Making biodiesel from algae at home is more efficient than making biodiesel from corn. Algae’s are also being used as a base matter. It is very interesting that the gross stuff found on the top of ponds and still water can actually be used effectively. But recently algae have been used in the alternate fuel industry of biodiesel. Converting biodiesel from algae will help to provide an environmentally friendly. The important benefit is that, the algae found in sewage have also been used for biodiesel conversion. There is definitely no shortage of sewage and using sewage in this way can also help the environment. Green fuels Technologies seems to be the best known company that is converting algae to biodiesel fuel.
It is only through research and testing that we will learn if biodiesel from algae is a viable option. Few species of algae contain very high oil content and these families of algae are perfectly capable for biodiesel production. Not only they have high oil content, they grow quite rapidly. Some algae have more than 50% oil. There are few methods on the web to prepare biodiesel from algae at home. But only after doing we can say how effective it is. And also only certain methods are effective.
Showing posts with label making biodiesel from algae. Show all posts
Showing posts with label making biodiesel from algae. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Making Algae 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.
Algae are harvested using a device called photobioreactors. Microalgae contain lipids and fatty acids as membrane components, storage products, metabolites and sources of energy.
Biodiesel can be made from algae by using centrifuges. Feedstock preparation - In this case, algae must first be separated from its medium, then the oil extracted from the algae. Separation of transesterification products – Biodiesel and glycerine must be separated, and any leftover reactants removed. Water wash – Biodiesel can be washed of soap and glycerine using a centrifuge. Magnasol solids removal - As an alternative to water washing, it may be possible to wash the biodiesel in Magnasol.
Studies show that algae can produce up to 60% of their biomass 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. The more efficient this process becomes the larger the profit that is turned by the company. Regional production of microalgae and processing into biofuels will provide economic benefits to rural communities.
The algal-oil feedstock that is used to produce biodiesel can also be used for fuel directly as "Straight Vegetable Oil", (SVO). The benefit of using the oil in this manner is that it doesn't require the additional energy needed for transesterification, (processing the oil with an alcohol and a catalyst to produce biodiesel). The drawback is that it does require modifications to a normal diesel engine. Transesterified biodiesel can be run in an unmodified modern diesel engine, provided the engine is designed to use ultra-low sulfur diesel, which, as of 2006, is the new diesel fuel standard in the United States.
The algal fuel is very resourceful to people who use biodiesel on a large scale. Airlines, railways and bus depots should use algal fuel to refuel the automobiles. Algal fuel is extremely eco-friendly energy and would save a lot of our fossil fuels if used wisely. Keep the world green!!
Algae are harvested using a device called photobioreactors. Microalgae contain lipids and fatty acids as membrane components, storage products, metabolites and sources of energy.
Biodiesel can be made from algae by using centrifuges. Feedstock preparation - In this case, algae must first be separated from its medium, then the oil extracted from the algae. Separation of transesterification products – Biodiesel and glycerine must be separated, and any leftover reactants removed. Water wash – Biodiesel can be washed of soap and glycerine using a centrifuge. Magnasol solids removal - As an alternative to water washing, it may be possible to wash the biodiesel in Magnasol.
Studies show that algae can produce up to 60% of their biomass 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. The more efficient this process becomes the larger the profit that is turned by the company. Regional production of microalgae and processing into biofuels will provide economic benefits to rural communities.
The algal-oil feedstock that is used to produce biodiesel can also be used for fuel directly as "Straight Vegetable Oil", (SVO). The benefit of using the oil in this manner is that it doesn't require the additional energy needed for transesterification, (processing the oil with an alcohol and a catalyst to produce biodiesel). The drawback is that it does require modifications to a normal diesel engine. Transesterified biodiesel can be run in an unmodified modern diesel engine, provided the engine is designed to use ultra-low sulfur diesel, which, as of 2006, is the new diesel fuel standard in the United States.
The algal fuel is very resourceful to people who use biodiesel on a large scale. Airlines, railways and bus depots should use algal fuel to refuel the automobiles. Algal fuel is extremely eco-friendly energy and would save a lot of our fossil fuels if used wisely. Keep the world green!!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Making Biodiesel from Algae
In this ever-expanding world, everything is being consumed at a very fast rate. Natural Resources are being depleted at a very fast rate and mankind is thinking of many ways to produce artificial energy. And one answer that has come up is Biodiesel. What is actually biodiesel? In a layman’s language Biodiesel refers to a non-petroleum-based diesel fuel consisting of long chain alkyl (methyl, propyl or ethyl) esters, made by transesterification of vegetable oil or animal fat (tallow), which can be used (alone, or blended with conventional petrodiesel) in unmodified diesel-engine vehicles.
Though there are many methods available and being researched upon but one of the common methods of producing it is by Algae. Making biodeisel with algae is quite a tedious process/ One must know what are actually Algae. Algae are some of the most robust organisms on earth, able to grow in a wide range of conditions without any problems. Algae are usually found in damp places or bodies of water and thus are common in terrestrial as well as aquatic environments. Terrestrial algae are usually rather inconspicuous and far more common in moist, tropical regions than dry ones, because algae lack vascular tissues and other adaption’s to live on land. So cultivation of algae is an important part in this process.
