Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29849766›Full record

ArticleBiotechnology for biofuels2018

Single-cell computational analysis of light harvesting in a flat-panel photo-bioreactor.

Varun Loomba, Gregor Huber, Eric von Lieres

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Biotechnology for biofuels, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Performance Evaluation ofBioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Varun Loomba1Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany.
Gregor Huber2Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany.
Eric von Lieres1Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428 Jülich, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-0309-8408

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFlat-panel photo-bioreactors (PBRs) are customarily applied for investigating growth of microalgae. Optimal design and operation of such reactors is still a challenge due to complex non-linear combinations of various impact factors, particularly hydrodynamics, light irradiation, and cell metabolism. A detailed analysis of single-cell light reception can lead to novel insights into the complex interactions of light exposure and algae movement in the reactor.

resultsThe combined impacts of hydrodynamics and light irradiation on algae cultivation in a flat-panel PBR were studied by tracing the light exposure of individual cells over time. Hydrodynamics and turbulent mixing in this air-sparged bioreactor were simulated using the Eulerian approach for the liquid phase and a slip model for the gas phase velocity profiles. The liquid velocity was then used for tracing single cells and their light exposure, using light intensity profiles obtained from solving the radiative transfer equation at different wavelengths. The residence times of algae cells in defined dark and light zones of the PBR were statistically analyzed for different algal concentrations and sparging rates. The results indicate poor mixing caused by the reactor design which can be only partially improved by increased sparging rates.

conclusionsThe results provide important information for optimizing algal biomass productivity by improving bioreactor design and operation and can further be utilized for an in-depth analysis of algal growth by using advanced models of cell metabolism.

Indexed as

Computational fluid dynamicsHydrodynamicsMicroalgaeParticle tracingRadiative transfer equation

Identifiers

PMID29849766
PMCPMC5970501

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.