Sensors (Feb 2015)

Design and Test of a Low-Cost RGB Sensor for Online Measurement of Microalgae Concentration within a Photo-Bioreactor

  • Micaela Benavides,
  • Johan Mailier,
  • Anne-Lise Hantson,
  • Gerardo Muñoz,
  • Alejandro Vargas,
  • Jan Van Impe,
  • Alain Vande Wouwer

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/s150304766
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 3
pp. 4766 – 4780

Abstract

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In this study, a low-cost RGB sensor is developed to measure online the microalgae concentration within a photo-bioreactor. Two commercially available devices, i.e., a spectrophotometer for offline measurements and an immersed probe for online measurements, are used for calibration and comparison purposes. Furthermore, the potential of such a sensor for estimating other variables is illustrated with the design of an extended Luenberger observer.

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