This work identifies shortcomings of conventional practices in unstructured modeling of microalgal growth, thereby exploring the possibility of improving simulation of algal cultures. Light- and nitrogen-limited growth of Chlorella vulgaris under CO₂-replete conditions was modeled and simulated for a series of operating conditions in stirred-tank photobioreactors of bench scale. Based on the response of alga over a wide range of incident fluxes (50–400 µmol/(m²·s)) and nitrate levels (23–720 mg/L) in bubbled culture tubes, sixteen two-factor multiplicative models were developed by coupling suitable single-factor kinetic models for light and nitrate limited growth. Results suggest that the traditional use of Monod and Andrews kinetics in multi-factor modeling may not always be optimum as growth of the microalga was best described by other common models with a R² of 0.93. Contrary to common belief, the study has demonstrated that biomass yield on nitrogen is a variable quantity and its reciprocal can be precisely modeled by Logistic/Gompertz function of nitrogen concentration. Common schemes to determine growth rate in attenuated light were also assessed. Local growth rates were found more appropriate than average intensity for estimation of net growth rate in steep light gradients. Simulations have also revealed that dissolved oxygen tension as high as 400% does not possess any threat to microalgal cultures as generally assumed. Model’s predictability for scaled culture in geometrically similar photobioreactor was also examined.

这项工作确定了微藻生长非结构化建模中传统做法的缺点，从而探索了改进藻类培养模拟的可能性。在实验室规模的搅拌槽光生物反应器中，针对一系列操作条件对在 CO ₂充足条件下普通小球藻的光和氮限制生长进行建模和模拟。基于藻类在各种入射通量 (50–400 µmol/(m ²·s)) 和硝酸盐水平 (23–720 mg/L) 在鼓泡培养管中，通过耦合适合光和硝酸盐限制生长的单因素动力学模型，开发了 16 个双因素乘法模型。结果表明，传统的 Monod 和 Andrews 动力学在多因素建模中的使用可能并不总是最佳的，因为微藻的生长最好由其他具有 R ^{2 的}常见模型来描述0.93。与普遍看法相反，该研究表明，氮的生物量产量是一个可变数量，其倒数可以通过氮浓度的 Logistic/Gompertz 函数精确建模。还评估了确定衰减光下生长速率的常用方案。发现局部增长率比平均强度更适合估计陡峭光照梯度下的净增长率。模拟还表明，高达 400% 的溶解氧张力并不像通常假设的那样对微藻培养构成任何威胁。模型对几何形状相似的光生物反应器中规模化培养的可预测性也进行了检查。