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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2020
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.04913 |
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Table of Contents:
- Modelling the evolution process for the growth of microalgae in an artificial pond is a huge challenge, given the complex interaction between hydrodynamics and biological processes occurring across various timescales. In this paper, we consider a raceway, i.e., an oval pond where the water is set in motion by a paddle wheel. Our aim is to investigate theoretically and numerically the impact of bottom topography in such raceway ponds on microalgae growth. To achieve this goal, we consider a biological model based on the Han model, coupled with the Saint--Venant systems that model the fluid. We then formulate an optimization problem, for which we apply the weak maximum principle to characterize optimal topographies that maximize biomass production over one lap of the raceway pond or multiple laps with a paddle wheel. In contrast to a widespread belief in the field of microalgae, we show that a flat topography in a periodic regime satisfies the necessary optimality condition, and observe in the numerical experiments that the flat topography is actually optimal in this case. However, non-trivial topographies may be more advantageous in alternative scenarios, such as when considering the effects of mixing devices within the model. This study sheds light on the intricate relationship between bottom topography, fluid dynamics, and microalgae growth in raceway ponds, offering valuable insights into optimizing biomass production.