Renewable power entrepreneurs are now looking to find the best bio-reactors with all the right stuff. What is the right stuff you ask? Well it needs to be a algae PBR that meets numerous challenges: be affordable, scalable, ability to manage variable climates at different customer locations.
Inexpensive to Implement
The first subject of concern is definitely the cost. As with all systems of a commercial size, cost is very important. The technological innovation at this time has many faces to include row crops, big open pond systems, raceway pond systems and PBR's. The product you choose should have nutrients to nourish the algae, water and sunshine. Your carbon dioxide inputs can be active or ambient air. Cross contamination of the algal mass is a concern, but the intended use of the algae shall be the best guide.
Constant Harvesting
Harvesting the algal mass will be a concern depending on the system. It will require more effort to harvest algae from an open pond system than it would from a continuous harvesting PBR. Continuous harvesters do just that, always harvest algal cake, you now will only need staff to move the algal biomass to the next stations for drying out and oil extraction.
Oil Extraction
* There are three well-known methods to remove the oil from oilseeds, and the techniques apply equally well for algal biomass too:
1. Expeller/Press
2. Hexane chemical oil removal
3. Supercritical Fluid extraction
* Expeller/Press
* Expression/Expeller press-When algal mass is dried out it keeps its oil content, which then can be "forced" out with an oil press. Many commercial manufacturers of vegetable oil use a combination of mechanical pressing and chemical solvents in extracting oil.
* While better processes are emerging, an easy process is to use a press to remove a large percentage (70-75%) of the oils from algae.
* Chemical Solvent Technique
* Algal oil can be extracted using chemical substances. Benzene and ether have been used, but a popular chemical for solvent extraction is hexane, which is comparatively cheap.
* Supercritical Fluid Method
* Super-critical removal involves, pressure and heat to burst algae cell membranes.
Regardless of what algae medium you chose just make sure it meets your requirements and production objectives.
Algae Biofuel will play a vital part in meeting the worlds growing energy need, Algae has a place in not merely our past, but in our future also.
Inexpensive to Implement
Constant Harvesting
Harvesting the algal mass will be a concern depending on the system. It will require more effort to harvest algae from an open pond system than it would from a continuous harvesting PBR. Continuous harvesters do just that, always harvest algal cake, you now will only need staff to move the algal biomass to the next stations for drying out and oil extraction.
Oil Extraction
* There are three well-known methods to remove the oil from oilseeds, and the techniques apply equally well for algal biomass too:
1. Expeller/Press
2. Hexane chemical oil removal
3. Supercritical Fluid extraction
* Expeller/Press
* Expression/Expeller press-When algal mass is dried out it keeps its oil content, which then can be "forced" out with an oil press. Many commercial manufacturers of vegetable oil use a combination of mechanical pressing and chemical solvents in extracting oil.
* While better processes are emerging, an easy process is to use a press to remove a large percentage (70-75%) of the oils from algae.
* Chemical Solvent Technique
* Algal oil can be extracted using chemical substances. Benzene and ether have been used, but a popular chemical for solvent extraction is hexane, which is comparatively cheap.
* Supercritical Fluid Method
* Super-critical removal involves, pressure and heat to burst algae cell membranes.
Regardless of what algae medium you chose just make sure it meets your requirements and production objectives.
Algae Biofuel will play a vital part in meeting the worlds growing energy need, Algae has a place in not merely our past, but in our future also.
About the Author:
70CentsaGallon.com has kicked open the doors for Producing algae biodiesel production, Using algae PBR's look at this Algae Biofuel home study course... from this day on is your turn.. This article, How To Look For an Algae Bioreactor is available for free reprint.
