Abstract

1. Background Modified Design Original Design http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/content/SUST/BIOFUEL/110407_Biodieselfrommicroalgae.pdf http://roweb.cityu.edu.hk/researchreport/2002-2003/Project/020.jpg http://photos.mongabay.com/08/0423methaneglobal.jpg http://www.ieagreen.org.uk/newsletter/dec80/images/biofixation.JPG Taken: January 17, 2009 Taken on: December 21, 2008 Knowledge Base Original Design Modified Design Taken: January 17, 2009 http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/content/SUST/BIOFUEL/110407_Biodieselfrommicroalgae.pdf Organism: C.reinhardtii Organism: S.limacinum • Contains pigments for photosynthesis • Known to contain EPA, DHA, and omega-3 fatty acids • Reliable source of oil production for biodiesels • (Kamlangdee, 2003) • Contains an enzyme called hydrogenase that allows creation of hydrogen • (Tiede, 2008) • Ability to produce hydrogen under anoxic conditions • (Fouchard, 2005) Literature Review http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlamydomonas_reinhardtii Magnified 3000X Hypothesis Purpose • The use of bioreactors to combat the growing problem of greenhouse gases has been extensively studied in recent decades. • (Chisti, 2007) Abstract • The U.S. has reported a 3.3% increase of carbon dioxide emissions in the past year • Mostly due to car emissions and industrial factories. (Hopwood, 2007) Tubular Photo Bioreactor Design Raceway Pond Design • A raceway pond is made of a closed loop recirculation channel • (Chisti, 2007) • Consists of straight transparent tubes either made out of glass or plastic (also known as solar collectors) • (Chisti, 2007) • A self-contained bioreactor Control: Airlift Design • Molina Grima; et al (2001): • Experiment on tubular photobioreactors using P. tricornutum • Tested tubular diameter on the amount of sunlight that penetrated through the culture broth • (Najafpour, 2003): • Observed the effect of light intensity, agitation, and liquid dilution rate on hydrogen production • Found use of biocatalyst can be considered alternative to Fischer Tropsch synthetic reactions • Kamlangdee (2003): • Experiment on polyunsaturated fatty acids production by Schizochytrium sp. • Found single isolate reliable in production of DHA Null Hypothesis H(o): No significant difference will be found in the growth of C.reinhardtii and S.limacinum in either bioreactor. Alternate Hypothesis H(a1): The airlift bioreactor will have the most overall growth of biomass Alternate Hypothesis H(a2): The growth of C.reinhardtii and S.limacinum will be greatest in the Tubular Photobioreactor when exposed to carbon dioxide. To create a bioreactor design that would enhance growth rate and energy yield in Schizochytrium limacinum and C.reinhardtii

2. Discussion Conclusion Limitations Select Bibliography Future Studies • A Tubular Photobioreactor is a suitable environment for growth of algae • Performance of the Tubular Photobioreactor surpassed the control bioreactor • Daily exposure to carbon dioxide did not greatly effect pH levels in bioreactors • Growth in Tubular Bioreactor was greater than growth in the Raceway Pond possibly due to more efficient pump • Revision of Tubular Photobioreactor and Raceway Pond designs • Testing various tube diameters • Using grown C.reinhardtii and S.limacinum from bioreactors to extract hydrogen and oils, respectively, to test energy content • Data supports the Alternate Hypothesis • The Tubular Photo Bioreactor demonstrated a greater amount of growth as compared to the Raceway Pond • There was no significance regarding the Carbon Dioxide levels when pumped through the Tubular, Raceway Pond and Airlift Bioreactors • Errors while using the Spectrophotometer occurred, causing