Bio-Fuels from Algae

Roy L. Lehman, Ph. D.

Department of Life Science
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Renewable Energy Source
ƒ Mature, oil-rich algae can be
processed into a number of
commercial products:
ƒ Biodiesel (oil)
ƒ Ethanol
ƒ Animal Feed (Fodder)
ƒ Food
ƒ Cosmetics
ƒ Pharmaceuticals
ƒ Plastics (Biodegradable)
 Botryococcus braunii Kützing
An Example of Algal Bio-Fuel
ƒ In 1976, a bloom occurred in Darwin River Reservoir,
Australia.
ƒ Estimated to be 150 tons and possibly was double this
mass at maximum cell density.
ƒ Extracted oil has been hydrocracked to produce a
distillate comprising:
ƒ 67% petrol fraction,
ƒ 15% aviation turbine fuel fraction,
ƒ 15% diesel fuel fraction, and
ƒ 3% residual oil.
ƒ Coorongite, a rubbery complex produced by drying of
colony aggregates may also be formed.
ƒ Wake & Hillen 1980
Botryococcus braunii Kützing
ƒ Marine/brackish water green algal
ƒ Microscopic plant
ƒ Responsible for
much of the
world’s crude oil,
shale and coal.
ƒ Fossil record
is common.
 Botryococcus braunii Kützing
ƒ Growth parameters (Vary between Strains)
ƒ pH 7.5
ƒ Media – Modified Chu 13
ƒ Nutrients – especially Phosphorus (bloom)
ƒ Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
ƒ Water salinity 17.5 psu (ppt)
ƒ Light period 12:12; Intensity 60 W/M2
ƒ Temperature 23°C
ƒ Growth (double) time = 48-72 hrs.
 Botryococcus braunii Kützing
Two physiologically distinct forms:
ƒ Green exponential
growth stage that
often arises in limited
abundance.
ƒ In the green stage only
about 17% of the dry
weight can be
accounted for as
hydrocarbons.
ƒ Wake & Hillen 1980
Botryococcus braunii Kützing
ƒ Brown resting stage
that often gives rise to
massive rust-colored
algal “blooms” on the
surface of lakes.
ƒ In this stage, 75% of
the total dry weight
may be accounted for
by branched-chain
hydrocarbons.
ƒ Wake & Hillen 1980
Botryococcus bloom
Botryococcus braunii Kützing, the golden-yellow color is the oil
that is found extracellularly of the colony.

Brown stage
Botryococcus braunii Kützing
ƒ Trophic status in which blooms are present are
little understood as it can be extremely
abundant but under conditions which are so
varied that nothing can be said of its
ecological determination.
ƒ Important factors for continual bloom:
ƒ Oligohaline conditions, absence of shoreline algae,
the loss of fish, nutrient input from below the
thermocline and depth of the reservoir combined
with the low phototrophic zone.
ƒ Wake & Hillen 1980
Bloom of Botryococcus in Lake Texoma
Oil being released from Botryococcus braunii
from increased pressure.
Botryococcus braunii Kützing

ƒ Potential Biofuel Application

ƒ Hydrocarbons can be converted into fuels
ƒ Hydrocracking fatty acid chains to produce
molecular compounds of octane, kerosene and
diesel.
ƒ Oils - Two major races – CnH2n-10
ƒ A Race produces odd, unbranched
hydrocarbons n = 23 through 31.
ƒ B Race produces n = 30 through 37 isoprenoid
hydrocarbons (Botryococcenes)
Hydrocarbon Recovery
ƒ Solvent properties:
ƒ Nontoxic to living cells
ƒ Immiscible in water,
ƒ Solubilize the product,
ƒ Low boiling point for ease of removal,
ƒ Density significantly different than water,
ƒ Readily available,
ƒ Inexpensive, &
ƒ Reusable.
ƒ = Hexane as solvent of choice
ƒ Frenz et al. 1989
Hydrocarbon Recovery
ƒ Hexane as solvent of choice
ƒ Under suitable conditions, 70% of hydrocarbons can
be released by 30 minutes contact with hexane.
ƒ Growth and hydrocarbon production are not affected
by repeated extractions and in fact, a higher content
of hydrocarbons has been observed in hexane-
treated biomass relative to controls.
ƒ Recovery is increased when cells are immobilized
by adsorption in polyurethane foam (PUF).
ƒ Substantial developmental effort is needed to
consistently culture Botryococcus in large-scale
systems.
ƒ Frenz et al. 1989
 Potential Applications
ƒ Algal-based renewable biomass/energy
production.
ƒ Microalgal Carbon sequestration (CO2).
ƒ Secondary & tertiary treatment of wastewater.
ƒ Food for fish, aquatic organisms & as a
supplement to livestock feed.
ƒ Algal-based Nutraceuticals & Pharmaceuticals.
ƒ Algal-derived fine chemicals for cosmetics.
ƒ Organic fertilizers and soil amendments.
Review of Photosynthesis

