Title:
Energy from Algae: Growth Optimization and Algae-to-Fuel Conversion Routes
Author(s):
Garcia Alba, L., De Weerdt, J., Verschoor, A.M., van Swaaij, W.P.M., Brilman, D.W.F.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
Microalgae are generally considered as a high-potential renewable biomass source towards the production of energetically efficient and sustainable fuels. Optimization of the various steps in the algae-to-fuel chain is required in order to achieve this goal, and especially the algae culturing. An alternative culturing configuration, a so-called Hybrid Culture System, has been tested in order to combine the low cost advantage and easy operation of an open pond system with the high rate of control and higher productivity of a photobioreactor. Using this hybrid system, the biomass productivity could be nearly doubled in comparison to the production of a single open pond. In addition, the effect of intrinsic growth parameters such as light intensity and nutrient concentration has been studied to improve the understanding of the growth kinetics (which could be described by the Michaelis-Menten kinetics) of the algae species (Chlorella fusca) used in the development of the system. The light intensity experiments helped to determine important factors such as optimal light intensity and open pond depth for this type of algae. In combination - with the nutrient concentration experiments (using NO3 and PO43-) we could observe that in general, the light intensity is the limiting factor for the systems studied. For the algae-to-fuel routes, two thermo-chemical methods have been tested and compared with a third one from previous work: solvent extraction, thermo-chemical liquefaction and supercritical water gasification, respectively. With the results obtained, it is shown that the algae are a versatile renewable resource for energy carriers, but important process development activities are still required.
Keywords:
algae, cultivation, thermochemical conversion, biofuels
Topic:
Biomass resources
Subtopic:
Research on energy crops and algae (session 2)
Event:
18th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
OE1.4
Pages:
249 - 254
ISBN-13:
978-88-89407-56-1
ISBN-10:
88-89407-56-5
Paper DOI:
10.5071/18thEUBCE2010-OE1.4
Price:
FREE
