Skip to main content
Elsevier

Closed and Open Photobioreactor Systems for Wastewater Treatment

Design Principles and Operational Mechanisms

  • 1st Edition - April 1, 2027
  • Latest edition
  • Authors: Imran Ahmad, Faizal Bux
  • Language: English

Closed and Open Photobioreactor Systems for Wastewater Treatment: Design Principles and Operational Mechanisms offers a comprehensive examination of the scientific foundations,… Read more

End of Summer Sale

Save up to 30% off

Bright savings for research, study, and discovery

Shop the summer sale

Description

Closed and Open Photobioreactor Systems for Wastewater Treatment: Design Principles and Operational Mechanisms offers a comprehensive examination of the scientific foundations, engineering mechanisms, and practical designs that drive modern algal-based wastewater treatment technologies. Bridging fundamental bioprocess principles with real-world reactor configurations, the book presents a unified resource that addresses both closed and open photobioreactor systems, including light distribution, hydrodynamics, nutrient kinetics, and scale-up strategies. Through mechanistic modeling and performance evaluation frameworks, it consolidates scattered knowledge and emerging innovations into a single, authoritative reference. The book unfolds in three parts: Part I explores closed photobioreactor systems, detailing the design and optimization of horizontal, vertical, and flat-panel reactors. Part II deals with open systems, covering circular ponds, raceway ponds, and hybrid configurations, with a focus on natural flow, modeling, and integration. Part III investigates innovative designs, the role of artificial intelligence and digital twins, and the future of sustainable, circular wastewater management.

Closed and Open Photobioreactor Systems for Wastewater Treatment: Design Principles and Operational Mechanisms is an essential guide for researchers, engineers, environmental scientists, graduate students, and industry professionals in biotechnology, wastewater management, environmental engineering, and sustainable process development. It provides critical insights for advancing resource recovery, carbon capture, and sustainable development in both academic and applied settings.

Key features

  • Explains the mechanisms of closed and open PBR systems, including the role of individual components
  • Combines biological, chemical, and hydrodynamic perspectives on agitation, mass transfer, and light utilization
  • Provides scale-up guidelines, benchmarks, and pilot-scale case studies
  • Links wastewater valorisation, carbon capture, and biomass utilization to sustainable development goals
  • Offers insights on process intensification, technology readiness levels, and industrial pathways from laboratory to commercial scale

Readership

Researchers, biotechnologists, environmental engineers, and graduate students wastewater treatment, algal biotechnology, and sustainable bioprocess engineering; Academics, industry professionals, and policymakers seeking advanced insights into the design, mechanism, and application of open and closed photobioreactor systems for sustainable wastewater management and resource recovery

Table of contents

1. Introduction to Photobioreactor Systems

Part I: Closed Photobioreactor Systems

2. Horizontal Photobioreactors – Design and Mechanistic Insights

3. Vertical Photobioreactors – Hydrodynamics and Performance Optimization

4. Flat-Panel Photobioreactors – Light Distribution and Process Control

Part II: Open Photobioreactor Systems

5. Circular Ponds and Cascading Systems – Natural Flow-Based Cultivation

6. Raceway Ponds – Mechanism, Modeling, and Scale-Up

7. Hybrid Photobioreactor Systems – Integration of Closed and Open Configurations

Part III: Innovations and Future Perspectives

8. Innovative Photobioreactor Designs and Emerging Trends

9. Artificial Intelligence, Digital Twins, and Smart Process Control

10. Future Outlook – Scaling, Sustainability, and Circular Integration

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: April 1, 2027
  • Language: English

About the authors

IA

Imran Ahmad

Dr. Imran Ahmad is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology (IWWT), Durban University of Technology, South Africa, specialising in algae biotechnology, advanced wastewater treatment, and circular bioeconomy solutions. He holds an MPhil and PhD from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, with expertise in microalgal bioremediation, biological wastewater treatment, photobioreactor engineering, nutrient recovery, and resource valorization. Previously he served as a Bioprocess Engineer and Scientific Consultant at PhyEcoSyS, translating laboratory research into industrial applications. He contributed to international initiatives, including the Indo-European Horizon 2020 PAVITR project and Liquid Trees, advancing algal cultivation, wastewater treatment, and bioenergy systems. His scholarly portfolio includes publications in high-impact journals, edited books, and a utility innovation and a patent for the design of a Grease Trap & Airlift photobioreactor. His combined academic and industrial experience provides a unique perspective for developing innovative, scalable, and practical solutions to complex environmental and water sustainability challenges.

Affiliations and expertise
Post Doctoral Researcher, Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, South Africa

FB

Faizal Bux

Professor Faizal Bux is a leading South African researcher in water and wastewater treatment technology, with over 30 years of experience advancing sustainable water solutions for developing economies. As Director of the Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology at Durban University of Technology and Chair-holder of the South African Research Chairs Initiative, his career has evolved from applied wastewater treatment research to internationally recognised leadership in algal biotechnology, wastewater-based epidemiology, and resource recovery. He has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, along with numerous book chapters and edited books, and holds a prestigious NRF B2 rating. His leadership roles within the International Water Association, the Academy of Science of South Africa, and the BRICS Networks University reflect his commitment to collaborative, interdisciplinary research. Looking ahead, Prof. Bux aims to expand translational research addressing water security, public health surveillance, circular bioeconomy approaches, and climate-resilient wastewater treatment technologies.

Affiliations and expertise
Director, Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, South Africa