Dr. Amer Alzobaay

Baghdad University

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

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

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

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

Integrated with Wastewater

Treatment and CO2 capture

Grown under conditions which are unsuitable for

conventional crop production

(marine water, wastewater, open ponds)

Adaptability to a range of

environment

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

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

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

Oil Yields of Various Microalgae

Production…

• Oil yield

CropOil Yield

(L/ha/year)

Biodiesel

Productivity

(Kg/ha/year

)

CropOil Yield

(L/ha/year)

Biodiesel

Productivity

(Kg/ha/year

)

Rapeseed 1190 962 Sunflower 952 946

Oil Palm 5950 4747 Jatropha 1892 656

Corn 172 152Microalgae

a58700 51927

Soybean 446 562Microalgae

b136900 121104

a Algae contain 30% oil (/wt) in biomass. b Algae contain 70% oil (/wt) in biomass. Source:

Higher oil yield

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Soybeans Sunflower Canola Jathropha Palm Oil Microalgae

Oil yields

(barrels/ha-yr)

How to obtain fuel from algae?

• Picking up the best algae

• Growing the algae

• Harvesting

• Generating the fuel product

• Culture and Isolation

• Is isolation a good?

Large-Scale Production

• Ponds

– Less expensive setup

– Large biomass

production

– Evaporation

– Contamination

– Land area

Open systems

Closed systems

Also referred as Photobioreactors

Tubular PBR Flat plate PBR

Closed systems• Photobioreactors

– More controlled

– Limited

contamination

– High biomass

concentration

– Less land area

– Expensive setup

Biodiesel from algae

Cultivation of Microalgae species

Harvesting of Microalgae

Extraction of Oil from Microalgae

Transesterification

Biodiesel

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

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.

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.

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.

Base Catalyzed with Alcohol

• Most common process

• Most economical

• Low pressure (20psi)

• Low temperature (65oC)

• No intermediate steps

• High conversion rate (98%)

Triacylglycerides (TAGs)

• It’s a lipid

• Found in the

membrane and in

the cytoplasm

• High energy

Transesterification

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

• 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

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

Gallo

ns

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

700 Million

Gallons

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

Investments

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

2006 2007 2008 2009

(in million dollar)

52

Questions?

Thank you …