Processing algae - Revision history

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Jmdonev at 20:39, 17 July 2018

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← Older revision		Revision as of 20:39, 17 July 2018
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	[[Category:Done 2018-06-15]]		[[Category:Done 2018-07-20]]
	<onlyinclude>'''Processing algae''' is necessary to convert [[Algae biofuel\|algae to biofuel]]. The harvested algae has to undergo several steps in order to produce consumer-grade products, such as [[biodiesel]] and [[bioethanol]].</onlyinclude>		<onlyinclude>'''Processing algae''' is necessary to convert [[Algae biofuel\|algae to biofuel]]. The harvested algae has to undergo several steps in order to produce consumer-grade products, such as [[biodiesel]] and [[bioethanol]].</onlyinclude>

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	*[[Biomass]]		*[[Biomass]]
	*[[Harvesting algae]]		*[[Harvesting algae]]
	*Or explore a [[~~http://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/~~Special:Random\| random page]]		*Or explore a [[Special:Random\|random page]]

	==References==		==References==
	{{reflist}}		{{reflist}}
	[[Category:Uploaded]]		[[Category:Uploaded]]

Jmdonev: 1 revision imported

2018-06-25T14:30:28Z

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Jmdonev at 00:31, 9 June 2018

2018-06-09T00:31:01Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:31, 9 June 2018
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	[[Category:Done ~~2015~~-03-~~06]] [[Category: check images~~]]		[[Category:Done 2018-06-15]]
	<onlyinclude>'''Processing algae''' is necessary to convert [[Algae biofuel\|algae to biofuel]]. The harvested algae has to undergo several steps in order to produce consumer-grade products, such as [[biodiesel]] and [[bioethanol]].</onlyinclude>		<onlyinclude>'''Processing algae''' is necessary to convert [[Algae biofuel\|algae to biofuel]]. The harvested algae has to undergo several steps in order to produce consumer-grade products, such as [[biodiesel]] and [[bioethanol]].</onlyinclude>

	==Oil Separation==		==Oil Separation==
	In order to extract the oil found in the [[algae]] cell walls, known as lipids, a separation process must take place. There are three conventional processes below, which extract different amounts of oil from the algae, although achieving a higher extraction comes at additional costs due to more equipment being required.		In order to extract the oil found in the [[algae]] cell walls, known as lipids, a separation process must take place. There are three conventional processes below which extract different amounts of oil from the algae, although achieving a higher extraction comes at additional costs due to more equipment being required.

	=== Oil Press or Mechanical Press ===		=== Oil Press or Mechanical Press ===
	[[File:MechanicalPress.jpg\|250px\|thumbnail\|right\|<center>Figure 1. Oil press or Mechanical press<ref>Making Biodiesel Books "Mechanical Disruption (i.e., Cell Rupture)" [Online]. Available: http://making-biodiesel-books.com/about-algae/algae-oil-extraction/</ref></center>]]		[[File:MechanicalPress.jpg\|250px\|thumbnail\|right\|<center>Figure 1. Oil press or Mechanical press<ref>Making Biodiesel Books "Mechanical Disruption (i.e., Cell Rupture)" [Online]. Available: http://making-biodiesel-books.com/about-algae/algae-oil-extraction/</ref></center>]]

	The oil can be extracted from algae using a mechanical press, as seen in figure 1. This ~~process - which~~ forces the algal paste into a nozzle that removes oil and expels much drier ~~biomass - can~~ extract ~~upwards of~~ 70% of the algal oil,<ref>K. Sudhakar, M. Premalatha. (2012, October). “Techno Economic Analysis of Micro Algal Carbon Sequestration and Oil Production.” ChemTech Research. [Online] 4. (4), 1746-1753. Available: http://www.academia.edu/2068160/Techno_Economic_Analysis_Of_Micro_Algal_Carbon_Sequestration_And_Oil_Production (Accessed: October 28, 2012)</ref> but generally requires a dry algae feedstock. Dry algae is the product of [[Harvesting algae#Dewatering\|dewatering]]. This process is commonly combined with the [[hexane]] [[solvent]] method.		The oil can be extracted from algae using a mechanical press, as seen in figure 1. This process—which forces the algal paste into a nozzle that removes oil and expels much drier biomass—can extract up to 70% of the algal oil,<ref>K. Sudhakar, M. Premalatha. (2012, October). “Techno Economic Analysis of Micro Algal Carbon Sequestration and Oil Production.” ChemTech Research. [Online] 4. (4), 1746-1753. Available: http://www.academia.edu/2068160/Techno_Economic_Analysis_Of_Micro_Algal_Carbon_Sequestration_And_Oil_Production (Accessed: October 28, 2012)</ref> but generally requires a dry algae feedstock. Dry algae is the product of [[Harvesting algae#Dewatering\|dewatering]]. This process is commonly combined with the [[hexane]] [[solvent]] method.

