title: Energy evaluation of algal cell disruption by high pressure homogenisation.
abstract: The energy consumption of high pressure homogenisation (HPH) was analysed to determine the feasibility of rupturing algal cells for biodiesel production. Experimentally, the processing capacity (i.e. flow rate), power draw and cell disruption efficiency of HPH were independent of feed concentration (for Nannochloropsis sp. up to 25%w/w solids). Depending on the homogenisation pressure (60-150 MPa), the solids concentration (0.25-25%w/w), and triacylglyceride (TAG) content of the harvested algal biomass (10-30%), the energy consumed by HPH represented between 6% and 110-times the energy density of the resulting biodiesel. Provided the right species (weak cell wall and high TAG content) is selected and the biomass is processed at a sufficiently high solids concentration, HPH can consume a small fraction of the energy content of the biodiesel produced. This study demonstrates the feasibility of process-scale algal cell disruption by HPH based on its energy requirement.
authors.affiliation: Algal Processing Group, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Benjamin H J
authors.initials: BHJ
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, Bayview Avenue, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia.
authors.forename: Geoff J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Dumsday
authors.affiliation: Algal Processing Group, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Scales
authors.affiliation: Algal Processing Group, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: gjmartin@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Gregory J O
authors.initials: GJO
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D004560:Electricity; D058086:Microalgae / Q000166:cytology*; D011312:Pressure; D012212:Rheology; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: Biodiesel; Cell disruption; Energy analysis; High pressure homogenisation; Nannochloropsis sp.