01 02 Carboxysomes Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Gas bubbles DNA Thylakoid membranes 02: Structure of the algae cell: extracting PHB for bioplastics PhotoBionicCell Automated cultivation of biomass Our world is changing at an unprecedented rate. The global population is growing rapidly and the impacts of climate change are marked. We can only maintain a future worth living if people, the animal kingdom and the plant world live together in harmony. This is why we at Festo believe the bio-economy will be the economic system of the future. We aspire to make a decisive contribution to improving the quality of life of present and future generations – by cultivating biomass on a large scale using our automation technology. Sustainability thanks to a circular economy If we can live in a circular manner, innovative spaces pop up from which both people and the environment benefit at the same time. A circular economy is defined by producing in a carbon-neutral way while using as few resources as possible. The idea behind this is to cultivate living matter as a biological basis in an energy-efficient way so that raw materials can be extracted from it and processed into products. Ultimately, these will be returned to the natural cycle. At the Festo learning company, we have considered biology to be a source of inspiration and even a teacher for decades. Over the years, our bionics experts have developed a multitude of technological innovations. The PhotoBionicCell research project demonstrates a possible approach for the industrial biologisation of tomorrow. Efficient photosynthesis in a high-tech bioreactor Using the bioreactor, algae can be cultivated automatically and their growth controlled. For this purpose, the algae liquid is pumped upwards into the surface collectors, where it is distributed evenly before flowing back into the cultivator. During this circulation loop, the algae’s chloroplast cells photosynthesise to convert sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and chemical energy sources – or valuable organic matter. As such, the biomass is cultivated in a closed circuit in a highly efficient and resourcesaving way. Compared to systems commonly used today, such as open basins and foil bioreactors, over ten times more biomass can be produced with PhotoBionicCell. Biological recyclable materials for climate-neutral end products Depending on the nutrients supplied to the algal biomass, fatty acids, colour pigments and surfactants are formed as products of their metabolic processes. These serve as base materials for the production of medicines, foodstuffs, plastics, cosmetics and fuels. Unlike petroleum-based products, bio-based end products usually biodegrade and – in keeping with an overall circular economy – can always be recycled in a climate-neutral manner. As part of their work on PhotoBionicCell, our researchers focused on cultivating the blue-green algae Synechocystis, which produces colour pigments, omega-3 fatty acids and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). The PHB that is extracted can be processed into a filament for 3D printing by adding other substances. Thanks to this modern production technology, complex shapes of sustainable plastic components or packaging can be produced in a short time. As part of PhotoBionicCell, certain grooved mounting pins can be manufactured from this bioplastic. Intelligent control technology To create the best possible conditions for the micro-organisms, proven control technology is combined with the latest automation component. A holistic gassing concept ensures that the carbon dioxide extracted from the air is evenly distributed in the circulating biofluid. Innovative quantum sensor technology A significant challenge relating to bioreactors is precisely determining the quantity of biomass. To do so, our developers rely on a quantum-technology sensor manufactured by the start-up Q.ANT. This sensor provides precise, real-time information about the organisms’ growth. The algae are fed to it automatically and continuously using microfluidics from Festo. The quantum sensor is able to optically detect individual cells so that the amount of biomass can be determined exactly. Moreover, the sensor can investigate the cell vitality. Only then is it possible to react to process events with foresight and to intervene in a regulatory manner. 01: Automated bioreactor: photo- synthesis of algae in a closed circuit 2 Festo SE & Co. KG 3 PhotoBionicCell: Automated cultivation of biomass
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