Project Proposal 9th

8/17/2019 Project Proposal 9th

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DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF AN ALGAE

BIODIESEL PRODUCTION SYSTEM

ROBERT KANDAGOR

ABE/501/11

ADAM RASHID

ABE/518/11

A Proposal submi!" o #! S$#ool o% E&'i&!!ri&'

i& Parial (ul)llm!& %or #! R!*uir!m!& o% #!

a+ar" o% a D!'r!! i& A'ri$ulural a&" Bios,s!ms

E&'i&!!ri&' o% -&i.!rsi, o% El"or!


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Declaration

We hereby declare that this is our original work and has not been presented in this or any other

university for the award of a degree, diploma or certificate.

ROBER !"#D"$OR

"BE%&'(%'((

)*$#+

D"E+

"D" R")-*D

"BE%&(%'((

)*$#+

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his work has been submitted with our approval as the candidate/s supervisors.

DR. 012*1) !. !O22O#$E* )ign+ Date+3 Department of "gricultural and Biosystems Engineering.4

E#$. 12*#D* )O2OO# )ign+ Date+3 Department of "gricultural and Biosystems Engineering.4


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E5ecutive )ummary

Biodiesel is currently produced from crop feedstock, waste oil and animal fats which are

not sufficient to cope with the growing demand for alternative fuel re6uirements. 7ultivation of

algae has the potential to provide for the need of producing renewable, affordable fuel without

compromising food production. "n algal cultivation system such as open ponds is the means

used for algae production. hrough this pro8ect an e5perimental small scale, low cost algae

cultivation system will be designed. *t will comprise selecting an algae strain and designing a

cultivation system all the way from inputs to the biodiesel output.


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able of 7ontents


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(. 9roblem )tatement

*t has long been known that the planet/s fossil fuel stocks would not meet our energy re6uirements

forever. "s stocks diminish, prices will continue to rise. :urthermore, harmful emissions from the

combustion of fossil fuels contribute to climate change 3E*"4. Both of these factors mean that

there is great interest in finding a low;cost, renewable alternative to fossil fuels.

Biodiesel is a cleaner burning fuel than conventional diesel, and produces fewer greenhouse gas

emissions. Biodiesel blends of any concentration can be used in any diesel engine. he only

disadvantage is that in cold temperatures, biodiesel tends to lose viscosity, particularly in blends

with a high concentration of biodiesel. his has already begun to be addressed, however, with the

use of fuel additives and engine block or fuel filter heaters and storing vehicles indoors 3OEE4.

:urthermore, algal biodiesel has a lower melting point than other biodiesels, and thus possesses

better cold climate properties. echnology producing and using biodiesel has been available for

over &' years 37histi


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he potential for the use of algae as a source of renewable fuel is therefore 6uite considerable.

-owever serious research on this application of algae is fairly recent. "mong the new prospects,

there e5ists the possibility of improving lipid productivity through nitrogen deprivation as will be

e5plained subse6uently on this report. *t would therefore be interesting to investigate the design

of an algae cultivation system with this idea in mind.


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A. 0ustification of the study

"lgal biomass contains three main components+ carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids%natural oils.

Because the bulk of the natural oil made by microalgae is in the form of tricylglycerol 3:igure (4,

which is the right kind of oil for producing biodiesel, microalgae are the e5clusive focus in thealgae;to;biodiesel arena. *n addition to biodiesel, microalgae can also be used to generate energy

in several other ways. )ome algal species can produce hydrogen gas under speciali@ed growth

conditions. he biomass from algae can also be burned similar to wood or anaerobically digested

to produce methane biogas to generate heat and electricity. "lgal biomass can also be treated by

pyrolysis to generate crude bio;oil.


