Bioreactor
A bioreactor control system based on IoT regulates light, water temperature, pumps and feeding using live readings. Operators monitor and optimise the system remotely and step in only when problems arise.
Bioreactor at a glance
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Bioreactor control system: running aquaculture remotely via IoT
In the solution example, sensors regularly measure temperature, light, dissolved oxygen and other parameters, while cameras observe the fish shoal and use artificial intelligence to provide data on its condition. The system consists of a regulation layer and a control layer. Regulation reads the sensors and drives actuators, running on a Raspberry Pi in the prototype and later on a purpose-built controller. The control layer connects to regulation via MQTT and reaches the internet through a router over Wi-Fi or cellular. In the cloud, data goes into a database for visualisation and a data lake for analysis. The connection is encrypted in both directions.
The example comes from agriculture and covers remote reading and temperature measurement in condition monitoring. The Austrian biotech start-up Blue Planet Ecosystems has developed LARA, a closed aquaculture system the size of a shipping container: powered by sunlight, it grows algae that feed zooplankton, which in turn feed the fish. IoT provider Cloudflight connects the system to its cloud platform. The platform can override the internal regulation by command, and manual control is possible via a web interface. Components can be updated remotely, and thanks to MQTT and the chosen architecture, further sensors and actuators can easily be added.
Bioreactor control systems: frequently asked questions
How is an algae bioreactor regulated with sensor data?
Regulation is based on readings such as temperature, light and dissolved oxygen, from which the software derives its control actions. In Blue Planet Ecosystems' LARA system, algae grow using sunlight and serve as food for zooplankton. Software uses the sensor data to regulate light and water temperature as well as water pumps and feeding. All values are recorded so that the bioreactor can be further optimised through data analysis.
How does a bioreactor for aquaculture differ from conventional fish farming systems?
The connected bioreactor runs largely autonomously as a closed ecosystem and is monitored via IoT. According to the solution example, conventional recirculating systems sit in large halls with water treatment and have high operating costs. Blue Planet Ecosystems' LARA, by contrast, is the size of a container, needs a starter culture and a few hundred litres of water, and can be set up at any site, even in the desert.
How can a bioreactor be monitored and controlled remotely?
Remote monitoring runs through a cloud platform that receives status data and sends commands back. In the example, the system operates autonomously but regularly sends status information to Cloudflight's cloud. The platform can override the internal regulation, and manual control is also possible via a web interface. The connection is protected by transport encryption in both directions.
Which bioreactor sensors and data does the control system need?
The control system needs readings for temperature, light and dissolved oxygen as well as further process parameters. In the solution example, cameras also observe the fish shoal and provide condition data using artificial intelligence. In the cloud, a database stores the values for visualisation, while a data lake holds the aggregated data for analysis. Further sensors can be added later.
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