	=== Hexane Solvent Method ===		=== Hexane Solvent Method ===
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	=== Other Methods ===		=== Other Methods ===
	There are many other methods for extracting oil from the algae, but as algae biofuels are not currently being produced commercially, many of these are in research and testing phases. As a result they are not yet scalable to sizes necessary for commercial biofuel production.		There are many other methods for extracting oil from the algae, but as algae biofuels are not currently being produced commercially, many of these are in research and testing phases. As a result, they are not yet scalable to sizes necessary for commercial biofuel production.
	<br>		<br>
	<br>		<br>
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	[[File:Ethanol_Fermentation.png\|300px\|thumbnail\|right\|<center>Figure 3. Ethanol Fermentation<ref>Dordt College "Sweet Sorghum-to-Ethanol: Fermentation System Design" [Online]. Available: http://www.dordt.edu/academics/programs/engineering/senior_design/2008/fermentation.shtml</ref></center> When ethanol is derived from this process for fuel, it's referred to as bioethanol.]]		[[File:Ethanol_Fermentation.png\|300px\|thumbnail\|right\|<center>Figure 3. Ethanol Fermentation<ref>Dordt College "Sweet Sorghum-to-Ethanol: Fermentation System Design" [Online]. Available: http://www.dordt.edu/academics/programs/engineering/senior_design/2008/fermentation.shtml</ref></center> When ethanol is derived from this process for fuel, it's referred to as bioethanol.]]
	After the oil is removed from the algae there is a lot of solid material, known as [[biomass]]. This leftover biomass, can be used to create another algae based fuel product, [[bioethanol]] (which is [[ethanol]] from biomass). The [[carbohydrate]] content of the biomass can be converted into [[sugar]]s. This can be accomplished through fermentation with yeast, giving off carbon dioxide, which can be recycled back into the growing process of the algae. Then the sugars continue to ferment into [[Ethanol\|ethanol]]. Also, in the case where the algae still contains the original oil in the biomass, decay can be initiated in order to rupture cell walls, releasing the carbohydrates, then followed by fermenting (figure 3).<ref>“Ethanol from Algae”, Oilgae [Online] n.d. http://www.oilgae.com/algae/pro/eth/eth.html (Accessed: 26 October, 2013)</ref>		After the oil is removed from the algae there is a lot of solid material, known as [[biomass]]. This leftover biomass, can be used to create another algae based fuel product, [[bioethanol]] (which is [[ethanol]] from biomass). The [[carbohydrate]] content of the biomass can be converted into [[sugar]]s. This can be accomplished through fermentation with yeast, giving off carbon dioxide, which can be recycled back into the growing process of the algae. Then the sugars continue to ferment into [[Ethanol\|ethanol]]. Also, in the case where the algae still contains the original oil in the biomass, decay can be initiated in order to rupture cell walls, releasing the carbohydrates, then followed by fermenting (figure 3).<ref>“Ethanol from Algae”, Oilgae [Online] n.d. http://www.oilgae.com/algae/pro/eth/eth.html (Accessed: 26 October, 2013)</ref>

			==For Further Reading==
			*[[Biofuel]]
			*[[Algae]]
			*[[Biomass]]
			*[[Harvesting algae]]
			*Or explore a [[http://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Special:Random\| random page]]

	==References==		==References==
	{{reflist}}		{{reflist}}
	[[Category:Uploaded]]		[[Category:Uploaded]]

J.williams: 1 revision imported

2015-08-26T21:31:33Z

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J.williams at 16:58, 12 August 2015

2015-08-12T16:58:42Z

New page

[[Category:Done 2015-03-06]] [[Category: check images]]
<onlyinclude>'''Processing algae''' is necessary to convert [[Algae biofuel|algae to biofuel]]. The harvested algae has to undergo several steps in order to produce consumer-grade products, such as [[biodiesel]] and [[bioethanol]].</onlyinclude>

==Oil Separation==
In order to extract the oil found in the [[algae]] cell walls, known as lipids, a separation process must take place. There are three conventional processes below, which extract different amounts of oil from the algae, although achieving a higher extraction comes at additional costs due to more equipment being required.

