Design an‎d Construction of a Photobioreactor for Saline Water Desalination Using Microalgae

11/22/2026 12:00:00 AM

In recent years, biological desalination methods have attracted increasing attention as environmentally friendly alternatives with lower energy consumption compared to conventional desalination technologies. In this study, the potential of the microalga Chlorella vulgaris for use in a biological desalination process was investigated. The main objective of this research was to design an‎d implement an efficient photobioreactor to achieve maximum biological performance, high desalination efficiency, an‎d optimal microalgal growth, thereby enabling the application of biological systems in saline water treatment an‎d desalination processes. In the first stage, preliminary laboratory-scale experiments were conducted using different inoculum percentages an‎d seawater ratios to determine the optimal inoculation level an‎d seawater proportion. The results showed that increasing the inoculum percentage up to a certain limit improved microalgal growth an‎d salt removal efficiency. Moreover, testing various seawater ratios demonstrated that Chlorella vulgaris is capable of growing under high-salinity conditions. Based on the obtained results, the optimal cultivation condition was determined to be 20% inoculum. The 100% seawater ratio was selec‎ted as the final condition for the desalination process in the photobioreactor, as it more closely represents real an‎d industrial-scale conditions. To eva‎luate the scalability of the process, a 10-liter bubble column photobioreactor was designed. This system provided a favorable environment for algal growth due to its efficient mixing, uniform light distribution, an‎d effective mass transfer. After the desalination process, the results revealed that under the defined conditions, the salt removal efficiency reached 26% after 9 days. This level of removal indicates the high potential of Chlorella vulgaris in reducing salinity even at larger volumes, confirming the effectiveness of the designed photobioreactor. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that the use of microalgae, particularly Chlorella vulgaris, in biological desalination systems can be considered an effective approach. Furthermore, optimization of cultivation conditions an‎d appropriate photobioreactor design play a critical role in enhancing desalination performance.

نمك زدايي زيستي , ميكروجلبك , كلرلا ولگاريس , فتوبيوراكتور ستون حبابي , شوري

Biological desalination , microalgae , Chlorella vulgaris , bubble column photobioreactor , salinity

Azin Nematkhah

Dr. Toraj Mohammadi