Hydrogen recovery from the photovoltaic electroflocculation-flotation process for harvesting Chlorella pyrenoidosa microalgae

In this paper, an integrated process using photovoltaic power to harvest microalgae by electro-flocculation (EF) and hydrogen recovery is presented. It is mainly favorable in regions with high solar radiation. The electro-flocculation efficiency (EFE) of Chlorella pyrenoidosa microalgae was investigated using various types of electrodes (aluminum, iron, zinc, copper and a non-sacrificial electrode of carbon). The best results regarding the EFE, and biomass contamination were achieved with aluminum and carbon electrodes where the electrical energy demand of the process for harvesting 1 kg of algae biomass was 0.28 and 0.34 kWh, respectively, while the energy yield of harvested hydrogen was 0.052 and 0.005 kWh kg^?1, respectively. The highest harvesting efficiency of 95.83 ± 0.87% was obtained with the aluminum electrode.The experimental hydrogen yields obtained were comparable with those calculated from theory. With a low net energy demand, microalgae EF may be a useful and low-cost technology.     

基于双氨基粘土絮凝的嗜热微藻采收实验研究

文章将双氨基粘土([MgAC]和[CeAC]的混合物)作为絮凝剂,并研究了[MgAC]和[CeAC]的配用比例和絮凝时间对采收效果的影响。研究结果表明:当[MgAC]与[CeAC]的配比分别为8∶1,5∶1,2∶1和1∶2时,微藻的絮凝效率均可在20 min内达到75%以上;与单独使用[MgAC]或[CeAC]相比,双氨基粘土形成的紧凑网络可在微藻细胞之间进行有效桥接,从而提高微藻采收效率,综合考虑经济性及絮凝效果,确定[MgAC]与[CeAC]的最优配比为8∶1;微藻采收效率与藻液细胞密度有较大关系,过高的藻液细胞密度会使微藻采收效率大大降低;使用双氨基粘土絮凝微藻不会影响微藻培养液的pH值,且双氨基粘土絮凝剂不会影响微藻细胞的生理活性,以及后续的开发应用。     

Biomass and lipid production of marine microalgae using municipal wastewater and high concentration of CO2

In order to reduce the cost of the production of microalgae for biodiesel, the feasibility of using the mixture of seawater and municipal wastewater as culture medium and CO₂ from flue gas for the cultivation of marine microalgae was investigated in this study. Effects of different ratios of municipal wastewater and 15% CO₂ aeration on the growth of Nannochloropsis sp. were examined, and lipid accumulation of microalgae was also studied under nitrogen starvation and high light. It was found that optimal growth of microalgae occurred in 50% municipal wastewater, and the growth was further significantly enhanced by aeration with 15% CO₂. When Nannochloropsis sp. cells were transferred from the first growth phase to the second lipid accumulation phase under the combination of nitrogen deprivation and high light, both biomass and lipid production of Nannochloropsis sp. were significantly increased. After 12 days of the second-phase cultivation, the biomass concentration and total lipid content increased from 0.71 to 2.23 g L⁻¹ and 33.8–59.9%, respectively. This study suggests that it is possible to utilize municipal wastewater to replace nutrients in seawater medium and use flue gas to provide CO₂ in the cultivation of oil-bearing marine microalgae for biodiesel.     

The effects of ultraviolet radiation on growth,biomass, lipid accumulation and biodiesel properties of microalgae

The effect of UV light on growth, biomass, lipid accumulation and biodiesel properties of microalgae was studied. A Microalgae strain Chlorella sorokiniana UUIND6 was cultivated for 14 days as under LED light (Control) and microalgae were exposed to UV light (280–320 nm) in the middle of the photoperiod for 3 days. The growth rate of microalgae was analyzed by spectrophotometer and cell counting, while oil accumulation was analyzed by improved Nile red method. Results showed that microalgae under UV light treated algal cells showed less growth. FAMEs profile of UV treated algal cells mainly contains hexadecanoic acid (C16), stearic acid (C18) fatty acids. PUFA found in very less amount in UV treated cells as compared to control.     

