Design of Algal Dewatering Systems

For design purposes, a basis of 50% weight by volume (w/v) of biomass is used as the minimum requirement from the dewatering stage. The design outlines the best dewatering configuration in terms of energy consumption and economics. It is assumed that the initial cultivation within the bioreactors will be staggered so that dewatering equipment costs can be reduced. The staggering of the cultivation is entirely dependent on the bioreactor configuration and the dilution rate employed.