=== Oil Press or Mechanical Press ===
[[File:MechanicalPress.jpg|250px|thumbnail|right|<center>Figure 1. Oil press or Mechanical press<ref>Making Biodiesel Books "Mechanical Disruption (i.e., Cell Rupture)" [Online]. Available: http://making-biodiesel-books.com/about-algae/algae-oil-extraction/</ref></center>]]

The oil can be extracted from algae using a mechanical press, as seen in figure 1. This process - which forces the algal paste into a nozzle that removes oil and expels much drier biomass - can extract upwards of 70% of the algal oil,<ref>K. Sudhakar, M. Premalatha. (2012, October). “Techno Economic Analysis of Micro Algal Carbon Sequestration and Oil Production.” ChemTech Research. [Online] 4. (4), 1746-1753. Available: http://www.academia.edu/2068160/Techno_Economic_Analysis_Of_Micro_Algal_Carbon_Sequestration_And_Oil_Production (Accessed: October 28, 2012)</ref> but generally requires a dry algae feedstock. Dry algae is the product of [[Harvesting algae#Dewatering|dewatering]]. This process is commonly combined with the [[hexane]] [[solvent]] method.

=== Hexane Solvent Method ===

Oil from the algal biomass dissolves into the [[hexane]] solvent; a six-carbon chain molecule. Then the oil is cleaned through [[distillation]], and the solvent is recycled through further processes. Up to 95% of the oils can be extracted using hexane solvents at low financial and [[energy]] costs,<ref>“Algae Harvesting, Dewatering and Extraction”, OriginOil, [Online] March 15, 2010 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032109002408 (Accessed: 26 October, 2013)</ref> although there are some concerns with the health and safety effects of a caustic solvent being used and recycled throughout the process.

=== Supercritical Fluids Method ===
[[File:SupercriticalCO2.png|250px|thumbnail|right|<center>Figure 2. Supercritical CO2<ref>Engineered Software, Inc. "Modelling Systems that Contain Supercritical Fluids" [Online]. Available: http://kb.eng-software.com/questions/426/Modeling+Systems+that+Contain+Supercritical+Fluids</ref></center>]]

[[Supercritical fluid]]s in general are very high [[temperature]], high [[pressure]] fluids that are not clearly [[liquid]] or [[gas]]. Superfluid [[carbon dioxide]] (see figure 2) can be used to rupture algal cells and release oil. Up to 100% of the oil can be extracted, but the equipment and energy costs are very high,<ref>Stefani Newman. “How Algae Biodiesel Works”, Howstuffworks, [Online] http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/algae-biodiesel2.htm (Accessed: 27 October, 2013)</ref> which limits commercial viability and interest in this method.

=== Other Methods ===
There are many other methods for extracting oil from the algae, but as algae biofuels are not currently being produced commercially, many of these are in research and testing phases. As a result they are not yet scalable to sizes necessary for commercial biofuel production.
 
 
 

==Biodiesel Production==

Once the oil has been extracted it must be refined to become a diesel fuel as it is too viscous after the separation stage.
Transesterification is the most common method, although there are less used methods such as pyrolysis, micro emulsion, blending and others. In the process of transesterification, methanol and a basic solution are mixed and reacted with the oil. This produces biodiesel and glycerin byproducts.<ref>“Transesterification”, Oilgae, [Online] n.d. http://www.oilgae.com/algae/oil/biod/tra/tra.html (Accessed: 26 October, 2013)</ref> The biodiesel is then washed and filtered before it is ready for public use.

== Bioethanol Production ==
[[File:Ethanol_Fermentation.png|300px|thumbnail|right|<center>Figure 3. Ethanol Fermentation<ref>Dordt College "Sweet Sorghum-to-Ethanol: Fermentation System Design" [Online]. Available: http://www.dordt.edu/academics/programs/engineering/senior_design/2008/fermentation.shtml</ref></center> When ethanol is derived from this process for fuel, it's referred to as bioethanol.]]
After the oil is removed from the algae there is a lot of solid material, known as [[biomass]]. This leftover biomass, can be used to create another algae based fuel product, [[bioethanol]] (which is [[ethanol]] from biomass). The [[carbohydrate]] content of the biomass can be converted into [[sugar]]s. This can be accomplished through fermentation with yeast, giving off carbon dioxide, which can be recycled back into the growing process of the algae. Then the sugars continue to ferment into [[Ethanol|ethanol]]. Also, in the case where the algae still contains the original oil in the biomass, decay can be initiated in order to rupture cell walls, releasing the carbohydrates, then followed by fermenting (figure 3).<ref>“Ethanol from Algae”, Oilgae [Online] n.d. http://www.oilgae.com/algae/pro/eth/eth.html (Accessed: 26 October, 2013)</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Uploaded]]