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?. )ignificance of study

*n addition to producing biofuel, algae can also be e5plored for a variety of other uses, such as

fertili@er and pollution control. 7ertain species of algae can be land;applied for use as an organic

fertili@er, either in its raw or semi;decomposed form 3homas,


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&. 2iterature Review

Cirgin Oil :eedstock

Rapeseed and soybean oils are most commonly used, mostly in 1.) . hey also can be obtained

from 9ongamia, field pennycress, 0atropha, and other crops such as mustard, 8o8oba, fla5,

sunflower, palm oil, coconut, and hemp. )everal companies in various sectors are piloting

research on 0atropha curcas, a poisonous shrub;like tree that produces seeds, considered by

many to be a feasible source of biodiesel feedstock oil

Waste Cegetable Oil 3WCO4

Cegetable oil is an alternative fuel source for diesel engines and for heating oil burners. he

viscosity of the vegetable oil plays an important role in the atomi@ation of fuel for engines designedto burn diesel fuel otherwise, it causes improper combustion and causes engine collapse. he

most important vegetable oils used as fuel are rapeseed oil 3also known as canola oil, which is

mostly used in the 1nited )tates and 7anada4. *n some places of the 1nited )tates, the use of

sunflower oil as fuel tends to increase. )ome island nations use coconut oil as fuel to lower their

e5penses and their dependence on imported fuels. he annual vegetable oil recycled in the 1nited

)tates, as of


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)ewage )ludge

)ludge refers to the unused, semisolid material left from industrial wastewater or sewage

treatment processes. *t can also refer to the settled suspension obtained from drinking water

treatment and other industrial processes. )ludge is generally produced by a poorly designed or

defective ventilation system, low engine operating temperatures or the presence of water in the oil.

he sewage;to;biofuel field process is developing interest from ma8or companies like Wasteanagement and startups like *nfo)pi, which are challenging that renewable sewage biodiesel can

become modest with petroleum diesel on price.

Mi$roal'a! 'ro+ *ui$l, a&" $o&ai& #i'# oil $o&!& $ompar!" +i# !rr!srial $rops2

+#i$# a! a s!aso& o 'ro+ a&" o&l, $o&ai& a ma3imum o% abou 5 p!r$!& "r,

+!i'# o% oil2 4#isi2 6007 T#!, $ommo&l, "oubl! i& si9! !.!r, 6: #ours Duri&'

#! p!a 'ro+# p#as!2 som! mi$roal'a! $a& "oubl! !.!r, #r!! a&" o&!;#al% #ours

4#isi2 6007 Oil $o&!& o% mi$roal'a! is usuall, b!+!!& 60 p!r$!& a&" 50

p!r$!& 4"r, +!i'#2 Tabl! 12 +#il! som! srai&s $a& r!a$# as #i'# as 80 p!r$!&

4M!i&'2 1


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G. ethodology

G.( ethods of "lgae cultivation

Description of the "lgal 7ultivation )ystem

" cultivation system for algae can therefore be seen as a process in which the process converts

inputs to outputs. "n algae cultivation system can be described as a process in which inputs are

on the left and outputs on the right as shown by the following chart+

Figure 9 - Potential o! algal "io#a$ ra% #aterial& energ' our(e& )ro*u(t an*

a))li(ation

(Becker 1994)


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Algal (ulti+ation 'te# uing a t%o ),ae )ro(e

"n essential step for the design of the cultivation system is determining the method through which

it will be done+ open pond.

Open pond systems

Open ponds were the first and the most studied method for the mass;cultivation of microalgae.

hey usually consist of natural waters 3lagoon, pond4 or of artificial waters 3containers, man;made

ponds4. he following types of open air systems e5ist+ Hshallow big ponds, tanks, circular ponds

and raceway pondsI 31gwa et al.,


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Due to the nature of open air systems, however, certain limitations e5ist. emperature and light

intensity cannot be regulated. " deeper pond has the advantage of reducing the diurnal variation in

temperature, but would reduce the available light to the culture. "nother limitation of this system is

the low concentration of algae in the pond which tends to make harvesting less cost effective.

hey also demand a lot of land, which was one of the ma8or problems with ethanol. Open ponds

cannot be built everywhere because if the place is too hot there is a lot of evaporation and

diffusion of 7O


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Dp J G''' % 7c

Dp J depth of pond 3cm4

7c J concentration of algae 3mg%24

)econdly, the walls may be elevated concrete or e5cavated earthen walls. he earthen pond can

lead to insect contamination, and the sloping of the walls makes constant flow within the pond

more difficult to maintain. 7oncrete walls eliminate these problems, but are e5pensive and the

rough surface of concrete leads to increased friction, which reduces water flow. 7oncrete walls

also tend to deteriorate when the culture is grown in saline water. Whether saline or fresh water

