Algae technologies continue to grow
7 Jul 2009
Developments in UK and US reflect increasing interest in the technology, which could reduce global reliance on fossil fuels and agricultural chemicals.
London - Arup and the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) are working jointly to scale up engineering systems that use algae to process the carbon dioxide emitted from power stations and factories. The work reflects growing international interest in the technology, which could reduce global reliance on fossil fuels and agricultural chemicals.
If successful, the Arup/CPI system would allow the biomass from the algae to be recycled and used to produce a wide variety of products. These could provide an additional source of revenue to offset carbon capping investment, and they include bioethanol, biopharmaceuticals, biogas and compost for crop production.
According to Arup, the idea first originated during through its work on carbon capture and research into food technologies for the Dongtan eco-city project. It has been further developed with process and systems engineers from the CPI on Teesside.
“The technology has the potential to reduce the carbon dioxide that power plants emit by 70 to 80% - improving their carbon footprint,” said Peter Head, director and global head of planning at Arup. “The algae could potentially provide an alternative source of fuel in itself, and through its by-products, a new revenue stream to support investment in carbon capture technologies.”
The roll-out will be a great challenge for the process development and construction industries, added Dr. Graham Hillier, CPI’s low carbon energy director: “We are planning a rapid research and development programme to move the concept from small-scale testing to larger scale demonstration. We are also looking at ways of integrating the processes into existing power supply and waste management systems. “
In the US, meanwhile, Los Angeles-based OriginOil claims to have developed a single-step process to transform algae into a true competitor to petroleum. In addition to integrating this process into its own production system, it plans to commercialise the patent-pending process for use by others in the algae industry.
Early testing indicates that the new algae oil extraction process is simpler and more efficient than current systems, without requiring chemicals or significant capital expenditure for heavy machinery. A time-lapse video posted here on the company’s website begins with a batch of algae that has just gone through OriginOil’s process. In less than an hour, the oil, water and biomass separate by gravity alone.
Harvesting algae is a challenge. Algae grows suspended in large volumes of water. Once ready for harvest, the algae culture must be concentrated and the oil extracted from each cell. Then, the oil, water and biomass must all be separated for processing.
But unlike conventional systems, no chemicals or heavy machinery are used in OriginOil’s single-step process, and no initial dewatering is required.
“Throughout the world, algae production is becoming a fact, but it still has to be harvested efficiently,” said Riggs Eckelberry, chief executive of OriginOil. ‘Our technology accomplishes key parts of the harvesting process in a single, cost-effective step.”
The company recently filed for patent protection of the new algae oil extraction process, its seventh patent application, entitled ‘Device and Method for Separation, Cell Lysing and Flocculation of Algae from Water.’
Dr Vikram Pattarkine, chief technical officer of OriginOil, said: “With this new process, we have greatly improved on our previous harvesting technology. We now have a single device and process that we will optimise and scale up in upcoming trials for commercialisation.”
