Algae Cultures to Biofuels[1]

8/8/2019 Algae Cultures to Biofuels[1]

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Algae Cultures to BiofuelsHeather Sommers

Molluscan AquacultureApril 25 th , 2007


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Ov er v iew

What is AlgaeBasicsTypes

ImportanceMaking algae into a fuel source

BiodieselHistory

HydrogenHistory

BiomassHow to Culture


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What is Algae?

AlgaeS imple plant

Most live in water PhotosyntheticCapture light energyConvert inorganic to organic matter

Nonvascular Use lipids and oils to help float in water Range from small, single-celled species to complexmulticellular species, such as the giant kelps


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Ty pes

Red AlgaeBenthicMacro

Green AlgaeChlorophyll a and bPlantsFreshwater

Brown AlgaeBenthicMacroKelpMarine

DiatomsS ingle celledS ilica cell wall

Blue Green AlgaeVertical migrationFix N 2 from air Freshwater

DinoflagellatesToxic; suck out O 2Cause red tidesOrganic matter


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Background

LocationMost habitats

How manyOver 36,000 species

How does it feed?Photosynthesis

All have chlorophyll

Usesfood, fertilizer, foodstock, pharmaceutical, pollutioncontrol, water treatment, dyes, agar, F uels


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Biodiesel Histor y

From 1978 to 1996 the U. S . Department of Energy funded a program to develop

renewable transportation fuels from algaeThe main focus of the program was known asthe Aquatic S pecies Program (or A S P)Production of biodiesel from high lipid-contentalgae grown in pondsUtilized waste CO2 from coal fired power plants

(Department of Energy. 1996)


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Wh y make it a fuel?

Algae can be used to make biodieselProduces large amounts oil

When compared to terrestrial crops grown for the same purpose Algae contain anywhere between 2% and 40% of lipids/oils byweightOnce harvested, this oil can be converted into fuels for transportation, aviation or heating

High growth rate and easy to growWarm S easons

Amphora sp.Tetraselmis suecicaCold S easons

M onoraphidium minutumUse of diatoms and green algae


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Har v esting Biodiesel

Microalgae have much faster growth-rates than terrestrial crops Algal-oil processes into biodiesel as easily as oil derived from land-based cropsUse microalgae

Less complex structureFaster growing rateHigh oil content

How to harvestOpen-pond systems

Can be difficult

Type of algae has to be hardyCan be less hardy and grow slower Use Bioreactor TubesUse existing infrastructures

Provides the raw materials for the system, such as CO 2 and nutrientsChanges those wastes into resources.

(Solix BioFuels . 2006)


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F actories

(Enhanced Biofuels & Technologies Ltd. 2007)


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How to get oil

Expeller/Press Algae is driedOil content can be "pressed" out with an oil pressExtracts 70-75% of the oils out of algae

Hexane Sol v ent MethodUses chemicals (such as hexane and methanol)Can be harmful and explosiveCold press & hexane solvent = extract 95% of oil

Supercritical F luid ExtractionCO2 is liquefied under pressure and heated to the point that ithas the properties of both a liquid and gasThis liquefied fluid then acts as the solvent in extracting the oilCan Extract almost 100% of the oilsExpensive equipment


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O il Yield

Gallons of Oil per Acre per Year

Corn . . . . . . . 15

S oybeans . . . .48

S afflower. . . . . 83

S unflower . . . 102

Rapeseed. . . 127

Oil Palm . . . . 635

Micro Algae . .1850 [based on actual biomass yields]

Micro Algae . .5000-15000 [theoretical laboratory yield]

Cultivating Algae for Liquid Fuel Production ( http://oakhavenpc.org/cultivating_algae.htm ); 2005


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O ther Uses

Hydrogen Algae can be grown to produce hydrogen

Discovered first in 1939 by Hans GaffromLate 1990s it was found that if sulfur deprived,algae will produce hydrogen

Biomass Algae can be grown to produce biomass

Burned to produce heat and electricityCan still produce greenhouse gases


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Biomass Yield

Metric Tons per Hectare per Year

Algae.....51.1 [U S A average, 1978]

S ugarcane.....79.2 [Brazilian average, 2005]

S orghum.....70 [India average, 2005]

Cassava.....65 [Nigeria average, 1985]

Oil palm.....50 [Global average, 2005]

Cultivating Algae for Liquid Fuel Production ( http://oakhavenpc.org/cultivating_algae.htm ); NREL, 2005


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R eferences

Cultivating Algae for L iquid Fuel Production ( http://oakhavenpc.org/cultivating_algae.htm ); NRE L ,2005Department of Energy, Office of Fuel Development. Aquatic S pecies Program. 1996.Enhanced Biofuels & Technologies L td. 2007. Accessed: http://www.ebtplc.com/c4c.htmGuiry, M.D. and Blunden, G. (Eds) 1991. S eaweed Resources in Europe: Uses and Potential .John Wiley & S ons. IS BN 0-471-92947-6

Mumford, T.F. and Miura, A. 1988. 4. Porphyra as food: cultivation and economics. p.87 117. InLembi, C.A. and Waaland, J.R. (Ed.) Algae and Human Affairs . 1988. Cambridge UniversityPress. IS BN 0 521 32115 8John S heehan, Terri Dunahay, John Benemann and Paul Roessler, "A L ook Back at the U. S .Department of Energy's Aquatic S pecies Program-Bio-diesel from Algae, Closeout Report", July1998, NRE L /TP-580-24 190 http://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/fy98/24190.pdf Michael Briggs, Widescale Biodiesel Production from Algae, University of New Hampshire,Physics Department, revised August 2004. http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_alge.htmlS heehan, J., T. Dunahay, J. Benemann, and P. Roessler. 1998. A look back at the U. S .Department of Energys aquatic species program - Biodiesel from algae. U S Dept. Energy, Officeof Fuels Development, Nat. Renewable Energy L ab., Golden, CO.S olix BioFuels, 2006. accessed:http://www.solixbiofuels.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26

Websites:http://www.ecology.com/dr-jacks-natural-world/most-important-organism/index.htmlhttp://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_yield.html

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Algae Cultures to Biofuels[1]