Anaerobic membrane bioreactor for biogas production and ammonium recovery from spent microalgae.

Financiado por

ALVARO TORRES ARAVENA

.

Why microalgae?

North of Chile presents ideal conditions for microalgae cultivation:

Solar radiation Space availability No competition with food production (desertic area)

Microalgae for bioenergy production

Efficient conversion of solar energy High biomass productivity High lipid accumulation

Microalgae for bioenergy production

Biodiesel production from microalgae: High nutrient requirements. High energy demand due to biomass harvest and oil extraction Low overall energy yield

Microalgae for bioenergy production

Biogas production:

Energy recovery from oil extracted biomass Tool for nutrient release and recovery/reuse Cogeneration can produce electricity and heat valuables for biodiesel production (heat for
solvent extraction)

Biodiesel

Biodiesel produc.on Lipids Microalgae culture Microalgae Lipid Extrac.on Spent microalgae

Energy
(Biogas)

Anaerobic Diges.on

Stabilized biomass

NITROGEN UPTAKE

NITROGEN
RELEASE

PHOSPHORUS
RELEASE

Figure 1. Scheme of nitrogen recovery from anaerobic digestion in microalgae biodiesel production.

Biodiesel

Biodiesel produc.on Lipids Microalgae culture Microalgae Lipid Extrac.on Spent microalgae

Energy
(Biogas)

Anaerobic Diges.on

Stabilized biomass

NITROGEN UPTAKE

NITROGEN
RELEASE

PHOSPHORUS
RELEASE

Figure 1. Scheme of nitrogen recovery from anaerobic digestion in microalgae biodiesel production.

Energy

ENERGETIC POTENTIAL
biodiesel production (microalgae) + biogas production (spent
microalgae)
0,28 kg VS Biodiesel

0,3 kg VS

Lipids

11 MJ
(40MJ/kg )

0,45 kg SV

28 MJ/kg
485L Methane

Proteins

TOTAL ENERGY

17 MJ
Thermal Energy

1 kg VS
MICROALGAE

Carbo- hydrates

0,25 kg SV

5.5 MJ
Electrical Energy

SPENT MICROALGAE

BIO-METHANE POTENTIAL determination (BMP) Inoculum= Anaerobic consortia T= 35 C substrate/inoculum ratio= 1:1 (g VS / gVS) Buffer capacity= sodium bicarbonate

CH4 + CO2 Microalgae (Substrate) Media Anaeobic biomass

Energy
Total and spent microalgae
600 500

Total microalgae

BMP (mL CH4 / gSV)

400

300

Spent microalgae

200

100 Total Microalgae 0 0 20 40 60 Time (d) 80 100 120 Spent Microalgae

Figure 1. Bio-methane potential of total and spent microalgae B.braunii.

ENERGY
Lipid Extraction

(a)

(b)

Figure 2. Confocal microscopy for total(a) and spent(b) microalgae B.braunii stained with calcofluor white.(non-specific cellulase staining)

Energy

19 -26% of no degraded organic matter in this assay may be related to residues containing resistant biopolymers.

Oil extraction has no effect as pretreatment.

Energy
Total and spent microalgae

Botryococcus braunii
500 400 BMP (mL CH4 / gVS) 300 200 100 0 0 10 20 Time (d) 30 40 50 BMP (mL CH4 / gVS) 500 400 300 200 100 0

Nanochloropsis gaditana

449mL CH4/g VS

457mL CH4/g VS

16 MJ/kg VS

16,2 MJ/kg VS

10

15

20

25

30

35

Time (d)

Biodiesel

Biodiesel produc.on Lipids Microalgae culture Microalgae Lipid Extrac.on Spent microalgae

Energy
(Biogas)

Anaerobic Diges.on

Stabilized biomass

NITROGEN UPTAKE

NITROGEN
RELEASE

PHOSPHORUS
RELEASE

Figure 1. Scheme of nitrogen recovery from anaerobic digestion in microalgae biodiesel production.

Nutrients Release

Nitrogen release
68-72%

400 350

Botryococcus braunii
Soluble frac.on (mg/L)

400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0

Nanochloropsis gaditana

Soluble frac.on (mg/L)

300 250 200 150 100 50 0 0 10 20 30 40 50 NH4+ PO43-

NH4+ PO43-

10

15

20

25

30

35

Time (d)

Time (d)

Figure 4. Ammonium and phosphate release assessment in anaerobic digestion assays. (a) Botryococcus braunii. (b) Nannochloropsis gaditana.

Nutrients Nitrogen Release capacity

4.2 Nitrogen release in AD
400 350 300 1% (w/v) 4% (w/v) 7% (w/v) 10% (w/v) 13% (w/v) 200 150 100 50 0 6 6,5 7 7,5 8 16% (w/v) NH3 InhibiMon

Botryococcus braunii

NH3 (mg/L)

250

IC50

50 150 mg NH3 /L

pH
Figure 3. Estimation of un-ionized ammonia in hypothetical anaerobic digestion reactor considering effect of pH and substrate concentration.

Nutrients Nitrogen Release capacity

Phosphorus
100

Botryococcus braunii

80

(%)

Phosphorus from medium itself

51

50-70% phosphorus was present in original sample as soluble phosphate

3-

/ tPO sPO
40 28 20
4

60

3-

TM

SM

Figure 5. Fraction of soluble phosphate presents in total and spent microalgae Botryococcus braunii.

1. INTRODUCTION
Biodiesel

Biodiesel produc.on Lipids Microalgae culture Microalgae Lipid Extrac.on Spent microalgae

Energy
(Biogas)

Anaerobic Diges.on

Stabilized biomass

NITROGEN
UPTAKE

NITROGEN
RELEASE

PHOSPHORUS
RELEASE

Figure 1. Scheme of nitrogen recovery from anaerobic digestion in microalgae biodiesel production.

Nutrients Nitrogen microalgae uptake

12

Effect of different NH4+ concentration

Nanochloropsis gaditana
0 mg/L 50 mg/L 100 mg/L

10

O2 produc.on (mg/L)

Oxygen production

125 mg/L 150 mg/L 175 mg/L 200 mg/L 250 mg/L

0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Time (min)

Nutrients Nitrogen microalgae uptake

Nanochloropsis gaditana
0,25

Culture conditions:

O2 Produc.on rate (mg/L*min)

0,2

2 g/L TS
N added in culture:

0,15

0,1

Max. N concentration

150mg N/L

135mg N/L

0,05

0 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275

N-NH3 (mg/L)

NO inhibition in microalgae culture

CONCLUSION
1. No total nitrogen release is observed in B. braunii (only 68% nitrogen release), which could be related to resistant biopolymers reported for this microalgae.

2. Anaerobic digestion of spent microalgae seems as a viable alternative in order to recover energy. 3. Phosphorus present in microalgae may be associated to phosphate from medium itself. 4. No inhibition is expected into microalgae culture for N.gaditana

Acknowledgements
Consortium Desert Bioenergy S.A. Center of Waste Management and Bioenergy BIOREN Universidad de Antofagasta Conicyt Scholarship Beca Apoyo tesis Doctoral - Conicyt Beca Tesis en la Industria - Conicyt

Dr. David Jeison Patricio Neumann Hernn Daz