微藻生物能源研究现状及展望

能源是现代社会发展的命脉,目前仍以化石燃料为主,而对化石燃料过度依赖导致的能源危机和环境问题日益突出,人类需要寻找可再生的清洁能源作为替代能源。微藻作为可持续的生物能源原料,具有巨大的发展潜力。本文综述了微藻原料获取各环节的研究现状,包括微藻育种、规模培养和采收,并重点论述了微藻生物质转化为生物能源产品的研究进展,包括生物柴油、生物乙醇、生物燃气、生物油,同时指出了微藻生物能源未来的研究方向。     

Effective extraction of microalgae lipids from wet biomass for biodiesel production

Producing biodiesel from lipid extracted from microalgae is a promising approach for sustainable fuel production. However, this approach is not yet commercialized due to the high costs of upstream processes that are associated with the time consuming and/or energy intensive drying, and lipid extraction processes. In this study, the possibility of avoiding the drying process, and extracting the lipid directly from the wet concentrated cells, using enzymatic disruption to enhance the extraction, has been tested. Results showed that lysozyme and cellulase were both efficient in disrupting cell walls and enhancing lipid extraction from wet samples, with highest lipid extraction yield of 16.6% achieved using lysozyme. The applicability of using supercritical CO₂ (SC-CO₂) in extracting lipid from wet biomass was also tested and the highest yield of 12.5% was achieved using lysozyme. In addition, a two-step culturing process was applied, using Scenedesmus sp., to combine both high biomass growth and lipid content. The strain was able to increase its biomass productivity in the first stage, reaching 174 mg l⁻¹ d⁻¹, with almost constant lipid content. In the second stage, the lipid content was enhanced by six-fold after three weeks of nitrogen starvation, but with lower biomass productivity.     

Screening of marine microalgae for biodiesel feedstock

Biodiesel production from microalgae lipids is increasingly regarded as a more sustainable and feasible alternative to conventional biodiesel feedstocks derived from terrestrial bioenergy crops. A total of ninety-six strains of marine microalgae, with an elevated biomass productivity and intracellular lipid content, were isolated from the coastal waters of Singapore using an automated flow cytometric cell-sorting technique. Cell sorting was based on the two-dimensional distribution of algal cells for red fluorescence (representing chlorophyll auto-fluorescence) against forward-light scatter (representing cell size) and red vs. green fluorescence. Twenty-one of the strains were further characterized with respect to cell growth rate, biomass concentration, lipid content (total and neutral lipid) and fatty acid profile. The growth rates of Skeletonema costatum, Chaetoceros and Thalassiosira species were greatest among the entire strains, but in terms of absolute lipid yield Nannochloropsis strains predominated. Nannochloropsis strains had a lipid content ranging from 39.4% to 44.9% of dry weight biomass. Transesterification of the lipids yielded 25-51% of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) i.e. biodiesel, where total FAME content ranged between 11 and 21% of dry weight biomass. This study describes the microalgae screening process and demonstrates that Nannochloropsis is a promising species for biodiesel feedstock.     

Conversion of microalgae to biofuel

This paper primarily presents an overall review of the use of microalgae as a biofuel feedstock. Among the microalgae that have potential as biofuel feedstock, Chlorella, specifically, was thoroughly discussed because of its ability to adapt both to heterotrophic and phototrophic culture conditions. The lipid content and biomass productivity of microalgae can be up to 80% and 7.3 g/l/d based on the dried weight of biomass, respectively, making microalgae an ideal candidate as a biofuel feedstock. The set-up of the system and the biomass productivity of microalgae cultivated in an open pond and a photobioreactor were also compared in this work. The effect of the culture condition is discussed based on the two-stage culture period. The issues that were discussed include the light condition and the CO₂, DO and N supply. The microalgal productivities under heterotrophic and phototrophic culture conditions were also compared and highlighted in this work. The harvesting process and type of flocculants used to aid the harvesting were highlighted by considering the final yield of biomass. A new idea regarding how to harvest microalgae based on positive and negative charges was also proposed in this work. The extraction methods and solvents discussed were primarily for the conventional and newly invented techniques. Conversion processes such as transesterification and thermochemical processes were discussed, sketched in figures and summarized in tables. The cost–benefit analysis of heterotrophic culture and the cultivation system was highlighted at the end of this work. Other benefits of microalgae are also mentioned in this work to give further support for the use of microalgae as a feedstock for biofuel production.     

