Biodiesel from algae is an alternative source to fossil fuel. Algae are cultivated, harvested and refined to produce different kinds of fuels. There is a lot of investment by companies and governments to boost and commercialize production. Carbon dioxide gas that the fuels produce is reabsorbed from the atmosphere. This is an advantage over fossil alternatives.
Research is more inclined to utilization of microalgae organisms for production on large scale. Microalgae are organisms that make their own food by photosynthesis. They include cyanobacteria and diatoms. Microalgae are preferred than macroalgae since they grow faster, their oil content is high and they are less in complexity. Each different species generates different quantities of oil.
The major species of algae that are applied for commercial production are Gracilaria, Chlorella, Botryococcus braunii, Dunaliella tertiolecta and Sargassum among numerous others. Preference for a certain strain should depend on availability, ease of growth and costs of maintenance among others. One also needs to consider picking a strain that has multiple uses, for instance Chlorella may be repacked as human food after extracting oil from its cells.
Once a certain species is selected, necessary growth conditions must be made present so that the algae can thrive. The key conditions comprise light, carbon dioxide gas and water. Reproduction is improved by some nutrients that must be present. Such nutrients comprise phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. Chlorides, silica and iron are important for healthy and accelerated growth. Nutrients are inexpensive and available in shops.
The organisms can be raised in different environments including pits of wastewater and specifically designed equipments. The equipments are called bioreactors. They are long tunnels made of plastic and ensure a constant flow of water to make sure that the medium remains fresh. They can be supplied with light from light emitting diodes, the sun or phosphorescent bulbs. The water in the bioreactors should be kept at medium salinity. The type of bioreactor dictates if the culture is to be continuous or in patches.
Microalgae reproduce at high rates and therefore are able tore-establish their cultures after harvesting. This ability makes it okay to harvest as much as 90 percent of the culture. The harvested vegetation is then left to dry on the sun. Other electrical techniques may also be utilized to dehydrate them.
Once the plants are properly dried there are numerous methods of extracting oil. The methods may be combined to attain better and higher produce. The dried plants are passed in oil presses to extract up to seventy six percent of the total oil contained. After this, the remaining pulp is further combined with hexane to absorb the remaining oil. Once oil is extracted, it goes through a sequence of procedures to refine it into different fuels including biobutanol, methane, biogasoline, bioethanol and biodiesel among others.
Biodiesel from algae can be used to power various machines. It is a good alternative to diesel for diesel powered engines. It is cheaper to produce a factor that makes it cheaper comparing to other fuels. It is sustainable because its production can be improved to any levels.
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