is used is determined by the strain of algae chosen. "dditionally, at a further cost, a liner may be

added to reduce seepage 3Borowit@ka


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6.2 Harvesting techniques

-arvesting has been, and continues to be, one of the largest obstacles in the commercial production

of microalgae. hese difficulties arise primarily from A factors. :irstly, microalgae are very small in

si@e, generally measuring less than


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rise to the top of the pond or sink to the bottom, depending on their density. he sinking, or

rising, velocity, is calculated using )tokes 2aw+

C J<% K g K r

< K 3L/ M L4 % N

C J velocity

g J acceleration of gravity

r J radius of particle

L/ J density of particle

L J density of medium

N J absolute viscosity

he following observations have been made in scientific studies. :irst, senescent cultures usually

sink faster than actively growing cultures. his is because growing algae cells hold a negatively

charged surface layer and thus repel each other. )econd, nutrient limited algae usually sink faster

than nutrient sufficient algae. anagement and acceleration of this process could provide a low

cost and efficient method of microalgae harvesting. (Augenstein 1982)

he table below summari@es the reliability and cost of these & harvesting processes.

Ta"le . - Co#)arion "et%een ,ar+eting )ro(ee

9rocess Removal reliability Estimated cost 3c%lb4 in !shs

7entrifugation -igh &'''

)and filtration :air A'''

icrostraining 9oor &''

7hemical flocculation -igh ?''';?&''

Bioflocculation #ot established ('';


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=. Revised Ob8ectives and )cope

"fter an e5tensive literature review of research conducted in the field of algae cultivation and open

pond design, it was found that a great number of pro8ects have already been devoted to optimi@ing

algal cultivation unattainable.

he revised ob8ective of this pro8ect is to design and fabricate a system in which microalgae will be

cultivated and turned into a biofuel. *t will take all the steps into account, from the cultivation of the

algae to when the biodiesel is put in the car. his will be done through a two phase process of which

the first phase is the cultivation of the microalgae with an open pond in order to have a high biomass

yield. he second phase is the harvesting of the microalgae through the pond in order to gain a higher

oil and lipid content. he system will be on a small scale and any individual should be able to construct

it in their basement or backyard. he materials will be cheap and easy to obtain. he goal of this

pro8ect is not necessarily to make it efficient or cost;effective, but to show that it can be done on an

individual scale. he scale;up of biodiesel production from algae may not necessarily occur through

huge industries, but through the multiplication of small units in people/s backyards.

)ince there are no biofuels made from algae on the market, it can only be produced on an

individual level. he cost will be of the materials and installation. here will also be operational

costs such as lighting and heating, depending on the climate of the area and whether the system isindoors or outdoors. :or the moment it is impossible to know whether the system is cost;effective.

*f the cost of this system is more than the consumer would pay for traditional fossil fuels, the values

of the citi@en come into play. "re they willing to put a monetary value on the conservation and

protection of the environment "lthough the cost of production of biofuels through algae may be

higher than that of fossil fuel, it will be up to the consumer to decide what value the environment

has to them, and then to choose which one they will use accordingly.


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. ethodology

8.1 Design Approach

he first step taken was to define the problem statement. he ne5t was to formulate an ob8ective.

his ob8ective was to optimi@e algal productivity within a small system. Research in literature onalgae biology and previous e5perimental designs was conducted in order to obtain background

knowledge involved in the design of algae cultivation systems.

o be precise, this involved reading articles in biotechnology 8ournals as well as reading important

sections of biology books relevant to this topic. he design team also met several times with Dr.

0ulius !ollongei, Eng ulindi. he information gathered gave the design team preliminary ideas

about potential design paths. "t this point, the system components 39hase (, 9hase


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"fter continuing literature research, based on analysis of the gathered information, a choice will be

made about what types of system components to use, in terms of algal strain, photobioreactor,

harvesting system, oil e5traction, and conversion to biodiesel process.

