초록
Recently, bioenergy research using microalgae, one of the most promising biofuel sources, has attracted much attention. Cell disruption, which can be classified as physical or chemical, is essential to extract functional ingredients from microalgae. In this study, we investigated the cell disruption efficiency of Chlorella sp. using low-frequency non-focused ultrasound (LFNFU). This is a continuously physical method that is superior to chemical methods with respect to environmental friendliness and low processing cost. A flat panel photobioreactor was employed to cultivate Chlorella sp. and its growth curve was fitted both with Logistic and Gompertz models. The temporal change in cell reduction by cell disruption using LFNFU was fitted with a Logistic model. The experimental conditions that were investigated were the initial concentration of microalgal cells, relative amplitude of output ultrasound waves, processing volume of microalgal cells, and initial pH value. The optimal conditions for the most efficient cell disruption were determined through the various tests.
