The ecology of algal biodiesel production

Smith, Val H.; Sturm, Belinda; deNoyelles, Frank; Billings, Sharon A.

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2009.11.007

Cited by 237 publications

(152 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…If these were incorporated into a small volume vertical bioreactor, the spatial footprint would be small, minimizing the use of open space without displacing agriculture, biodiversity, or green space. Therefore, designs of future culture systems should pay closer attention to high yields and low footprints [260][261][262][263][264][265], as well as minimal energy consumption [266]. This would be especially applicable to smaller commercial volumes (i.e., 200 L) with high illuminated areas and adequate mixing of cells through the light field, but not at such high turbulent levels that would increase cell mortality, and thus reduce biomass [267][268][269].…”

Section: Bioreactors and Scale-upmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dependency of Microalgal Production on Biomass and the Relationship to Yield and Bioreactor Scale-up for Biofuels: a Statistical Analysis of 60+ Years of Algal Bioreactor Data

Granata

2016

Bioenerg. Res.

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Since the 1950s, research has been undertaken to promote algal oil as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. This paper statistically analyzed 317 studies of algal bioreactors to determine the interdependence of biological and physical factors affecting oil yield. Algal growth rates in bioreactors often (71 %) exceeded maximal growth rates cited in the literature, and biomass was generally higher than maximum values cited for laboratory cultures. Growth rate decreased with increasing biomass, and biomass, not growth, dominated production rate, which was higher in closed than in open bioreactors. Except for Chlorella cultured in horizontal tubular reactors, there were no statistical differences in algal production when grown in different types of reactors. Production decreased with increasing bioreactor volume, but increased with surface to volume ratio of the bioreactor. In contrast, estimated oil yields increased with bioreactor volume. Four groups of bioreactors were identified based on their oil yields and biomass production: (1) higher yields with lower production were limited to open systems with volumes ≥10 4 L; (2) higher yields with higher production were almost exclusively closed bioreactors from 10 2 to 10 3 L; (3) lower yields with higher production were closed systems from 3 to 99 L; and (4) lower yields with lower production were a mix of open and closed systems with diverse volumes. Based on these groups, it is suggested that intermediate volume bioreactors with higher surface to volume ratios could give higher yields and production rates and would avoid the environmental and scale-up problems inherent in large bioreactors currently being used commercially to culture microalgae.

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Section: Bioreactors and Scale-upmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dependency of Microalgal Production on Biomass and the Relationship to Yield and Bioreactor Scale-up for Biofuels: a Statistical Analysis of 60+ Years of Algal Bioreactor Data

Granata

2016

Bioenerg. Res.

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“…Such habitats provide eutrophication locations which can be exploited or managed for cultivating feedstocks for biofuel production. Regarding ecological aspects of such systems, Smith et al [88] described that having a high surface-to-volume ratio a typical eutrophic lake is characterized with abundance of nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus. Such conditions will obviously stimulate heavy growth of algae and/or other aquatic plants.…”

Section: Prospects Of Cost Effective Microalgal Cultivationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Importance of microalgal cultivation for obtaining biofuels and biomaterials is well established. Smith et al [88] demonstrated that key principles of ecology can be applied to design pondbased microalgal cultivation systems for the production of biodiesel fuels. Scott et al [89] discussed that microalgae offer great potential of biodiesel production, however, processes still far from being commercially viable.…”

Section: Prospects Of Cost Effective Microalgal Cultivationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lucrative future of microalgal biofuels in Pakistan: a review

Manzoor

Tabssum

Javaid

et al. 2015

Int J Energy Environ Eng

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Pond-grown microalgae have been considered as feedstocks for production of biodiesel. Various natural habitats and man-made environments can be exploited to cultivate microalgae without utilizing arable land which is already decreasing due to urbanization and industrial development. Suitable temperature, solar illumination and availability of phosphorus and nitrogen-rich organic wastes result in algal blooms in stagnant water and river bank's associated pools in many regions including Pakistan.

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“…solar energy, wind energy, hydro energy, and biomass energy which produce from the natural sources, in biomass energy we used different microorganisms. At the present time the quantity of biofuel from vegetable oil, animal fat is not enough to meet world energy requirement for transportation fuel [2]. Microalgae as a source of biomass that contain excess amount of lipid is cheap and environment friendly and do not affect the overall balance of CO2 in the atmosphere [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Microalgal Triacylglycerol as Environmental Benign Approach for Biodiesel Production

Srivastava¹,

Kumar²

2018

JESPR

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Energy plays a vital role for the development for the human welfare. The global economy totally runs on energy, or we can say that all living things depends on it, for example, plants takes energy from the sunlight, water and minerals, and this process is called photosynthesis, animals takes energy from plants and from one another, whereas humans takes energy from both. As the population increases, the uses of fossil fuels increased rapidly and because of this supply of renewable resources get affected and global warming makes earth more complicated due to increase in carbon dioxide. The production of biodiesel using microalgae biomass appears to be more viable and cheaper. Microalgae are a good source of lipid and triacylglycerol (TAG) that are sustainable feedstock for biodiesel. The present paper is an attempt to know the potential of microalgae for the biodiesel production.

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The ecology of algal biodiesel production

Cited by 237 publications

References 77 publications

Dependency of Microalgal Production on Biomass and the Relationship to Yield and Bioreactor Scale-up for Biofuels: a Statistical Analysis of 60+ Years of Algal Bioreactor Data

Dependency of Microalgal Production on Biomass and the Relationship to Yield and Bioreactor Scale-up for Biofuels: a Statistical Analysis of 60+ Years of Algal Bioreactor Data

Lucrative future of microalgal biofuels in Pakistan: a review

Assessment of Microalgal Triacylglycerol as Environmental Benign Approach for Biodiesel Production

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