title: Process energy comparison for the production and harvesting of algal biomass as a biofuel feedstock.
abstract: Harvesting and drying are often described as the most energy intensive stages of microalgal biofuel production. This study analyzes two cultivation and eleven harvest technologies for the production of microalgae biomass with and without the use of drying. These technologies were combined to form 122 different production scenarios. The results of this study present a calculation methodology and optimization of total energy demand for the production of algal biomass for biofuel production. The energetic interaction between unit processes and total process energy demand are compared for each scenario. Energy requirements are shown to be highly dependent on final mass concentration, with thermal drying being the largest energy consumer. Scenarios that omit thermal drying in favor of lipid extraction from wet biomass show the most promise for energy efficient biofuel production. Scenarios which used open ponds for cultivation, followed by settling and membrane filtration were the most energy efficient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States.
authors.forename: Matthew K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Weschler
authors.affiliation: School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University, ISTB4 781 E Terrace Road, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States.
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems and Engineering Management, Air Force Institute of Technology, 2950 Hobson Way, WPAFB, OH 45433, United States.
authors.forename: Willie F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.affiliation: School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University, ISTB4 781 E Terrace Road, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States. Electronic address: Amy.Landis@asu.edu.
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Landis
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels / Q000382:microbiology*; D018533:Biomass; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D058086:Microalgae / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels
keywords: Biofuel; Energy demand; Harvesting; Microalgae