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Table 4 Major equipment and total equipment costs (TEC) for the upstream and the four downstream scenarios D1, D2, D3, and D4

From: Techno-economic analysis of a new downstream process for the production of astaxanthin from the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis

List of major equipment

Description

Price/€

Photobioreactors

170 m3

   

419,900

Light installation

2 W Lalgal broth−1

   

480,000

Pumps for cultivation

68, 1200 L h−1 each

   

27,200

CO2 sparkler

17

   

8500

Medium preparation tank

10 m3

   

30,000

Upstreaming

    

965,600

  

D1

D2

D3

D4

Cooling cell

A = 60 m2, k = 0.25 W m−2 K−1

–

–

–

7230

Centrifuge

2.5 m3 h−1

50,000

50,000

50,000

50,000

Homogeniser

50 L h−1, 1500 bar

75,000

75,000

–

75,000

Spray dryer

20 Lwater h−1

450,000

–

–

450,000

Supercritical CO2 extractor

2 × 40 L, 1000 bar

1,300,000

–

–

–

Reactor and light for germination

2 × 1000 L

–

–

6045

–

CPE units

3 × 5 L columns

–

725,631

725,631

–

Pumps for CPC

1000 mL min−1

–

105,000

105,000

–

Rotary evaporator

100 L

–

116,199

116,199

–

Downstream

€

1,875,000

1,071,830

1,002,875

582,230

Total equipment costs (TEC)

€

2,840,600

2,037,430

1,968,475

1,540,600