Based on the analysis, decisions will then be taken regarding the final design. he decisionprocess will likely involve making compromises about system efficiency and cost. 7alculations

about component dimensions, flow rate, growth rate of the algae, nutrient re6uirements and

estimated outputs will have to be conducted. Carious solutions to provide feedback from the

system will also have to be analy@ed. he type of harvesting techni6ue will have to be e5amined

according to feasibility and cost. 7ost will also be taken into account when determining which

solution is best in terms of types of materials used and nutrient and energy re6uirements. " small

analysis of the potential scale;up of the system will also be conducted. "n energy and cost analysis

will be performed on the system as a whole to determine whether the energy output is greater than

the energy inputs, as well as whether the system can be built at a cost that members of the public

would be willing to pay for.

he final decisions being made, the system will be ready for implementation. his will take the form

of design drawing and specifications done with the aid of 7"D. Operating conditions for the system

as well as output predictions would also be provided. " physical model could also be constructed,

although time and budget constraints would make this difficult. -owever the design team is looking

forward to such an undertaking if it is feasible to do so.


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8.2 Expected Results

he e5pected result of this pro8ect is a design for an open pond algae production system that willproduce algae to be used for transformation into biodiesel. he design should be able to operate

either indoor in controlled conditions or outdoors in a ropical type of climate. he system should

be simple and cheap enough for anyone to build and operate. *t will use cheap and easy to find

materials and should have an energy ratio output+ input greater than (. Energy output will be

calculated according to literature values for biomass yield, oil content, and conversion to

biodiesel. )ince the needs of people are different from one another and the system will be

designed in order to produce a certain 6uantity of biofuel, tips on how to down si@e and scale;up

will be given.

*t is e5pected that this innovative pro8ect will interest environmentally conscious people, who will all

be 6uite willing to invest in this system in order to conserve and protect the environment even

though it may cost them slightly more than gas.

he system will also be modeled either physically or by computer in order to show the

dimensions of the physical structure, but also to show the interactions within and between the

different components.


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8.3 Cost Analysis

he cost of the design will be divided into fi5ed, capital costs and variable, operating costs. he

cost of designing the system will be neglected, as this is a pro8ect conducted by students, with the

primary ob8ectives being education and interest.

he fi5ed costs will be composed of the costs of the building materials. he cost of all necessary

tools will be neglected, as it will be assumed that the builder possesses them. his will have been

taken into account when making design decisions, so that it can be considered a safe

assumption. he cost of the land will also be neglected, as it is assumed that the builder is

constructing the system on land he already owns.

Electrical costs, nutrient inputs, water inputs, and gaseous inputs will make up the variable

costs. "n analysis of typical life spans of the materials used in the system will determine whether

or not maintenance and repair costs must also be included in the variable cost.

he cost of the labour involved in both the building and the operation of the system will be

neglected, as it is assumed that the owner of the system is undertaking the labour, and is donating

his time out of goodwill.

he cost analysis conducted will thus not be a direct comparison with the cost of purchasing fossil

fuels. his would be an inaccurate analysis, as it would not take into account the value people

place on environmental conservation. his value is highly individual, though an attempt at

assessing it may be made in order to determine what percentage of the population might be

willing to undertake such a pro8ect. )imply put, it is not e5pected that the system designed will be

economical. he hope is that it will be beneficial from an environmental perspective, and that a

certain subset of the population would be willing to pay for that benefit.


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. Work )chedule and Budget

.( Work )chedule

Ta"le / - 0or1 S(,e*ule

Month Activity Time allocation (hrs.)

:eb;(G 7ontinue literature review A'

Discussion with professors%e5perts G

Decide what strain of algae to use <

Decide what the components of the ('

system will be, based on research

ar;(G Design 9hase *


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('. 7onclusion

o date, an outline of a system is proposed. he aim of this pro8ect is to design and fabricate a

small scale system for algal cultivation and conversion to biodiesel. he system should besimple and cheap enough for anyone to build and operate.

he solutions considered so far consists in a two phase process in which algal biomass would first

be ma5imi@ed before undergoing nitrogen deprivation to increase lipid content. he aim is to first

model the system using 7"D and perhaps making a physical model.

:urther research and development of ideas may lead to modification of this preliminary design. he

design will continue to be developed and tested according to the method and schedule outlined in

sections G and =.


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"cknowledgments

We would like to express our gratitude towards the following people:

Dr. Julius Kollongei- Dean School Of Engineering Eng Mulindi S. - Departent of !gricultural and "ios#stes Engineering

47


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