2. What is Microalgae ?
• Algae
– Eukaryotic
– Most live in water
– Freshwater and Marine
– Photosynthetic
• Capture light energy
• Convert inorganic to organic matter
– Use lipids and oils to help float in
water
– Range from small, single-celled species
to complex multicellular species, such
as the giant kelps
3. Types
• Red Algae
– Macro
• Green Algae
– Chlorophyll a
and b
– Freshwater
• Brown Algae
– Kelp
– Marine
• Diatoms
– Single celled
– Silica cell wall
• Blue Green Algae
– Fix N2 from air
– Freshwater
• Dinoflagellates
– Toxic; suck out
O2
– Organic matter
4. Background
• Location
– Most habitats
• How many
– Over 36,000 species
• How does it feed?
– Photosynthesis
– All have chlorophyll
• Uses
– food, fertilizer, footstock,
pharmaceutical, pollution control,
water treatment, dyes, agar, Fuels
5. Importance
• Algae is easy to grow
• Can produce a high yield of oil
• Oil can be processed into biodiesel
• Help to solve dependence on fossil fuels
• Can be better for the Earth
7. Grown under conditions which are unsuitable for
conventional crop production
(marine water, wastewater, open ponds)
Adaptability to a range of
environment
8. Historically, The first cars group in the USA operated
on the ethanol fuel (bioethanol).
Then the inventor Dr. Rudolf diesel at 1900 used the
first diesel engine and operated it by peanut oil.
Biodiesel History
9. Biodiesel History
• From 1978 to 1996 the U.S. Department of
Energy funded a program to develop
renewable transportation fuels from algae
• The main focus of the program was known as
the Aquatic Species Program (or ASP)
• Production of biodiesel from high lipid-
content algae grown in ponds
• Utilized waste CO2 from coal fired power
plants
10. Why make it a fuel?
• Algae can be used to make biodiesel
• Produces large amounts oil
– When compared to terrestrial crops grown for
the same purpose
– Algae contain anywhere between 2% and 40%
of lipids/oils by weight
– Once harvested, this oil can be converted
into fuels for transportation, aviation or
heating
• High growth rate and easy to grow
– Warm Seasons
• Amphora sp.
• Tetraselmis suecica
– Cold Seasons
• Monoraphidium minutum
– Use of diatoms and green algae
35. Biodiesel from algae
Cultivation of Microalgae species
Harvesting of Microalgae
Extraction of Oil from Microalgae
Transesterification
Biodiesel
36. 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
37. 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.
38. 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.
39. Three ways to produce biodiesel
• Base catalyzed transesterification with
alcohol.
• Acid catalyzed esterification with methanol.
• Enzymes methods
• Convert the oil to fatty acids. Then acid
catalyze to alkyl esters.
40. Base Catalyzed with Alcohol
• Most common process
• Most economical
• Low pressure (20psi)
• Low temperature (65oC)
• No intermediate steps
• High conversion rate (98%)
46. Benefits of Algae Farming
• Year-round
production
• Fast biomass
production
• Less land area
• Does not compete
with food crops
• Higher fuel output
• Can use brackish
water
• Carbon neutral
47. • Algae derived biodiesel could replace fossil fuel
based diesel fuel
• 530 million m3 of biodiesel annually for the
United States
• Oil content of algae can exceed 80% of dry mass
• Oil prices are high
• Should cost about $0.50/L to be competitive with
petroleum diesel, cost about $0.35/L
• Current unrest in the Middle East
Benefits of Algae Farming
48. National Biodiesel Board 48
US Biodiesel Production
0
100,000,000
200,000,000
300,000,000
400,000,000
500,000,000
600,000,000
700,000,000
Gallons
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
700 Million
Gallons
49. Growth
• More than 100 companies are working on
algae fuels, especially in USA and UK
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
# of companies