Biodiesel From Microalgae

1. Biodiesel From Microalgae Madhura Sarkar

2. Outline • Biodiesel from algae • Feasibility of algae • Oil collection and refining

3. Algae Overview

4. Algae and Biodiesel • Algae Biodiesel is a good replacement for standard crop Biodiesels like soy and canola • Up to 70% of algae biomass is usable oils • Algae does not compete for land and space with other agricultural crops • Algae can survive in water of high salt content and use water that was previously deemed unusable

5. Storing the Sun’s Energy (Photosynthesis) • What is needed • Sunlight • CO2 • Nutrients • Storage of Energy • Lipids and oils • Carbohydrates http://www.veggievan.org/downloads/articles/Biodiesel%20from%20Algae.pdf

6. What affects oil production? • Climate • Cold weather reduces algae oil production • Overcast days reduce sunlight and lower oil production • Nutrients • Depletion of Nitrogen and Silicate

7. Controlling Nutrients • Nitrogen • Aids in cell division • Silicate • Aids in cell wall production • Depleting Nutrients • Starving the algae of these two nutrients reduce the rate of cell division • Oil production remains constant • Results in an increase in the oil to mass ratio

8. CO2 • The Glenturret Distillery in Perthshire, UK – home to The Famous Grouse Whisky – percolate CO2 made during the whisky distillation through a microalgae bioreactor. Each tonne of microalgae absorbs two tonnes of CO2. Scottish Bioenergy, who run the project, sell the microalgae as high value, protein-rich food for fisheries. In the future, they will use the algae residues to produce renewable energy through anaerobic digestion

9. The Algae Pond http://www.veggievan.org/downloads/articles/Biodiesel%20from%20Algae.pdf

10. Mass Production of Algae http://www.veggievan.org/downloads/articles/Biodiesel%20from%20Algae.pdf

11. Choosing an Algae • Important characteristics of Algae • High % of total biomass is oil • Maintains a high % of oil even under stress • Compatible with the area climate

12. What Type of Algae • Botryococcusbraunii • Converts 61% of its biomass into oil • 86% of it is long chain hydrocarbons • Drops to only 31% oil under stress • Grows best between 22-25oC (71-77oF)

13. Where To Grow It • Extensions onto our water treatment plants • Clean up our waste and generate fuel • Agriculture runoff • Exploit the county’s many farms and vineyards • Soda Lake • Salt lake east of Santa Margarita • Vast open space of Carrizo Plain • Only has water in winter/spring months • National Monument status may prevent development

14. Feasibility • Is it too good to be true? • DOE concluded a 16-year study of algal biomass in 1996 (and wrote a 328-page report) • http://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/fy98/24190.pdf • Conducted large-scale tests in California, New Mexico and Hawaii • With good temperatures, could harvest 50 grams of algae per sq. meter per day • Used a 1,000 m2 pond for 1 year • Research stopped due to budget cuts • UNH paper may hopefully rekindle research • Due to the burgeoning interest in alternatives to fossil fuels, there has been renewed research interest in Botryococcusbraunii. The DOE Joint Genome Institute is sequencing the DNA of Bb in 2009-2010

15. $ Per Barrel http://futures.tradingcharts.com/chart/CO/M

16. Show Me The Money!!! • The current price of diesel is growing • What does this mean for Biodiesel?

17. Cost per hectare

19. Pressing oil from the algae • Dry the algae and press the oil from it. • Can retrieve up to 70% of the oil. • While drying must prevent the algae from becoming contaminated. • Cheapest and simplest method

20. Chemical Oil Extraction • Use hexane solvents to remove the oil. • Hexane is a neurotoxin. • Must be careful when using. • Removes oil out of almost all things. http://forums.biodieselnow.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3414

21. Super Critical Oil Extraction • Most efficient method. • Uses carbon dioxide at critical pressure and temperature (CO2 is almost a liquid). • Carbon dioxide. • Rapid diffusion of the oil. • Very expensive process. http://www.organix.net/organix/supercritical.htm

23. TAG (triacylglycerol) • Three chains of fatty acids attached to a glycerol • Natural oil from the algae http://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/fy98/24190.pdf

24. Transesterification • Start with triacylglycerol (TAG) • End up with alkyl ester alcohol (biodiesel) http://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/fy98/24190.pdf

25. Three ways to produce biodiesel • Base catalyzed transesterification with alcohol. • Acid catalyzed esterification with methanol. • Convert the oil to fatty acids. Then acid catalyze to alkyl esters. http://biodiesel.org/pdf_files/fuelfactsheets/Production.PDF

26. Base Catalyzed with Alcohol • Most common process • Most economical • Low pressure (20psi) • Low temperature (150oF) • No intermediate steps • High conversion rate (98%) http://biodiesel.org/pdf_files/fuelfactsheets/Production.PDF

27. General Process http://biodiesel.org/pdf_files/fuelfactsheets/Production.PDF

28. Diesel Hybrid • GM Hybrid Bus

29. Hybrid Bus Statistics • GM Hybrid Bus • EP system • Clean Hybrid technology • Hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide reduction of about 90% • Nitrous oxide reduction of about 50% • Already in service in many cities • Up to 60% improved fuel economy http:www.gm.com/company/adv_tech/300_hybrids/index_bus.html

30. Conclusion • Algae is a very efficient means of producing biodiesel • The oil production from algae farms is feasible and scalable • Further research necessary to unlock full potential of algae

31. Questions