Pre-Project work (Biodiesel project)

Nomie Delhaye (DELN17619902)

Mr. Ian Wikarski

Mechanics (203-NYA- 05)

Collgial international de Sainte-Anne 1 avril 2017

 The global warming becoming more and more alarming, alternatives are
consequently study to deal with this issue in depth. One of the most important causes of the
global warming is the emission of carbon dioxide product by petroleum fuels (Energy
Independence). To limited this problem, biofuels, which are non-fossil fuels are consider to
replace todays fuels (Tabak, 2009). They are fuels produced thanks to using organic
substances instead of fossil substances. These biofuels can store the energy derived from
biomass, such as animal waste and plant stuff. There are several advantages; most
importantly, the reduction of the greenhouse gas emission and the short production cycle.
Moreover, the biofuels could be the solution of the worlds oil dependence, and maybe also to
global warming. By now, the ethanol and the biodiesel are both the main types of biofuels
used in the world.

To produce biodiesel, algae can be used. Before anything else, two types of algae
exist. macroalgae and microalgae (Oilgae). Microalgae are used in the process to make
biodiesel, and there are a few advantages during this process thanks to some of their
properties. First of all, we can grow more algae in a hectare than any of the other species
which were needed to make the first generation of biofuel, and algae do not compete with the
market of agriculture. Moreover, algae have a very short cell cycle, you can make a huge
volume of biomass in a relatively short time (Davor, 2015). This strong point is one of the
most remarkable differences with fossil carburant: the transformation process takes way less
time. Furthermore, algae store energy in the form of carbohydrates and oils and, combined
with their productivity, they can be a durable alternative to todays fossil fuels. In addition,
microalgae can be cultivated under difficult agro-climatic conditions, which is a significant
benefit concerning the vagary of the weather (Oilgae). Besides, a startup has maybe found a
process which could male fuel from algae as cheap as petroleum (Bullis, 2012). Finally, algae,
as other types of plants, consume CO 2 during the photosynthesis and when they are cultivated
in large quantities they need a lot of CO 2 so at the end they do not increase global warming as
other fuels do.

As a part of a project in our sciences program, we are going to transform a type of

microalgae, the Chlorella Vulgaris in biodiesel across few steps which will be make in
laboratory as the real process done in companies. The Chlorella Vulgaris is not the only algae
which can be used to produce biodiesel. Scientists had tested a lot of algae species to
determine their respective advantages. The Pleurochrysis carterae, the Botryococcus braunii
or even the Dunaliella tertiolecta are also used to make biofuels (Mallick, 2011). One of the
biggest advantages of the Chlorella Vulgaris is that it is the richest known source of
chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the part of the plant which can catch sunbeam and where the
photosynthesis process is make. If algae have more chlorophyll, then it will absorb more
carbon dioxide of the atmosphere. Each type of algae has a number of benefits related to the
production of biodiesel.

For the process of making biodiesel from algae, this is the oil contain in those which
is used. More they produce oil, more there is fuel at the end. Microalgae can produce about
15,000 gallons of oil per Hectare a year (Oilgae). There are four parameters which optimize
fatty acids production (oil production) in Chlorella Vulgaris: the concentration of nitrate,
phosphate and iron in the algae and the incubation period. According to a study, for a
maximum lipids yield, the concentration of nitrate has to be 00.1 g L1, the concentration
of phosphate 00.1 g L1, the concentration of iron 00.005 g L1 and the incubation period
has to be (416 days). Those parameters resulted in lipid accumulation varying from 18.17
58.14% (dcw) (Mallick, 2011).

The process during which biodiesel is created from algae is a carbon neutral cycle. A
carbon neutral cycle means that, even if the production of the item takes a produce or a
burning of carbon based fuel, it doesnt involve any increase of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere (). This kind of cycle can be possible if the carbon amount released in the
atmosphere at the end of the process has been extracted from the atmosphere before or after. It
isnt participating to the greenhouse gas increase effect. According to this criterion and to
other one, is the biodiesel a clean fuel?

Biodiesel is a clean fuel for many reasons. First, algae can be grow in restricted
place, so they dont need any special construction to be used in the process; they dont take
place that agriculture needs or place that other sectors need. Second, because its a carbon
neutral cycle, this process uses only carbon dioxide which has been extracted from the
atmosphere when the algae grew up. Indeed, according to researchers, the fuels derived from
plant oils are environmentally friendly because when they are burned, not as many dangerous
gases as carbon dioxide are emitted (Christensen, 2009). This is the opposite of fossil fuels,
which release carbon dioxide that has been absorbed millions of years ago, so it supports the
global warming. Third, algae are not a part of our alimentation so they do not hamper the
agricultural sector. Fourth, microalgae are the fastest growing photosynthetic organisms,
which means that the process of transforming them in biodiesel is very short, it can last less
than two weeks. It is therefore clear that algae-based biofuel is a renewable energy that could
replace other types of todays fuels.

WORK CITED

Bullis K. Fuel from Algae. MIT Technology Review. 2012 Oct 22. [Internet].
Available on: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/409654/fuel-from-algae/

Carbon Neutral. Carbon Neutral Energy Independence. [Internet]. Available on:

http://www.americanenergyindependence.com/carbonneutral.aspx

Christensen K. Biodiesel Production from Algae [Video]. Youtube, available

on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOwdUOlg_A8
Davor H. Biofuel production from algae. Our energy. 2015 Oct 11. [Internet]. Available on:
http://www.our-energy.com/biofuel_production_from_algae.html

Introduction to Algae & Basics, Types of Algae, Forms of Algal Strains - Oilgae - Oil
from Algae. Biodiesel from Algae Oil - Info, Resources, News & Links. [Internet].
Available on: http://www.oilgae.com/algae/algae.htm

Mallick N. Mandal S. Singh A.K. Bishai M. Dash A. 2011. Green microalga Chlorella
vulgaris as a potential feedstock for biodiesel. Wiley Online. Library, [PDF], Society of
Chemical Industry, Available on:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7ue_5GKXYUQa0g1d1FTbnhUSnc/view

Tabak J. 2009. Biofuels. Energy and the Environment, [Book].

Website link for the project: http://biodieselprojectnd.weebly.com/