Objective

1. Extraction Section Algae Output Slurry Input Oil Output Steam Input Condensate Output Biodiesel From Micro-algae Dan Detro (ChE), Joshua Jones (ChE), Kevin Jackson (ChE), Xin Qin (ChE), Valerie Delligatti (ChE) Objective Process Flow Sheet Extraction Economics • Current National Fuel Challenges • America has one-third of the world’s automobiles (230 million) and uses twenty-five percent of the world’s oil. • The Energy Information Administration projects that reliance on foreign producers for oil will increase 30% through 2030. • Our transport sector’s greenhouse gas emissions will grow by nearly 40% through 2030. This section is where the oil is separated from the algae via continuous bed extraction and subsequent evaporation and distillation stages. Algae enters with 3 wt% moisture from the algae toasters. The overall Extraction mass balance is presented below. The Extraction Process is modeled after the Crown Iron Works Soy Crush Process. Algae Production Figure 1. U.S. petroleum production capacity and demand A promising solution to this challenge is to use biodiesel derived from algae as a transportation fuel. The objective is to design a biodiesel production facility that will grow enough algae to produce a 10,000 BPD gasoline energy equivalency in biodiesel. This facility has the capability to grow and process the algae and convert its fatty lipids into biodiesel. This facility will be next to a coal power plant, where flue gas from the plant will be scrubbed and then bubbled into the algae growing raceway ponds. The CO2 rich flue gas will significantly increase algal growth, greatly reducing the amount of ponds needed. Biodiesel IRR = 24% • The Axens’ Esterfip-H process has significant advantages over the traditional process: • Higher Yield • High Quality Glycerin • 98% Pure • No soap formation • 100% Biodiesel yield Plant Layout Why micro-algal biodiesel? Table 1. Comparison of different sources of biodiesel One benefit of microalgae is its oil yield per land area. Table 1 shows that microalgae has the best oil yield per area. There is not even enough farmable land in the U.S. to produce 50% of US transport fuel needs with 3 of the above crops. Algae is the only source of fatty lipids that has the potential to replace oil derived transport fuels in the near future. Additionally, algae will not use valuable farm land. Chlorella sp. will be the algae that the model is based upon. References • National Biofuel Action Plant. Rep. Oct. 2008. U.S department of Energy. Apr. 2009 <http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/pdfs/nbap.pdf>. • Macleod, Claire S., Adam P. Harvey, Adam F. Lee, and Karen Wilson. "Evaluation of the activity and stability of alkali-doped metal oxide catalysts." Chemical Engineering Journal 135 (2008): 63-70. • Chisti, Yusuf. "Biodiesel from microalgae." Biotechnology Advances 25 (2007): 294-306. Figure 2. Composition Chart of Chlorella sp. Chlorella Oil content is typically 28 – 32 percent of dry mass