What limits algae growth in this simulator?

Growth follows Monod-style kinetics: the growth rate is set by whichever of light, CO2 or nutrients is scarcest relative to its half-saturation constant, so raising an already-abundant input does little until the limiting factor improves.

Why does biomass fall when I raise the harvest rate?

Harvesting removes a fraction of the standing biomass every cycle. If that removal rate exceeds what growth can replace, the population shrinks even though oil yield per cell stays the same.

How is oil yield calculated?

Oil yield is approximated as a baseline plus a term proportional to light intensity minus a penalty for aggressive harvesting, reflecting that well-lit, gently harvested cultures accumulate more lipid per cell.

Home▸Chemistry & Materials▸Marine Algae Biofuel Simulator (2D)

Marine Algae Biofuel Simulator (2D)

A 2D photobioreactor cross-section driven by Monod-style growth kinetics: light, CO2 and nutrient inputs set the growth rate, and the harvest rate drains biomass into an oil-droplet stream.

Chemistry & Materials2DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 3D version

This 2D companion drives the same Monod-kinetics growth model as the 3D photobioreactor through a flat cross-section view: algae particles multiply against a light bar and rising CO2 bubbles, and once biomass density is high enough the harvest outlet drains cells into a collecting reservoir of oil droplets, letting you read the growth-rate and limiting-factor numbers directly instead of orbiting a 3D tank.

⚙ Under the hood

2D photobioreactor cross-section with Monod-style growth kinetics: light, CO2 and nutrient sliders set the growth rate, and the harvest-rate slider drains biomass into an oil-droplet stream, with live biomass, growth-rate and limiting-factor readouts.

algaebiofuelphotobioreactormonod kineticsrenewable energy

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install