This document discusses algal production for biofuel. It begins with an introduction to algae, describing the types and uses of algae. It then discusses the history and feasibility of algae fuel, describing the oil extraction process and biological process of algae growth. It provides details on four main methods of algal production: open pond systems, closed-loop photobioreactor systems, algal turf scrubbers, and hybrid systems. For each method it discusses the key aspects and pros and cons. The document concludes by noting current research and future predictions on algal biofuel production.

1. DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
BANASTHALI VIDYAPITH
Algal Production for Biofuel
Meraj Jafri
LSMSM15052

2. DATA COLLECTION
Content
1.Introduction : Algae
-- Types
--Uses
2. Algae fuel
-- History: Biofuel
-- Feasibility
-- Oil Extraction Process
-- Biological Process
3. Algae Production:
-- Closed loop system
-- Open pond
-- Algal turf scrubber
--Hybrid System
4. Yielding Species
5. Current Researches
6. Future Predictions
7. Conclusion
8. References

3. DATA COLLECTION
Introduction
Introduction
• Algae is an informal term for a large,
diverse group of eukaryotes.
• It is
- Simple plant
- Most live in water
- Photosynthetic
- Capture light energy
- Convert inorganic to organic
matter
-Nonvascular
- Use lipids and oils to help float in
water
• Range from unicellular genera
(Chlorella , Diatoms) to multicellular
forms, ( giant kelp, a large brown alga)

4. DATA COLLECTION
Types
Types
• Red Algae
– Benthic
– Macro
• Green Algae
– Chlorophyll a and b
– Plants
– Freshwater
• Brown Algae
– Benthic
– Macro
– Kelp
– Marine
• Diatoms
– Single celled
– Silica cell wall
• Blue Green Algae
– Vertical migration
– Fix N2 from air
– Freshwater
• Dinoflagellates
– Toxic; suck out O2
– Cause red tides
– Organic matter

5. Physical and Chemical Uses
DATA COLLECTION
Uses
Uses
Algae is used for many purposes in different fields.
1. Agar
2.Alginates
3. Fertilizer
4. Nutrition
5. Pollution control
6. Bioremediation
7. Pigments

6. Physical and Chemical Uses
DATA COLLECTIONUses
Most popular use of Algae is for the extraction of different biofuels.
Biohydrogen
Biodiesel
Jet Fuel
Fats and oils
Butanol fuel and Ethanol Fuel
8. Biofuel

7. Background
DATA COLLECTIONAlgae fuel
Algae fuel or algal biofuel is an
Biofuel
alternative to liquid fossil fuels that
uses algae as its source of energy-rich oils.
History
•In 1942 Harder and Von Witsch were the
first to propose that microalgae be grown
as a source of lipids for food or fuel.
Microalgae
-- Utilized waste CO2 from coal fired power plants.
-- Production of biodiesel from high lipid-content algae grown in ponds.
--The main focus of the program was
known as the Aquatic Species Program (or
ASP)
•From 1978 to 1996 the U.S. Department of
Energy funded a program to develop
renewable transportation fuels from algae

8. DATA COLLECTIONAlgae fuel
Feasibility
Why Algae?
•Algae can be used to make biofuel.
-- High growth rate and easy to grow
• Once harvested, this oil can be converted into fuels for transportation,
aviation or heating
-- As Algae contain oil from 15% to 70% of its dry weight.
• Yield of Algae is quite high in comparison of other conventional crops
grown for the same purpose.
• Produces large amounts oil
•Among all the fastest growing plants about 50% of their weight is oil.
Yield of Various Plant Oils
(in liters per Hectare per Year)
• Contains no sulfur, no toxic, highly Biodegradable.
99999
5951
2290
1412
950
780
447
227
Algae
Palm
Coconut
Castor
Sunflower
Safflower
Soybeans
Corn
Source: oilgae.com, 2008 Data

9. Oil Extraction Process
DATA COLLECTIONAlgae fuel
Biofuel from Algae
Algal Production
After Initial growth
algae is deprived of
nutrients to
produce a greater
oil yield.
The Process
Extraction
A press produces
70 to 75% of the oil
from the plant
Purification
Solvents are used
to purify the oil
from sugar and
other impurities,
solvent use to
evaporates
thereafter.
Utilization
This oil can be used
as fuel directly in
diesel engines or
refined further for
more sort
hydrocarbons.