Harvesting microalgal biomass using magnesium coagulation-dissolved air flotation

Coagulation with magnesium was found to be more effective for harvesting microalgae Chlorella zofingiensis with dissolved air flotation (DAF) than the use of Fe³⁺, Al³⁺ or chitosan, and the required coagulant dosage was in the order Mg²⁺ < chitosan < Al³⁺ < Fe³⁺. The Mg²⁺ dosage required depended on the growth phases and culture medium characteristics. An early exponential culture required the highest Mg²⁺ dosage (226 mg g⁻¹), while a late stationary culture required the lowest dosage (36 mg g⁻¹). HPO₄²⁻ and CO₃²⁻ in the culture medium competed with the microalgal cells for Mg²⁺ and increased the Mg²⁺ dosage necessary. No Mg²⁺ addition was required to harvest the freshwater microalgae Scenedesmus dimorphus grown in a pond with tap water with a high Mg²⁺ concentration or the marine microalgae Nannochloropsis sp. The critical coagulation pH ranged between 10.8 and 11.8, with a lower pH requirement at a higher Mg²⁺ concentration. Magnesium hydroxide precipitated with the harvested biomass; however, over 99.5% of the precipitated Mg²⁺ was recovered by washing the biomass with 0.1 M HCl. Microalgal harvesting with Mg²⁺ did not introduce extrinsic coagulant; thus, neither the biomass nor the medium was contaminated.     

中国微藻生物质能源专利技术分析

大力发展微藻生物质能源是解决能源危机和环境问题的有效途径。文章从微藻资源、微藻培养系统、培养物采收技术、微藻生物柴油炼制、含油微藻综合利用等方面出发,综述了中国微藻生物质能源专利的发展现状,旨在使科研工作者更加全面地了解这一领域发展趋势,并且促进科研工作者对自主知识产权的保护意识。     

Anaerobic digestion of microalgae residues resulting from the biodiesel production process

The recovery of methane from post transesterified microalgae residues has the potential to improve the renewability of the ‘microalgae biomass to biodiesel’ conversion process as well as reduce its cost and environmental impact. This paper deals with the anaerobic digestion of microalgae biomass residues (post transesterification) using semi-continuously fed reactors. The influence of substrate loading concentrations and hydraulic retention times on the specific methane yield of the anaerobically digested microalgae residues was investigated. The co-digestion of the microalgae residues with glycerol as well as the influence of temperature was also examined. It was found that the hydraulic retention period was the most significant variable affecting methane production from the residues, with periods (>5 days) corresponding to higher energy recovery. The methane yield was also improved by a reduction in the substrate loading rates, with an optimum substrate carbon to nitrogen ratio of 12.44 seen to be required for the digestion process.     

The future of biomass energy: A Fermi-calculation perspective

It is argued: (i) that the harvesting of terrestrial solar radiation to perform useful work is at least an order of magnitude more efficient when carried out by solar-thermal or solar-photovoltaic processes than when carried out by way of biomass conversion and (ii) that, therefore, biomass energy is unlikely to compete successfully with inanimately harvested solar energy—except of course in restricted niche applications.     

Ultrasound-enhanced conversion of biomass to biofuels

Two important challenges need to be addressed to realize a practical biorefinery for the conversion of biomass to fuels and chemicals: (i) effective methods for the degradation and fractionation of lignocelluloses and (ii) efficient and robust chemical methods for the conversion of bio-feeds to target products via highly selective catalytic reactions. Ultrasonic energy promotes the pretreatment and conversion process through its special cavitational effects. In this review, recent progress and methods for combining and integrating sonication into biomass pretreatment and conversion for fuels and chemicals are critically assessed. Ultrasonic energy combined with proper solvents allows destruction of the recalcitrant lignocellulosic structure, fractionation of biomass components, and then assists many thermochemical and biochemical reactions, with increased equilibrium yields of sugars, bio-ethanol and gas products by 10–300%. Sonication promotes hydrolysis, esterification and transesterification in biodiesel synthesis and leads to reduced reaction time by 50–80%, lower reaction temperature, less amounts of solvent and catalyst than comparable unsonicated reaction systems. For algal biomass, sonication benefits the disruption, lysis and content release of macro and microalgae cells, and reduces the time required for subsequent extraction and chemical/biochemical reactions, with efficiencies typically being improved by 120–200%. High-frequency ultrasound of 1–3 MHz allows harvesting of microalgae, liquid product separation and in-situ process monitoring of biomass reactions, while high-intensity ultrasound at 20–50 kHz activates heterogeneous and enzymatic catalysis of the biomass reactions. The use of ultrasound in conversion of biomass to biofuels provides a positive process benefit.     

