ISS Flight Experiment

Poughon

Creuly

Gòdia

et al. 2021

Front. Astron. Space Sci.

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“…So far, the research on the PBR part of the BLSS is the most sophisticated area. But also in the PBR research, most experiments were done in lab up to pilot scale (100 mL up to 83 L, Tables 1 – 4 ) and these volumes were not sufficient to provide 100% of the O 2 need of a crew member ( Javanmardian and Palsson, 1992 ; Alemany et al, 2019 ). So even if a small lab scale bioreactor is successful, scaling-up procedures have to follow to achieve the needed production rates for a BLSS, which vary strongly depending on the used organisms ( Vernerey et al, 2001 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, it was shown and experimentally demonstrated that the O 2 production and CO 2 consumption of a 83 L PBR with Limnospira indica is adaptable via the light intensity and can meet the needs of a three rat compartment (∼5–10% of the O 2 requirements of one human) in the MELiSSA Pilot Plant facility at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. In this experiment, the rats were kept alive for several months through gas exchange with the PBR ( Alemany et al, 2019 ).…”

Section: Photosynthetic Microorganisms As Catalysers For Air Revitalization In Spacementioning

confidence: 99%

Use of Photobioreactors in Regenerative Life Support Systems for Human Space Exploration

et al. 2021

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There are still many challenges to overcome for human space exploration beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) (e.g., to the Moon) and for long-term missions (e.g., to Mars). One of the biggest problems is the reliable air, water and food supply for the crew. Bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) aim to overcome these challenges using bioreactors for waste treatment, air and water revitalization as well as food production. In this review we focus on the microbial photosynthetic bioprocess and photobioreactors in space, which allow removal of toxic carbon dioxide (CO2) and production of oxygen (O2) and edible biomass. This paper gives an overview of the conducted space experiments in LEO with photobioreactors and the precursor work (on ground and in space) for BLSS projects over the last 30 years. We discuss the different hardware approaches as well as the organisms tested for these bioreactors. Even though a lot of experiments showed successful biological air revitalization on ground, the transfer to the space environment is far from trivial. For example, gas-liquid transfer phenomena are different under microgravity conditions which inevitably can affect the cultivation process and the oxygen production. In this review, we also highlight the missing expertise in this research field to pave the way for future space photobioreactor development and we point to future experiments needed to master the challenge of a fully functional BLSS.

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“…A 83 l external-loop air-lift PBR was used for L. indica cultivation. Bioreactor construction details have been described in previous work (Alemany et al, 2019). It consists of two glass cylindrical sections of 15 cm diameter surrounded by a LED-based illumination system.…”

Section: Pilot Plant Pbr Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics of long‐term continuous culture of Limnospira indica in an air‐lift photobioreactor

Garcia-Gragera

Peiro

Arnau

et al. 2021

Microbial Biotechnology

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MELiSSA (Microecological Life Support SystemAlternative) is a developing technology for regenerative life support to enable long-term human missions in Space and has developed a demonstration Pilot Plant. One of the components of the MELiSSA Pilot Plant system is an 83L external loop air-lift photobioreactor (PBR) where Limnospira indica (previously named Arthrospira sp. PC8005) is axenically cultivated in a continuous operation mode for longperiods. Its mission is to provide O 2 and consume CO 2 while producing edible material. Biological and process characterization of this PBR is performed by analysing the effect of two main variables, dilution rate (D) and PFD (Photon Flux Density) illumination. A maximum oxygen productivity (r O 2 ) of 1.35 mmol l −1 h −1 is obtained at a D of 0.025 h −1 and PFD of 930 µmol m −2 s −1 . Photoinhibition can occur when a 1 g l −1 cell density culture is exposed to PFD higher than 1700 µmol m −2 s −1 . This process is reversible if the illumination is returned to dim light (150 µmol m −2 s −1 ), proving the cell adaptability and capacity to respond at different illumination conditions. Influence of light intensity in cell composition is also described. Specific photon flux density (qPFD) has a direct effect on phycobiliproteins and chlorophyll content causing a decrease of 62.5% and 47.8%, respectively, when qPFD increases from 6.1 to 19.2 µmol g −1 s −1 . The same trend is observed for proteins and the opposite for carbohydrate content. Morphological and spiral structural features of L. indica are studied by confocal microscopy, and size distribution parameters are quantified. A direct effect between trichome width and CDW/OD ratio is observed. Changes in size distribution are not correlated with environmental factors, further confirms the adaptation capacity of the cells. The systematic analysis performed provides valuable insights to understand the key performance criteria of continuous culture in air-lift PBRs.

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Continuous controlled long-term operation and modeling of a closed loop connecting an air-lift photobioreactor and an animal compartment for the development of a life support system

Cited by 19 publications

References 29 publications

Photobioreactor Limnospira indica Growth Model: Application From the MELiSSA Plant Pilot Scale to ISS Flight Experiment

Photobioreactor Limnospira indica Growth Model: Application From the MELiSSA Plant Pilot Scale to ISS Flight Experiment

Use of Photobioreactors in Regenerative Life Support Systems for Human Space Exploration

Dynamics of long‐term continuous culture of Limnospira indica in an air‐lift photobioreactor

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