Oil Extraction

[BioFrenzy]

cool, keep us updated yea.

i was wondering if you'd be interedted in experimenting? i want to try freezing a batch of algae before it gets dried to see if that breaks the cell walls down enough to get higher oil yeild when pressed?

just an idea, i'm a little ways from getting set up and i've just been hanging to see the difference, if any.

cheers

This is relative to the strain. Some have weak cell walls which a friolex process will take care of it, some need an isohexane extraction which the cells are literally beaten to a pulp into a micilia type slurry. Like i said its all relative.

[BioFrenzy]

hey, Im a masters student at UGA and my research topic for the next two years is the seperation of the algal biomass from the water and extraction of oil. I am also looking into supersonic extraction of oil and cost effective methods of seperation at a large industiral scale. Ill keep you updated on my progress!

As a student, you may have access to a supercritical CO2 extraction machine. I sure would be interesting in finding out if that process works on wet algae. It should, and should be relatively low cost except for the capital expenses. If you can do it, I think that would be worth a PhD!

The supersonic extraction seems very possible, I would love to see you succeed with your efforts, it would truly change the industry.

You need to check out what Originoil is doing... For all those small cap stock followers out there, this company is developing a micro-wave machine what will burst the cell apart using a low wattage microwave.. Another neat thing along the same line of the same technology is Global Resource corporation whom is implementing in their prototype debut set for first week of may which allows them to extract hydrocarbons(fuel) from shale, tires ect by focusing a frequency specific microwave between two electrodes. This leads me to question the ability for this same process to extract oils from a biomass dried or still wet. Brings you around full circle to what Originoil supposidly has a patent pending on.

[dobry]

hey, Im a masters student at UGA and my research topic for the next two years is the seperation of the algal biomass from the water and extraction of oil. I am also looking into supersonic extraction of oil and cost effective methods of seperation at a large industiral scale. Ill keep you updated on my progress!

I'll just tell you that there are some really solid patents out there for acoustic methods of extraction. Do a lot of homework before you start.

[dobry]

Curious if anyone has looked into other mechanical disruption methods? IE microfluidization, homogenization, rotor stator, bead mill etc?

Also curious if anyone has looked at the purity of the oil from the separation techniques mentioned? If purity is low, why not look into centrifuges (disk stack), tangential flow filtration, hollow fiber to increase purity?

flow filters biofoul, disk stack centrifuges are power hogs (but work), bead mills get mucked up real fast. Jury is still out (to my knowledge) on hollow fibers.

[dobry]

cool, keep us updated yea.

i was wondering if you'd be interedted in experimenting? i want to try freezing a batch of algae before it gets dried to see if that breaks the cell walls down enough to get higher oil yeild when pressed?

just an idea, i'm a little ways from getting set up and i've just been hanging to see the difference, if any.

cheers

you have to use liquid nitrogen and then break them in a mortar and pestel. This is a common lab technique for lysing cells. Regular freezing doesn't get them hard enough to break the cell walls.

[DR Johansen]

The only thing i can not look at is super critical CO2 extraction. We do not have the capital to look in that direction.

Please don't assume SC CO2 is beyond your reach. These folks http://www.supercriticalfluids.com/index.htm have some laboratory level equipment they may let a college have for a reduced cost, maybe even free. I can't help but think that SC CO2 will prove the best way to go in the final analysis.

Hi folks,
As an addendum to my thought that SC CO2 extraction may be the way to go, it now seems (upon further reading) that the same type of processing is very effective for turning the algae oil into biodeisel. It is called supercritical methanol process which is a continuous flow process that proceeds without catalysts. The pressures mentioned are consistent with SC CO2 unless I misread things.

[acdcookies]

Tried freezing algae several times, no success w/additional yield. I assume unlike beer bottle analogy, cell membrane, being flexible before freezing, allows for additional volume of expanded liquid or oil's freezing properties is different from water like liquids. Any event good theory but not practical.

[AlgaeMan]

Keep up the good work team! Profitability may be right around the corner!

I can get capital, I can get land. I can make a deal with a neighboring wood-chip burning power plant (for its flue gasses).

I just to need to show, on paper, that a profit can be turned. Sell me the technology to do it! Extraction is the key!

[kenwellsied]

just dropping by looking for a good & informative post...good thing I found this great site..tnx

[zahirus]

hey ,there is possibility to use microwave assisted extraction to extract microalgae oil ???????????????????