Six　methods　for　microalgal　cell　disruption　were　compared　for　the　optimization　of　carotenoids　extraction　from　the　lutein-rich　thermo-tolerant　microalga　Desmodesmus　sp.　F51.　Among　them,　both　bead-beating　and　high　pressure　homogenization　(HPH)　were　found　to　have　potential　to　disrupt　Desmodesmus　sp.　F51　cells　with　high　efficiency,　but　this　study　focused　only　on　HPH　treatment.　Effects　of　homogenization　pressure,　cycle　number　and　cell　density　on　cell　disruption　efficiency　were　investigated.　The　degree　of　cell　disruption　increased　with　increasing　high　homogenization　pressure　(10-40　kpsi)　and　cycle　number　(1-4).　Cell　density　in　the　range　of　2.0-90　g/L　did　not　affect　the　performance　of　cell　disruption　process,　while　a　higher　specific　energy　consumption　arised　when　using　a　lower　cell　concentration.　The　HPLC　analysis　showed　that　the　main　carotenoids　present　in　Desmodesmus　sp.　F51　were　neoxanthin,　violaxanthin,　lutein,　α-carotene　and　β-carotene.　Moreover,　the　developed　HPH　model　could　well　describe　the　cell　disruption　behavior　at　various　high　homogenization　pressures　(10-40　kpsi)　and　cycle　numbers　(1-4).　The　obtained　parameters　indicate　that　homogenization　pressure　is　a　more　significant　factor　than　cycle　number　in　achieving　high　cell　disruption　efficiency.　©　2016　Elsevier　B.V.