A Monitoring, Modeling and Decision Support System (DSS) for a Microalgae Production Plant Based on Internet of Things Structure

Microalgae cultivation is an emerging and interesting field with an increasing market and with Great prospects for the future both in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and energetic field as well as for other new applications. Microalgae are photosynthetic aquatic microorganism which growth is regulated in-primis by light, temperature, pH and nutrients availability. The monitoring and control of these parameters is crucial in Microalgae cultivation plants because it allows to increase the production and the quality of microalgae biomass feedstock and to prevent the critical conditions for the culture which can compromise the cultivation. In the present work, we present an affordable and easy to use application of Internet of Things (IoT) for the monitoring and control of a microalgae cultivation coupled with a biological modeling for Decision Support System (DSS) to the operator for managing a plant sited in Southern Italy. (c) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.