Algae cultivation though a very easy process but cultivation of specific strains of algae for Biodiesel would however a bit more difficult, as they can require high maintenance and could get easily contaminated by undesirable species. And contamination would lead to improper production of biodiesel.
First algal oil has to be extracted from algae and then biodiesel has to produced from that Algal oil. There's no doubt, algae biodiesel is probably the most theoretical and experimental aspect of biodiesel. It is also very costly. There are mainly three methods of oil extraction from Algae –
• Expeller/Press - When algae is dried it retains its oil content, which then can be "pressed" out with an oil press. Many commercial manufacturers of vegetable oil use a combination of mechanical pressing and Chemical Solvents in extracting oil.
• Hexane solvent oil extraction - Algal oil can be extracted using chemicals. .Benzene and ether have been used, but a popular chemical for solvent extraction is hexane. The downside to using solvents for oil extraction are the inherent dangers involved in working with the chemicals. Benzene is classified as a carcinogen. Carcinogen is a chemical which harms humans.
• Supercritical Fluid Extraction - This can extract almost 100% of the oils all by itself. This method however needs special equipment for containment and pressure. In this method , CO2 is liquefied under pressure and heated to the point that it has the properties of both a liquid and gas. This liquefied fluid then acts as the solvent in extracting the oil.
Now transesterification of algal oil is done.It is normally done with ethanol and sodium ethanolate serving as the catalyst.
Ethanol is reacted with the algal oil to produce biodiesel & glycerol. The end products of this reaction are hence biodiesel, sodium ethanolate and glycerol.
The end mixture is then separated using Ether and salt water, which is added to the mixture and mixed well. After sometime, the entire mixture would have separated into two layers, with the bottom layer containing a mixture of ether and biodiesel. Biodiesel is in turn separated from ether by a vaporizer under a high vacuum. As the ether vaporizes first, the biodiesel will remain.
Thus the process of making biodiesel from algae is now over and is ready for use.
Though there are many methods available and being researched upon but one of the common methods of producing it is by Algae. Making biodeisel with algae is quite a tedious process/ One must know what are actually Algae. Algae are some of the most robust organisms on earth, able to grow in a wide range of conditions without any problems. Algae are usually found in damp places or bodies of water and thus are common in terrestrial as well as aquatic environments. Terrestrial algae are usually rather inconspicuous and far more common in moist, tropical regions than dry ones, because algae lack vascular tissues and other adaption’s to live on land. So cultivation of algae is an important part in this process.
Algae cultivation though a very easy process but cultivation of specific strains of algae for Biodiesel would however a bit more difficult, as they can require high maintenance and could get easily contaminated by undesirable species. And contamination would lead to improper production of biodiesel.
First algal oil has to be extracted from algae and then biodiesel has to produced from that Algal oil. There's no doubt, algae biodiesel is probably the most theoretical and experimental aspect of biodiesel. It is also very costly. There are mainly three methods of oil extraction from Algae –
• Expeller/Press - When algae is dried it retains its oil content, which then can be "pressed" out with an oil press. Many commercial manufacturers of vegetable oil use a combination of mechanical pressing and Chemical Solvents in extracting oil.
• Hexane solvent oil extraction - Algal oil can be extracted using chemicals. .Benzene and ether have been used, but a popular chemical for solvent extraction is hexane. The downside to using solvents for oil extraction are the inherent dangers involved in working with the chemicals. Benzene is classified as a carcinogen. Carcinogen is a chemical which harms humans.
• Supercritical Fluid Extraction - This can extract almost 100% of the oils all by itself. This method however needs special equipment for containment and pressure. In this method , CO2 is liquefied under pressure and heated to the point that it has the properties of both a liquid and gas. This liquefied fluid then acts as the solvent in extracting the oil.
Now transesterification of algal oil is done.It is normally done with ethanol and sodium ethanolate serving as the catalyst.
Ethanol is reacted with the algal oil to produce biodiesel & glycerol. The end products of this reaction are hence biodiesel, sodium ethanolate and glycerol.
The end mixture is then separated using Ether and salt water, which is added to the mixture and mixed well. After sometime, the entire mixture would have separated into two layers, with the bottom layer containing a mixture of ether and biodiesel. Biodiesel is in turn separated from ether by a vaporizer under a high vacuum. As the ether vaporizes first, the biodiesel will remain.
Thus the process of making biodiesel from algae is now over and is ready for use.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Biodiesel from Algae Video
Just watch a great video about algae biodiesel from CNET. This is great to our future, if we could make biodiesel from Algae. Please share your opinion about this video after you watch it.
Algae Biodiesel
"The technology website CNET.com mentioned Algae Biodiesel in a short segment. Considering that Algae grows quickly, is carbon neutral and the fuel (biodiesel) being produced will run in the most efficient internal combusion engines we currently use, this could well be the best alternative to petroleum."
Suggested Reading:
+ Waste Oil Biodiesel
Algae Biodiesel
"The technology website CNET.com mentioned Algae Biodiesel in a short segment. Considering that Algae grows quickly, is carbon neutral and the fuel (biodiesel) being produced will run in the most efficient internal combusion engines we currently use, this could well be the best alternative to petroleum."
Suggested Reading:
+ Waste Oil Biodiesel
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