10. Biological Process
DATA COLLECTIONAlgae fuel
Source of Algae Energy
“There is no magic-bullet fuel crop that can solve our energy woes without harming the
environment, says virtually every scientist studying the issue. But most say that algae…
comes closer than any other plant…”
National Geographic October, 2007
From Macro to Micro
Microscopic Image Of Algae CellA closer look to algae sampleAlgae on a water body
Overview of Photosynthesis
Light Rxn
Dark RxnEthanol

11. Biological Process
DATA COLLECTIONAlgae fuel
Source: http://www.veggievan.org/downloads/articles/Biodiesel%20from%20Algae.pdf
• Needs:
-Sunlight
-CO2
-Nutrients
• Storage of Energy in:
-Lipids and oils
-Carbohydrates
Storing the Sun’s Energy and Soaking CO2

12. DATA COLLECTIONAlgal Production
How does algae grow?
Sunlight
Algae cultivation
Nutrients Rich Water Carbon Dioxide
Many methods of Algae cultivation have been developed by considering these
factors.

13. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Algae cultivation
Algal Production
• Algae grow much faster than food crops, and can produce hundreds of times more oil per
unit area than conventional crops such as rapeseed, palms, soybeans, or jatropha.
• Algae have a harvesting cycle of 1–10 days.
• Their cultivation permits several harvests in a very short time-frame.
2. Closed-loop system
• Algal Production or Algae Cultivation methods in practice .
1. Open pond
3 Algal Turf Scrubber
4. Hybrid System

14. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Open Pond System
Algal Production
• Algae is cultivated in ponds which
are exposed to open air.
• Mostly uses environmental carbon
dioxide.
• The ponds can be in planned or
unplanned, natural or artificial.
• Most efficient and low cost method
where surface water bodies are
available with plenty amount of
water.
• Open sewage-ponds also used for
the cultivation.
• Most popular method in open
pond system is raceway pond.

15. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Open Pond System
Algal Production
Open Pond System
Raceway pond.
•A raceway pond is a shallow
artificial pond used in the cultivation
of algae.
• The pond is divided into a
rectangular grid.
• Each rectangle containing one
channel in the shape of an oval,
like an automotive raceway
circuit.
• Each rectangle contains a paddle
wheel to make the water flow
continuously around the circuit.

16. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Open Pond System
Algal Production
Open Pond System
Raceway pond.
A Complex Raceway Pond Mass Production of Algae

17. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Open Pond System
Algal Production
Open Pond System
Pros Cons
- Low Costs
- Easy to Operate and Maintain
- High Contamination Risk
- Lots of Water and Space
&
- Hardy and grow slower- Soaks Environmental CO2

18. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Closed-loop system
Algal Production
• Closed systems (not exposed to open air) .
• Avoid the problem of contamination by
other organisms blown in by the air.
• Widespread mass-production of algae by
using this method for biofuel production.
•Highly controlled production.
•Allows integration facility with other
facilities like Combined Heat and
Power (CHP) system.
• Most popular method in Closed-loop
system is Photobioreactors.

19. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Closed-loop system
Algal Production
Photobioreactors
• Made up of Plastic or borosilicate glass
tubes that are exposed to sunlight.
•Is a bioreactor that utilizes a light source
to cultivate phototrophic micro-
organisms.
• Provides carefully controlled artificial
environment and specific conditions to
algae.
• Allows much higher growth rates and
purity levels than anywhere in natural or
habitats similar to nature.
• Biomass could be derived from nutrient-
rich wastewater and flue gas carbon dioxide
in a photobioreactor.

20. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Closed-loop system
Algal Production
Photobioreactors
• Process of growing Algae in a Photobioreactors and algal Fuel Extraction.

21. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Closed-loop system
Algal Production
Photobioreactors
Tubular photobioreactors
Christmas tree
photobioreactor
Plate photobioreactor
Horizontal photobioreactor
Foil photobioreactor
Types

22. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Closed-loop system
Algal Production
Pros Cons
- High level of control and
Productivity.
- Needs less Water and Space
- High Costs
- Needs High maintenance and
monitoring
&
- Soaks CO2 from Environmental as
well as from Exhausts.
- No Contamination Risk
- Extensive infrastructure

23. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Algal Turf Scrubber(ATS)
Algal Production
• The algal turf scrubber (ATS) is a system
designed primarily for cleaning nutrients
and pollutants out of water using algal
turfs.
• Algal turf scrubber is imitation of algal
turfs of a natural coral reef.
• For turf a rough plastic membrane
coated surface or a screen is used, which
allows naturally occurring algal spores to
settle and colonize the surface.
• Once the algae has been established, it
can be harvested every 5–15 days.
• Instead of a single high species ,this
method focuses on naturally occurring
polycultures of algae.

24. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Algal Turf Scrubber(ATS)
Algal Production
• It is different from prior two methods
(Open pond, Closed loop System) because
in this method a solid turf is used to grow
algae.
• It is documented higher productivity
over open pond systems.
•Elimination of contamination issues due
to the reliance on naturally occurring
algae species.
•Turf Scrubber can be:
•Horizontal
•Vertical
• SlantedFig: Turf Scrubber Screen

25. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Algal Turf Scrubber(ATS)
Algal Production
• Needs:
-Sunlight
-Non corrosive Turf Sheet
-Nutrients rich Water etc.
Model of outdoor Algal Turf Scrubber

26. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Algal Turf Scrubber(ATS)
Algal Production
Pros Cons
- Very low operating and fuel
production costs
- Low maintenance and monitoring
- Needs Sufficient Water and Space
but less in comparison of Open
pond
&
- Soaks CO2 from Environmental.
- Less Contamination Risk
- Needs considerable infrastructure
- Higher productivity over open pond
systems

27. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Hybrid System
Algal Production
• Hybrid Systems are the advanced
cultivation systems.
• These are basically need dependent
combination of previous algal
production Technologies to overcome
the demerits.
•Hybrid Systems reduce higher Capex
and Opex involved with the Photo
Bioreactors cultivation significantly
improving economic viability.
Algae Bioreactor attached to smoke stack at power plant.
•These systems are capable of
maintaining higher algal densities for
maximized algal biomass production
within less cultivation area.
• These are called with different names
depends on the combination and use of
technology. E.g.
20x2.4 m3 “in-situ hybrid” microalgae cultivation pilot system
(Image by Energy Microalgae Group)
Closed Pond Systems
Photo Bioreactor and Turf Systems
Source: http://algaeindia.com/fdetails.php?title=Hybrid%20Cultivation%20Systems

28. Methods
DATA COLLECTION
Hybrid System
Algal Production
• In Hybrid Systems an artificial environment is created to increase
the yield and decrease the harvesting time of algal production.
Algae Bioreactor attached to smoke stack at power plant.
• For Example:
Algae Photobioreactor used to
attach to smoke stack for more
CO2 supply.
• Major factors which use to
control:
-Sunlight
-CO2
-Nutrients
• Artificial lights are used to
minimize the harvest time
and to increase the
production.

