Biofuel Production Using Microalgae
- 詳細技術說明
- ApplicationThis invention is a biological harvesting system, designedto reduce the cost of harvesting algae. Recent discoveries show that microalgaehas high potential as a source of biofuel, but the cost of harvesting algae haslimited the utility of these discoveries. We have a strategy to harvest microalgaeusing clams and mussels which, after feeding on microalgae, convert algallipids in to their biomass or excrete algae in the pseudofeces. Harvesting thebiomass and pseudofeces is relatively simple and vastly less costly thanharvesting undigested microalgae.
- *Abstract
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Technology Summary
Harvesting algae from the raceway ponds, the most commongrowth method, is a great challenge. Currently centrifuges are widely used andthe cost of harvesting is about $1500-3000/ton of dry algae which alonecontributes to 15-25% of production cost of algal biomass. To make algae-basedbiofuels economically viable, the cost of production has to be brought down to$250/ton from the current cost of $5000/ton. This technology is an importantfirst step toward cost reduction. We have created a system where a bioconverterorganism digests the algae into a concentrated and easily harvested form. Thebest bioconverter organism that we have identified for testing is thefilter-feeding Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea. These clams have much lowerwater content than algae and consume and concentrate energy from algae biomass.These clams and their pseudofeces can then be harvested and converted tobiocrude using an advanced thermochemical liquefaction technology. The biochemicalmake-up of this clam and its ability to rapidly filter and assimilate algaemake it an attractive species for this innovation. Our preliminary analyseshave shown that one clam weighing 3.73 g can reduce mixed culture of algalbiomass with an initial concentration of 20 mg/L by 73.8% in one hour.
TechnologyDevelopment Status
The bio-based method we propose has worked well in 3 trials,showing that one clam (weighing 3.73 grams) can ingest 73.8% of the algalbiomass in a 20mg/L concentration in just one hour. 500 Kilograms of clams candigest 99.5% of algal cells in 6 hours. Further testing on the comparativeconcentrations of algal lipids is higher in the clam’s flesh or theirpseudofeces.
Inventors
Keshav C. Das
- North-Eastern Hill University - MRM, Management (2002)
- Assam Agricultural University - BSc, Agriculture (2001)
Senthil Chinnasamy
- Ph.D., Microbiology, IndianAgricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
- M.Sc., Microbiology, IndianAgricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
- B.Sc., Agriculture, TamilnaduAgricultural University, Coimbatore, India
- 國家/地區
- 美國