incongruous data: Possibly caused by cuvette or contaimination • Possible errors in GLX Xplorer readings for carbon dioxide • Possible bacterial contamination in bioreactors • “Algae Could One Day Be Major Hydrogen Fuel Source.” Science Daily. April 2, 2008. • Belarbi, E-H; Molina, E; Chisti, Y. “A process for high yield and scaleable recovery of high purity eicosapentaenoic acid esters from microalgae and fish oil.” Enzyme and Microbial Technology. Vol. 26, Pgs. 516-529., 2000. • Biello, David. “Combating Climate Change: Scaling Back Greenhouse Gas Emissions While Keeping the Lights On.” Scientific American. May 8, 2007. • Biello, David. “Pollution-Free Hydrogen SUV Hits the Driveway.” Scientific American. March 20, 2008. • Brown, Kenneth. “Producing Renewable Hydrogen From Biomass.” BioCycle. Pg. 54, Vol. 45., January 1, 2004. • Bullis, Kevin. “Algae-Based Fuels Set to Bloom.” Technology Review. February 5, 2007. • Chisti, Yusuf. “Biodiesel from Microalgae.” Biotechnology Advances. Vol. 25, Pgs. 294-306. February 13, 2007. • Chisti, Y; Moo-Young, M. “Clean-in-place systems for industrial bioreactors: design, validation, and operation.” Journal of Industrial Microbiology. Vol. 13, Pgs. 201-207., 1994. • Gavrilescu, M; Chisti, Y. “Biotechnology- a sustainable alternative for chemical industry.” Biotechnology Advances. Vol. 23, Pgs. 471-499., 2005. • Ghirardi L, Maria; et al. “Cyclic Photobiological Algal H2-Production.” Proceedings of the 2002 U.S. DOE Hydrogen Program Review. Colorado, 2002. • Hatcher G, Patrick. “Algae Can Help Us Move Past Ethanol’s Problems.” RichmondTimes-Dispatch. March 23, 2008. • Kamlangdee, N; Fan, K.W. “Polyunsaturated fatty acids production by Schizochytrium sp. Isolated from mangrove.” Songklanakarin J.Sci. Technol. 25(5): 643- 650., 2003. • Knothe, Gerhard. “Analyzing Biodiesel: Standards and Other Methods.” JAOCS. Vol. 83, Pgs. 823-833., 2006. • Magrini-Bair, Kimberly; et al. “Fluidizable Catalysts for Producing Hydrogen by Steam Reforming Biomass Pyrolysis Liquids.” Proceedings in the 2002 U.S. DOE Hydrogen Program Review. Golden, Colorado, 2002. • Melis, A; Happe, T. “Trails of Green Alga Hydrogen Research- From Hans Gaffron to New Frontiers.” Photosynthesis Research. Vol. 80, Pgs. 401-409., 2004. • Molina Grima, E; Acien Fernandez, F.G.; Garcia Camacho, F; Camacho Rubio, F; Chisti, Y. “Scale-up of Tubular Photobioreactors.” Journal of Applied Phycology. Vol. 12, Pgs. 355-368., 1999. • Molina Grima, E; Fernandez, J; Acien Fernandez, F.G; Chisti, Y. “Tubular photobioreactor design for algal cultures.” Journal of Biotechnology. Vol. 92, Pgs. 113-131., 2001. • Morris, R.E; Pollack, A.K; Mansel, G.E; Lindhjem, C; Jia, Y; and Wilson, G. “Impact of Biodiesel Fuels on Air Quality and Human Health.” National Renewable Energy Laboratory. NREL/SR-540-33793, May 2003. • Pahl, Greg. “Biodiesel: Homegrown Oil.” Mother Earth News. Pg. 65., February 1, 2006. • Patel-Predd, Prachi. “Hydrogen from Algae.” Technology Review. September 27, 2007. • Preston Hubbard, Holly. “Hopes are high, as are the hurdles, for alternative fuel Ambitious target set for biofuels, which have yet to be economically viable.” International Herald Tribune. March 15, 2008. • “Renewed Interest in Turning Algae Into Fuel Generated.” Science Daily. January 19, 2008. • Sachs D, Jeffrey. “Act Now, Eat Later.” Time. Pg. 44. May 5, 2008. • Schwartz I, Evan. “The Algae Alternative.” The Boston Globe. July 12, 2004. • Seibert, Michael; et al. “Molecular Engineering of Algal H2 Production.” Proceedings of the 2002 U.S. DOE Hydrogen Program Review. Colorado, 2002. • Spolaore, P; Joannis-Cassan, C; Duran, E; Isambert, A. “Commercial Applications of Microalgae.” J Biosci Bioeng. Vol. 101, Pgs. 87-96., 2006.