PRODUCTIONOF

BIODIESELMESUT AKPUNAR

OUTLINEWhat is the algae?

Importance of biodiesel?What is the algal biodiesel?

Why algal biodiesel is choosen?Avantages?

Harvesting methods?How to get oil from algae?

Transesterification?

Few species have been studied for biofuel potential

Chlorophyceae Dinophyceae Bacillariophyceae

SunlightCarbonDioxide Water Algae More Algae

ContainingHydrocarbons

Oxygen

Why focus on Biodiesel? The Price of Energy is Going UP

Oil reserves are depleting World demand for energy is increasing

Economic Stability/National Security Not good to have energy dependence on foreign Countries

Global Warming Fossil fuels release greenhouse gases

Advantages of Algae

•Non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, biodegradable, transportation fuel so spills or leaking underground fuel tanks will not damage the environment.• Lower emissions (VERY low/no N or S)• High flash point (>300F), safer• Can be used in existing diesel engines (little/no modifications)• Excellent lubrication properties; engines last longer

Benefits of Algae vs. Plants

• Higher yield of oil/acre

• When grown in ‘closed containers’ have near zero water use

• Can be grown in fresh or salt water

•No waste

• Do not compete for valuable crop land• Can be grown in remote/isolated/poor soils regions such as deserts (or oceanic islands?)

•up to 70% of algae biomass is usable oils to produce biodiesel

Traits of ‘Good Algae’ for Biodiesel Production

• High growth rate and productivity• High lipid content• Easy to grow and harvest• Rapid and relatively cheap

Seaweeds (i.e., macro-algae) have proven difficult to handle/harvest in abundance and tend to have very low oil content (i.e., not good) Microalgae (i.e., unicellular algae) are best

Oil yield comparison Crop oil yield land area percent of existing (L/ha) needed(M ha) US cropping area

Corn 172 1540 846 Soybean 446 594 326

Canola 1190 223 122

Jatropha 1892 140 77

Coconut 2689 99 54

oil palm 5950 45 24

Micro algae ᵇ 136,900 2 1.1

Micro algae ᶜ 58,700 4.5 2.5

b 70% oil (by wt) in biomass.c 30% oil (by wt) in biomass.

BIODIESELcan be used with;

• automobile,• aircraft industry, • variety sectors.

Solazyme’s Biodiesel Mercedes

GM Hybrid Bus

Several marine operators have been running biodiesel in their aero-derivative engines for about 2 years.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

CF6 Aero Engine (core of LM2500 engine)

Dave Daggett Boeing

Aero-derivative LM2500 Cruise Ship Engine

www.nasa.gov

HARVESTINGOpen ponds and Raceway systems

High Rate Algal Ponds are the most economical technology but a represently not cost effective for biofuel production alone

Photo Bioreactor Systems

Closed photobioreactors are economic for high value applications (nutraceuticals) but are presently not cost effective for biofuel

production

Algae fats/lipids can be converted to biodiesel, sugars converted to ethanol

Source:Popular Science271(1), 2007)

How to Get Oil from Algae?

With three ways: Pressing oil from the

algae Chemical Oil

Extraction Super Critical Oil

Extraction

Pressing oil from the algae• dry the algae and press

the oil from it• while drying must

prevent the algae from becoming contaminated

• can retrieve up to 70% of the oil.

• cheapest and simplest method.

Chemical Oil Extraction• use hexane

solvents to remove the oil

• hexane is a neurotoxin

• must be careful when using

• removes oil out of almost all things.

Super Critical Oil Extraction• most efficient method• uses carbon dioxide at

critical pressure and temperature (CO2 is almost a liquid).

• rapid diffusion of the oil.

• very expensive process

Transesterification(biodiesel formation)• An efficient way to make biodiesel fuel

• Algae can be turned into a fuel by transesterification• Normally done with ethanol with sodium ethanolate as the

catalyst• Ethanol is reacted with the algal oil

• End product of this reaction are hence BIODIESEL, glycerol ,sodium ethanolate

(Biodiesel)

References •Chisti, Y. Biodiesel from microalgae. Biotechnol. Adv. 2007, 25, 294–306.•Crutzen, P. J.; Mosier, A. R.; Smith, K. A.; Winiwarter, W. N2O release from agro-biofuel production negates global warming reduction by replacing fossil fuels. Atmos. Chem. Phys. 2008, 8, 389–395•Kadam, K.L., and Sheehan, J. J. (1996). .Microalgal Technology for Remediation of CO2 from Power Plant Flue Gas: A Technoeconomic Perspective.. World Resource Review (8:4); pp. 493-504.•Kadam, K.L.; Brady E. H. (March 1996). .GIS in a Resource Assessment Study for CO2 Mitigation Using Microalgal Technology.. Proceedings of the Conference on Geographical Information Systems in Environmental Resource Management, March 13-15, 1996, Reno, Nevada.•Kadam, K.L. (1997). .Power-Plant Flue Gas as a Source of CO2 for Microalgae Cultivation: Economic Impact of Different Process Options.. Energy Convers. Mgmt. (38); pp. S505-S510.•Richmond, A. Handbook of Microalgal Culture: Biotechnology and Applied Phycology; Wiley-Blackwell: Oxford, 2003.•Sheehan, J.; Dunahay, T.; Benemann, J.; Roessler, P. A look back at the US department of energy’s aquatic species programsbiodiesel from algae; National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), 1998•Widescale Biodiesel Production from Algae by Michael Briggs, University of New Hampshire, Physics Department (2004). Retrieved in June 28th, 2007 •Y.; Horsman, M.;Wu,N.; Lan, C. Q.; Dubois-Calero, N. Biofuels from microalgae. Biotechnol. Prog. 2008, 24, 815–820.