Detailed Project Report on Bio-Diesel from Algae

BIO-DIESEL FROM ALGAE

[EIRI/EDPR/1034] J.C.: 9676

INTRODUCTION

High oil prices, competing demands between foods and other biofuel sources, and the world food crisis, have ignited interest in algaculture (farming algae) for making vegetable oil, biodiesel, bioethanol, biogasoline, biomethanol, biobutanol and other biofuels, using land that is not suitable for agriculture. Among algal fuels' attractive characteristics: they do not affect fresh water resources, can be produced using ocean and wastewater, and are biodegradable and relatively harmless to the environment if spilled. Algae cost more per unit mass (as of 2010, food grade algae costs ~$5000/tonne), due to high capital and operating costs, yet can theoretically yield between 10 and 100 times more energy per unit area than other second-generation biofuel crops. One biofuels company has claimed that algae can produce more oil in an area the size of a two car garage than a football field of soybeans, because almost the entire algal organism can use sunlight to produce lipids, or oil. The  Department of Energy estimates that if algae fuel replaced all the petroleum fuel in the country, it would require 15,000 square miles (40,000 km2). This is less than 1⁄7 the area of wheat harvested  in 2000.[  However, these claims remain unrealized, commercially.

Factors

Dry mass factor is the percentage of dry biomass in relation to the fresh biomass; e.g. if the dry mass factor is 5%, one would need 20 kg of wet algae (algae in the media) to get 1 kg of dry algae cells.

Lipid content is the percentage of oil in relation to the dry biomass needed to get it, i.e. if the algae lipid content is 40%, one would need 2.5 kg of dry algae to get 1 kg of oil.

Fuels

The vegoil algae product can then be harvested and converted into biodiesel or green-colored crude oil. The algae’s carbohydrate content can be fermented into bioethanol and biobutanol. 

Biodiesel

Currently most research into efficient algal-oil production is being done in the private sector, but predictions from small scale production experiments bear out that using algae to produce biodiesel may be the only viable method by which to produce enough automotive fuel to replace current world diesel usage. 

Microalgae have much faster growth rates than terrestrial crops. The per unit area yield of oil from algae is estimated to be from between 5,000 to 20,000 US gallons per acre per year (4,700 to 18,000 m3/km2•a). This is 7 to 30 times greater than the next best crop, Chinese tallow (700 US gal/acre•a or 650 m3/km2•a). 

Studies show that some species of algae can produce up to 60% of their dry weight in the form of oil. Because the cells grow in aqueous suspension, where they have more efficient access to water, CO2 and dissolved nutrients, microalgae are capable of producing large amounts of biomass and usable oil in either high rate algal ponds or photobioreactors. This oil can then be turned into biodiesel which could be sold for use in automobiles. Regional production of microalgae and processing into biofuels will provide economic benefits to rural communities. 

COST ESTIMATION

Plant Capacity            1000 Ltr./Day

Land & Building (8000 sq.mt.)    Rs. 34.20 Lac

Plant & Machinery                    Rs. 16.00 Lac

Working Capital for 2 Months    Rs. 41.91 Lac

Total Capital Investment          Rs. 1.01 Cr.

Rate of Return                          58%

Break Even Point                      38%

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

FACTORS

FUELS

BIODIESEL

BIOBUTANOL

BIOGASOLINE

METHANE

ETHANOL

SVO

HYDROCRACKING TO TRADITIONAL TRANSPORT FUELS

JET FUEL

ALGAE CULTIVATION

PHOTOBIOREACTORS

CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM

OPEN POND

ALGAE TYPES

SPECIFIC RESEARCH

NUTRIENTS

CARBON DIOXIDE

WASTEWATER

MICROALGAE AS A FEEDSTOCK FOR BIO FUEL PRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF ALGAE

MACROALGAE VS MICROALGAE

FIG-1 : MACROALGAE & MICROALGAE

ALGAE AS A BIOENERGY SOURCE

TABLE-1 MICROALGA OIL CONTENT

TABLE-2 CROP OIL YIELD

CULTIVATING ALGAE FOR LIQUID FUEL PRODUCTION

THE NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY

GREENFUEL BIOREACTOR IN FIELD TEST

A GREENFUEL TECHNOLOGIES BIOREACTOR IN OPERATION PHOTOS COURTESY GREENFUEL TECHNOLOGIES.

LARGE-SCALE ALGAE PRODUCTION

SMALL-SCALE PRODUCTION

CONCLUSIONS

PROPERTIES OF ALGAE

TEMPERATURE

ALGAL BIODIESEL CHARACTERISTICS & PROPERTIES

CHARACTERISTICS OF ALGAE BIODIESEL THAT DIFFER FROM PETRO DIESEL:

ADVANTAGES OF BIODIESEL PRODUCED FROM ALGAE:

BIODIESEL PRODUCTION FROM ALGAE

DRAWINGS

ULTRASONIC CLEANING OF PHOTO-BIOREACTORS

DESIGN OF PHOTO-BIOREACTORS

ULTRASONIC REACTOR CLEANING

MORE ULTRASONIC PROCESSES FOR ALGAE

PHOTOBIOREACTORS WITH BINARY CULTURES

METHOD

DRAWINGS

DESCRIPTIONS

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

RESULTS

ALGAE CULTIVATION POND

DRAWINGS

DESCRIPTIONS

EXAMPLE

LARGE SCALE OPEN ALGAE PONDS

BIO-ENGINEERING REQUIREMENTS FOR MAXIMAL PRODUCTIVITY IN ALGAL OPEN PONDS AREA LAYOUT & POND DESIGN, SET OF 1 ACRE

PONDS

LENGTH, WIDTH & DEPTH

NO LINER CLAY

ASPHALT

PVC & PE

300 M2 POND

PVC 3,000M2

THE PADDLE WHEEL

THE ONE UNIT PADDLE WHEEL

THE PADDLE WHEEL LOCATION AND DESIGN

THE SPIRULINA PADDLE WHEEL SHORT DIAMETER (30 CM), HIGH RPM

SPIRULINA PADDLE LONG, SHORT DIAMETER, HIGH RPM

PADDLE WHEEL FLOW DIRECTION ?

PH CONTROL, DEPTH, TEMP RECORDING HISTORY

OSWALD’S POND DESIGN, 1983

POND CLEANING MACHINE USE: FAST, SIMPLE, EFFICIENT

ECONOMICS OF BIODIESEL PRODUCTION

TABLE 1 THE COST ESTIMATION OF BIOFUEL PRODUCTION

JERUZ ALGAELINK PHOTO BIO-REACTOR MANUFACTURER

PLANT LAYOUT

APPENDIX – A:

01. PLANT ECONOMICS

02. LAND & BUILDING

03. PLANT AND MACHINERY

04. OTHER FIXED ASSESTS

05. FIXED CAPITAL

06. RAW MATERIAL

07. SALARY AND WAGES

08. UTILITIES AND OVERHEADS

09. TOTAL WORKING CAPITAL

10. TOTAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT

11. COST OF PRODUCTION

12. TURN OVER/ANNUM

13. BREAK EVEN POINT

14. RESOURCES FOR FINANCE

15. INSTALMENT PAYABLE IN 5 YEARS

16. DEPRECIATION CHART FOR 5 YEARS

17. PROFIT ANALYSIS FOR 5 YEARS

18. PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET FOR (5 YEARS)