Biomass retention following whole-tree, energy wood harvests in central Maine: Adherence to five state guidelines

The expansion of the bioenergy industry in Maine has led to an increase in integrated roundwood and energy wood whole-tree harvesting. A better understanding of the amounts of logging residue left unrecovered on whole-tree harvested sites will enable the refinement of available forest residue estimates for Maine and the assessment of the potential effect of such harvesting on forest health. Several states have developed biomass harvesting guidelines in response to concerns generated from an expanding bioenergy industry. In this study downed wood and snags were inventoried on twelve sites in central Maine that had recently been whole-tree harvested for roundwood and energy wood. The percentage of harvested material retained as residue on the study sites was determined. On average, 45% of the energy wood generated during the harvest was left on site. This removal efficiency must be considered when developing forest residue availability estimates. Additionally, the volumes of logging residue were compared to measurable criteria from biomass and biodiversity guidelines of several states. We found that enough fine woody material (<15 cm diameter) remained on the harvest sites to meet the guideline criteria; however, the quantities of coarse woody material (≥15 cm diameter), large logs (≥38 cm dbh), and snags (≥25 cm dbh) were insufficient to meet the guideline criteria. These deficiencies likely resulted from prior forest practices rather than from the current energy wood removal. Retaining more trees of larger sizes in the future can address this concern.     

Storage as a tool to improve wood fuel quality

This work analysed the influence of storage in the quality of forest biomass for energy generation in the region of Lages, Brazil. Logs of Pinus taeda L. and Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden were harvested and piled during the four different seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter. The analyses were performed immediately after harvesting (without being stored), after two, four and six months of storage. The evaluated properties were: moisture content, gross and net calorific value, ash content and solubility in cold water, hot water and sodium hydroxide. The species composition, storage span, harvesting season and storage season influenced the forest biomass characteristics. In general, eucalyptus presented better results than pine, losing moisture faster, having less alteration in the chemical composition and producing greater energetic gain over storage time. For both species, the ideal storage time was four months. Furthermore, spring and summer were the best harvesting seasons. Thus, if the forest biomass is harvested at the end of winter or beginning of spring with subsequent storage during the summer, this biomass will have the best performance for energy production.     

Effects of furfural and acetic acid on growth and lipid production from glucose and xylose by Rhodotorula glutinis

Microbial conversion of lignocellulosic sugars to triacylglycerols (a biodiesel or renewable diesel feedstock) was investigated using the oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula glutinis (ATCC 15125). In the shake flask experiments, R. glutinis was first grown in a nitrogen-rich medium utilizing an artificial acid hydrolysate of lignocellulosic biomass switchgrass as the sole carbon and energy source. Once the culture had reached the stationary phase, the cells were harvested and transferred to a fresh nitrogen-free media containing artificial acid hydrolysate sugars for lipid accumulation. Analysis of the data collected showed that the yeast were able to grow in the medium containing artificial acid hydrolysate sugars as the carbon and energy source. The net specific Growth rate(s) indicated that the presence of acetic acid and furfural in the artificial acid hydrolysate inhibited the growth of R. glutinis on glucose, but not the growth on xylose. The lipid accumulated in the cells, determined by gravimetrical method, increased from initial 4.3%-39.0% of dry cell mass weight. The major fatty acids of the accumulated lipids were palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid and ??-linoleic acid. These results indicate that it is feasible to convert the sugars in acid hydrolysate of lignocellulosic biomass to triacylglycerols using R. glutinis.     

