The photobioreactors available on the market are aimed at the production of microalgae biomass. The goal of this interdisciplinary project is to develop a photobioreactor that has the additional functions of sound insulation with regard to the passage of sound through a separating component as well as sound absorption in a room. This opens up the possibility of using photobioreactors as efficient sound barriers, making such components usable for heat and microalgae biomass production for the first time.

The design specifications required for the development will be worked out in the test laboratory by means of numerical simulations and acoustic measurements, implemented in prototypes and tested in the field with regard to their functionality. As a result, this project will develop a bioreactor with optimal acoustic properties up to a marketable prototype for a sound protection wall made of photobioreactors.

The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy through the Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM) and is being carried out in cooperation with the company SSC Strategic Science Consult GmbH. The project duration is two years.