BIO-DIESEL FROM ALGAE
[EIRI/EDPR/1034] J.C.: 9676
INTRODUCTION
High oil prices, competing demands between foods and other biofuel sources, and the world food crisis, have ignited interest in algaculture (farming algae) for making vegetable oil, biodiesel, bioethanol, biogasoline, biomethanol, biobutanol and other biofuels, using land that is not suitable for agriculture. Among algal fuels' attractive characteristics: they do not affect fresh water resources, can be produced using ocean and wastewater, and are biodegradable and relatively harmless to the environment if spilled. Algae cost more per unit mass (as of 2010, food grade algae costs ~$5000/tonne), due to high capital and operating costs, yet can theoretically yield between 10 and 100 times more energy per unit area than other second-generation biofuel crops. One biofuels company has claimed that algae can produce more oil in an area the size of a two car garage than a football field of soybeans, because almost the entire algal organism can use sunlight to produce lipids, or oil. The Department of Energy estimates that if algae fuel replaced all the petroleum fuel in the country, it would require 15,000 square miles (40,000 km2). This is less than 1⁄7 the area of wheat harvested in 2000.[ However, these claims remain unrealized, commercially.
Factors
Dry mass factor is the percentage of dry biomass in relation to the fresh biomass; e.g. if the dry mass factor is 5%, one would need 20 kg of wet algae (algae in the media) to get 1 kg of dry algae cells.
Lipid content is the percentage of oil in relation to the dry biomass needed to get it, i.e. if the algae lipid content is 40%, one would need 2.5 kg of dry algae to get 1 kg of oil.
Fuels
The vegoil algae product can then be harvested and converted into biodiesel or green-colored crude oil. The algae’s carbohydrate content can be fermented into bioethanol and biobutanol.
Biodiesel
Currently most research into efficient algal-oil production is being done in the private sector, but predictions from small scale production experiments bear out that using algae to produce biodiesel may be the only viable method by which to produce enough automotive fuel to replace current world diesel usage.
Microalgae have much faster growth rates than terrestrial crops. The per unit area yield of oil from algae is estimated to be from between 5,000 to 20,000 US gallons per acre per year (4,700 to 18,000 m3/km2•a). This is 7 to 30 times greater than the next best crop, Chinese tallow (700 US gal/acre•a or 650 m3/km2•a).
Studies show that some species of algae can produce up to 60% of their dry weight in the form of oil. Because the cells grow in aqueous suspension, where they have more efficient access to water, CO2 and dissolved nutrients, microalgae are capable of producing large amounts of biomass and usable oil in either high rate algal ponds or photobioreactors. This oil can then be turned into biodiesel which could be sold for use in automobiles. Regional production of microalgae and processing into biofuels will provide economic benefits to rural communities.
COST ESTIMATION
Plant Capacity 1000 Ltr./Day
Land & Building (8000 sq.mt.) Rs. 34.20 Lac
Plant & Machinery Rs. 16.00 Lac
Working Capital for 2 Months Rs. 41.91 Lac
Total Capital Investment Rs. 1.01 Cr.
Rate of Return 58%
Break Even Point 38%
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
FACTORS
FUELS
BIODIESEL
BIOBUTANOL
BIOGASOLINE
METHANE
ETHANOL
SVO
HYDROCRACKING TO TRADITIONAL TRANSPORT FUELS
JET FUEL
ALGAE CULTIVATION
PHOTOBIOREACTORS
CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM
OPEN POND
ALGAE TYPES
SPECIFIC RESEARCH
NUTRIENTS
CARBON DIOXIDE
WASTEWATER
MICROALGAE AS A FEEDSTOCK FOR BIO FUEL PRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF ALGAE
MACROALGAE VS MICROALGAE
FIG-1 : MACROALGAE & MICROALGAE
ALGAE AS A BIOENERGY SOURCE
TABLE-1 MICROALGA OIL CONTENT
TABLE-2 CROP OIL YIELD
CULTIVATING ALGAE FOR LIQUID FUEL PRODUCTION
THE NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
GREENFUEL BIOREACTOR IN FIELD TEST
A GREENFUEL TECHNOLOGIES BIOREACTOR IN OPERATION PHOTOS COURTESY GREENFUEL TECHNOLOGIES.
LARGE-SCALE ALGAE PRODUCTION
SMALL-SCALE PRODUCTION
CONCLUSIONS
PROPERTIES OF ALGAE
TEMPERATURE
ALGAL BIODIESEL CHARACTERISTICS & PROPERTIES
CHARACTERISTICS OF ALGAE BIODIESEL THAT DIFFER FROM PETRO DIESEL:
ADVANTAGES OF BIODIESEL PRODUCED FROM ALGAE:
BIODIESEL PRODUCTION FROM ALGAE
DRAWINGS
ULTRASONIC CLEANING OF PHOTO-BIOREACTORS
DESIGN OF PHOTO-BIOREACTORS
ULTRASONIC REACTOR CLEANING
MORE ULTRASONIC PROCESSES FOR ALGAE
PHOTOBIOREACTORS WITH BINARY CULTURES
METHOD
DRAWINGS
DESCRIPTIONS
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
RESULTS
ALGAE CULTIVATION POND
DRAWINGS
DESCRIPTIONS
EXAMPLE
LARGE SCALE OPEN ALGAE PONDS
BIO-ENGINEERING REQUIREMENTS FOR MAXIMAL PRODUCTIVITY IN ALGAL OPEN PONDS AREA LAYOUT & POND DESIGN, SET OF 1 ACRE
PONDS
LENGTH, WIDTH & DEPTH
NO LINER CLAY
ASPHALT
PVC & PE
300 M2 POND
PVC 3,000M2
THE PADDLE WHEEL
THE ONE UNIT PADDLE WHEEL
THE PADDLE WHEEL LOCATION AND DESIGN
THE SPIRULINA PADDLE WHEEL SHORT DIAMETER (30 CM), HIGH RPM
SPIRULINA PADDLE LONG, SHORT DIAMETER, HIGH RPM
PADDLE WHEEL FLOW DIRECTION ?
PH CONTROL, DEPTH, TEMP RECORDING HISTORY
OSWALD’S POND DESIGN, 1983
POND CLEANING MACHINE USE: FAST, SIMPLE, EFFICIENT
ECONOMICS OF BIODIESEL PRODUCTION
TABLE 1 THE COST ESTIMATION OF BIOFUEL PRODUCTION
JERUZ ALGAELINK PHOTO BIO-REACTOR MANUFACTURER
PLANT LAYOUT
APPENDIX – A:
01. PLANT ECONOMICS
02. LAND & BUILDING
03. PLANT AND MACHINERY
04. OTHER FIXED ASSESTS
05. FIXED CAPITAL
06. RAW MATERIAL
07. SALARY AND WAGES
08. UTILITIES AND OVERHEADS
09. TOTAL WORKING CAPITAL
10. TOTAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT
11. COST OF PRODUCTION
12. TURN OVER/ANNUM
13. BREAK EVEN POINT
14. RESOURCES FOR FINANCE
15. INSTALMENT PAYABLE IN 5 YEARS
16. DEPRECIATION CHART FOR 5 YEARS
17. PROFIT ANALYSIS FOR 5 YEARS
18. PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET FOR (5 YEARS)