Wettability alteration of carbonate reservoir rock using amphoteric and cationic surfactants: Experimental investigation

The objective of this study is to prove that altering the wettability of reservoir rocks by two surfactants (hexadecyl amino benzene sulfonic acid [HABSA] and cationic hexa decyl trimethyl ammonum bromide [CTAB]). Changing the wettability to preferentially water-wet condition will reduce the residual oil saturation (S_or). Because of reducing S_or, the percentage of recovered oil is increased. All surfactants were tested for their ability to alter the wettability of reservoir rocks. This alteration was measured based on the contact angle methods. Results of this study show that both amphoteric HABSA and CTAB surfactants alter the wettability of carbonate rocks from oil-wet to water-wet, while CTAB alters the wettability from oil-wet to water-wet more than HABSA. Also, recovery factor in CTAB injection was more than HABSA injection. Ultimately, the results show that the CTAB surfactant is more effective than HABSA surfactant to alter the wettability and improve oil recovery from carbonate reservoirs.     

Mixotrophic cultivation,a preferable microalgae cultivation mode for biomass/bioenergy production,and bioremediation,advances and prospect

Microalgae have received much attention in recent years as a feedstock for producing renewable fuels. Microalgae cultivation technology is one of the main factors restricting biomass production as well as energy fuel production and bioremediation. There are four types of cultivation conditions for microalgae: photoautotrophic, heterotrophic, mixotrophic and photoheterotrophic cultivation. Though photoautotrophic and heterotrophic cultivation are two common growth modes of microalgae, some microalgae can also grow better under mixotrophic condition, which may combine the advantages of autotrophic and heterotrophic and overcome the disadvantages. This review compared these growth modes of microalgae and discussed the advantages of mixotrophic mode in bioenergy production by considering the difference in growth, photosynthesis characteristic and bioenergy production. Also, the influence factors of mixotrophic cultivation and the application of mixotrophic microalgae in bioremediation are discussed, laying theoretical foundation for large scale microalgae cultivating for biomass production, bioenergy production and environmental protection.     

Comparative analysis of harvesting machines on an operational high-density short rotation woody crop (SRWC) culture: One-process versus two-process harvest operation

Short rotation woody crops (SRWCs) are being studied and cultivated because of their potential for bioenergy production. The harvest operation represents the highest input cost for these short rotation woody crops. We evaluated three different harvesting machines representing two harvesting systems at one operational large-scale SRWC plantation. On average, 8 ton ha⁻¹ of biomass was harvested. The cut-and-chip harvesters were faster than the whole stem harvester; and the self-propelled harvester was faster than the tractor-pulled. Harvesting costs differed among the harvesting machines used and ranged from 388 € ha⁻¹ to 541 € ha⁻¹. The realized stem cutting heights were 15.46 cm and 16.00 cm for the tractor-pulled stem harvester and the self-propelled cut-and-chip harvester respectively, although a cutting height of 10 cm was requested in advance. From the potential harvestable biomass, only 77.4% was harvested by the self-propelled cut-and-chip harvester, while 94.5% was harvested by the tractor-pulled stem harvester. An increase of the machinery use efficiency (i.e. harvest losses, cost) is necessary to reduce costs and increase the competitiveness of biomass with other energy sources.     

Parameters influencing the design of photobioreactor for the growth of microalgae

Carbon dioxide sequestration using microalgae is the most promising method for combating global warming. Growth of microalgae is influenced by the availability of carbon dioxide, number of photons, initial concentration of microalgae and nutrients. The transfer of carbon dioxide from flue gas and absorption of photons from sunlight are influenced by the surface area/volume ratio of photobioreactor. The growth rate of microalgae follows lag, log, deceleration and stationary phases. The rate of growth increases with concentration of microalgae till an optimum concentration of algae is reached and then decreases for any fixed operating conditions and selected microalgae. At an optimum concentration the rate is the highest always. Operating a photobioreactor at this optimum concentration with highest surface area to volume ratio would require the smallest size of photobioreactor for a given production rate. Based on the review on the performance of various existing photobioreactors and the growth mechanism of microalgae it is observed that the design and operation of an efficient photo bioreactor system should consider (1) providing highest spread area to volume ratio (2) maintaining optimum concentration matching the highest rate (3) harvesting the excess microalgae formed over the optimum concentration to maintain the optimum concentration and (4) adding nutrients to the growth medium to maintain nutrient concentration at a constant level.