ƒ 6 CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2

ƒ Plants (algae) use Carbon Dioxide and
Water (with nutrients) with Light for
energy and Chlorophyll as a catalyst to
form simple Sugars (that can be
converted by certain plants into Bio-Fuel)
and release Oxygen as a positive by-
product.
Oil from Algae
ƒ Algal Needs
ƒ Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
ƒ Source: CO2 from Petroleum Plants or
Ethanol Production Plants.
ƒ Benefits: Reduced emissions of CO2 to the
atmosphere = Cleaner Air.
ƒ Nutrients
ƒ Source: Wastewater Treatment Plants
tertiary treatment to remove nutrients.
ƒ Benefits: Reduced release of elevated
nutrients to the environment.
Oil from Algae

ƒ Algal Needs
ƒ Light
ƒ Source: Sun
ƒ Benefits: Free
ƒ Water
ƒ Source: Located nearby Wastewater
Treatment Plants
ƒ Benefit: Water used would be discharged to
the environment and be available at no cost.
 Advantages of Deriving
Bio-Fuel from Algae
ƒ Rapid growth rates, high per/acre/volume Yield
ƒ Oil contains no Sulfur, is non-toxic & highly
Biodegradable.
ƒ Some algae are suited for growth and
production; some with high oil content up to
70%.
ƒ Microalgae are capable of producing more than
30 times the amount of oil (per year per unit
area of land) when compared to oil seed crops.
ƒ Microalgae can complete an entire growing
cycle every 24 hours to a few days.
 Algal Species List (some)

ƒ Scenedesmus dimorphus ƒ Euglena gracilis

ƒ Neochloris oleoabundans ƒ Botryococcus braunii
ƒ Nannochloropsis salina ƒ Dunaliella tertiolecta
ƒ Phaeodactylum tricomnutum ƒ Nannochloris sp.
ƒ Isochrysis galbana ƒ Spirulina sp.
Culture Systems

ƒ Ponds
ƒ Raceways
ƒ Photobioreactors
ƒ Fermentors (Heterotrophs)
 PONDS & RACEWAYS

Pressed Algae

Algal Slurry
Benefits & Advantages of
Photo-Bioreactor System
ƒ Higher Biomass Production
ƒ Can sustain a high cell density
ƒ Improved Culture Mixing
ƒ Provides a more effective mixing of cultures with
little hydrodynamic stress on cells.
ƒ Diverse Algal Species Potential
ƒ Reduced hydrodynamic stress increases the
diversity of potential algal species which may result
in higher biomass production.
ƒ Cost Effective System
ƒ Proven system with few changeable parts.
Photo-Bioreactor Unit Capabilities & Uses
•Test a variety of algal species and/or strains
•Test growth parameters for algae
•Grow algal mass
•Dry algae
•Press oil out of the algae and
•Process waste for fermentation & ethanol production
 Fuel
Crops Petroleum
Plant

Bio-Fuel

Ethanol
Production
CO2 Bio-Fuel

CO2 Oil from

Algae
Oxygen to atmosphere
•Minus CO2 Released.
Algal •Nutrients (most) removed
Cellulose from wastewater.
•Renewable energy
produced.
Wastewater Algal Bioreactor
Nutrients •No waste (to ethanol
Treatment or
production).
Plant pond
 We have the Technology!
We have the Knowledge!
We have the Skills!

We can Produce Bio-Fuel

from Algae!

We can be a Positive Force for

America and Texas by Providing
a Renewable Source of Energy!
Questions and Discussion
Demonstration Unit

Feeding
vessel
Photo-Bioreactor
Computer
Filter System
Pump

Pump Cleaning
System
 Bio-Fuel Plants under Construction
in Rotterdam (2008)

Capacity
Company Location ton/annum Product Generation
Dutch
Biodiesel Pernis 250,000 Biodiesel I

Wheb Biofuels Pernis 400,000 Biodiesel I

Biopetrol Botlek 400,000 Biodiesel I

BER Botlek 110,000 Bioethanol I/II

Abengoa Europoort 450,000 Bioethanol I

NN Europoort 500,000 Biodiesel I

Undisclosed Maasvlakte undisclosed Biodiesel I/II