An overview of photobioreactors now in use for production of microalgae world wide is presented, and the application of photobioreactors to the cultivation of microalgae is discussed in detail. It is pointed out that high cell density and industrial production of microalgae can be achieved using many kinds of closed photobioreactors including fermentor, tubular and flat plate photobioreactors, and the cultivation of Spirulina, Chlorella, Dunaliella tertiolecta and Porphyridium cruentrim by photobioreactors can achieve higher and steadier productivity than the cultivation of microalgae by an open air system. More and more researches indicate that tubular and flat plate photobioreactors are the development trend for photobioreactors with bubbles and air lift stirrers, and high bright light emitting diodes are the most economic light source with great potential for future development of photobioreactors. Photobioreactors can also be used for the production of high value metabolite (EPA or DHA) using some microalgae species for energy development and environment protection.
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