29. DATA COLLECTION
Species
Yielding Species
Finding the Right Algae
• Over 40,000 species of algae have been identified, likely
hundreds of thousands more to be discovered

30. DATA COLLECTION
Species
Yielding Species
As of 2012 researchers across various locations worldwide have started
investigating the following species for their suitability as a mass oil-producers:
 This the list of some high yielding Algae species:
•Ankistrodesmus TR-87: 28–40% oil of dry weight
•Botryococcus braunii: 29–75% dw
•Chlorella sp.: 29%dw
•Chlorella protothecoides(autotrophic/ heterothrophic): 15–55% dw
•Cyclotella DI- 35: 42%dw
•Dunaliella tertiolecta : 36–42%dw
•Hantzschia DI-160: 66%dw
•Nannochloris: 31(6–63)%dw
•Nannochloropsis : 46(31–68)%dw
•Neochloris oleoabundans: 35–54%dw
•Nitzschia TR-114: 28–50%dw
•Scenedesmus TR-84: 45%dw
•Schizochytrium 50–77%dw
•Stichococcus: 33(9–59)%dw

31. DATA COLLECTION
Current Researches
Current Researches
• At the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Harbor Branch
Oceanographic Institution the organically rich wastewater is being used to
accelerate the growth of algae.
• The Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at University of
Georgia is exploring microalgal biomass production using industrial wastewater.
• Solazyme(South San Francisco, California) has produced a fuel suitable for
powering jet aircraft from algae.
• In India Reliance industries in collaboration with Algenol, USA commissioned a
pilot project to produce algal bio-oil.
• Pond Biofuels Inc. in Ontario, Canada has a functioning pilot plant where algae
is grown directly off of smokestack emissions from a cement plant, and dried
using waste heat.
• Ocean Nutrition Canada in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada has found a new strain
of algae that appears capable of producing oil at a rate 60 times greater than
other types of algae being used for the generation of biofuels.

32. DATA COLLECTION
Future Predictions
Yielding Species
• It looks that in future there will be a boom in this field as conventional
energy resources are limited and day by becoming more expensive.
• From the study it can be predict that in future there will be:
Biofuel Vehicles “Green” Buildings
 Emphasis on the use of Byproducts
 More Research & Development
 Further Private & Government Investment
 Clearer Regulatory & Statutory Guidelines for Algae
Businesses

33. DATA COLLECTION
Conclusion
Conclusion
• Algae is easy to grow.
• Can produce a high yield of oil.
• Algae is a very efficient means of producing biofuel.
• The oil production from algae farms is feasible and
scalable.
• Further research necessary to unlock full potential of algae
• Help to solve dependence on fossil fuels.
• Can be better for the Earth.

34. Research Papers
• Ben, A., Amotz , Large Scale Open Algae Ponds, The National Institute of
Oceanography Nature Beta Technologies Ltd. Nikken Sohonsha Co, Japan Seambiotic
Ltd. ISRAEL
• Eleazer ,P. R. , Lisa, M. C. , Mark, A. White , Andres F. C., 2012, Comparison of algae
cultivation methods for bioenergy production using a combined life cycle assessment
and life cycle costing approach, Bioresource Technology 126 (2012) 298–306
• Jorquera, O., Kiperstok, A., Sales, E.A., Embiruçu, M., Ghirardi, M.L., 2010.
Comparative energy life-cycle analyses of microalgal biomass production in
open ponds and photobioreactors. Bioresource Technology 101, 1406–1413.
REFERENCES
DATA COLLECTION
Websites:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae_fuel
www.sciencedirect.com
http://www.oilgae.com/
http://inhabitat.com/algae-covered-buildings-to-boost-biofuel-production/
http://inhabitat.com/power-your-car-with-algae-algae-biocrude-by-livefuels/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae_scrubber
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae_fuel
http://www.algaeindustrymagazine.com/scalable-algae-microfarms-part-5/
http://english.qibebt.cas.cn/ic/ji/jrlsab/201011/t20101103_60856.html
http://www.dailyalternative.co.uk/could-micro-algae-free-america-from-foreign-wars-
debt-and-environmental-destruction/