Design of a Microalgae

Biodiesel Production
System
BY: Zimu MG
Lebotsa MG
Mamabolo M

Imagine if we could?

Grow a fuel without using land,

Grow fuel without polluting the
atmosphere,
Grow a fuel without creating
greenhouse gases,
Harvest a crop every day instead of
yearly,
Grow crops in both fresh and sea water,
(Taipei, 2008)

Well we can! Microalgae will do these

Project Objectives

Design of an experimental
microalgae production system

Design of a variable control system

for growing conditions of
microalgae.

Design suitable harvesting and

drying system for microalgae.

What are Microalgae?

Microalgae are 1-30 microns in size,

There are thousands species of algae
Populations vary with climate and
temperature
All contain lipid oils and,
Have been studied as a source of
Biodiesel for more than 20 years,
Are the source of oil, gas and planets
O2
Absorb most of the planets CO2
A pretty good CV

Microalgae Growth
Light

Water

pH

Microalgae
CO2

Agitation
Nutrients
Temperature

System Layout

System Layout

Air flow
regulators

The Algae

Control
system

Design Features

Pond with stand

Paddlewheel
Control system

CO2 supply system

pH control
Temperature control
Nutrients supply

Harvesting and drying system

Production Pond 1

Aim: To design a small

experimental pond
A raceway pond system was
selected, based on literature
reviews
Design properties mainly based on
agitation method

Pond design 2

Ensure depth of 40 cm, From algae properties

Pond dimensions :400 mm deep, 3 m long, 1.2
m wide, each channel being 0.58 m, 4.83 m2
surface area, overall capacity of 1932 litres

Pond Stand 1

To elevate pond system for

portability and ease of working
with the pond system.
Approximately 1000 litres, Weight
of 10kN
Design based on the steel (SANS
10162) code of practice

Pond stand 2

Design Features

Pond with stand

Paddlewheel
Control system

CO2 supply system

pH control
Temperature control
Nutrients supply

Harvesting and drying system

Pond Heating

Aim: To be able to control the pond

temperature when necessary
especially at night
Calculated 4.3 kW power required
Supplied by 4 kW element
Using 17 amps, 240 Volts

Design Features

Pond with stand

Paddlewheel
Control system

CO2 supply system

pH control
Temperature control
Nutrients supply

Harvesting and drying system

Paddle Wheel 1

Total Power
required to
agitate = 0.33 W
Max Speed = 38.9
rpm
H20 (speed) = 0.2
m/s

Paddle Wheel 2

Max Speed =
59.5 rpm
H20(speed) =
0.4 m/s

Design Features

Pond with stand

Paddlewheel
Control system

CO2 supply system

pH control
Temperature control
Nutrients supply

Harvesting and drying system

CO2 Supply System

Two types
gases
Compressed
air
Pure CO
2

Flow rate = 1-2

liter/min

Design Features

Pond with stand

Paddlewheel
Control system

CO2 supply system

pH control
Temperature control
Nutrients supply

Harvesting and drying system

Control System Algorithm

Control System Layout

Design Features

Pond with stand

Paddlewheel
Control system

CO2 supply system

pH control
Temperature control
Nutrients supply

Harvesting and drying system

Harvesting and Drying 1

Harvesting is the separation of microalgae

cells from medium of water (Waites, 2001).

And has major impact in the production line of

microalgae.

While drying is further removal of water

from the harvested biomass.

And It prolongs the shelf-life of microalgae,

more especially if the biomass is the final
product (Grima et al. 2002).

Harvesting and Drying 2

Aims:
Separate algae from the medium
of water.
Obtain size range of the algae
grown,
Determine the mass of algae, and
Dry the algae obtained from pond.

Harvesting and Drying 3

Gravity filtration consists of:

Three mesh trays: 0.24, 0.12 and 0.11

mm.
steel stand,
bucket, and
basin.

Sun drying consists of:

Components of the gravity filtration.

But with one mesh tray.

Construction 1
Unsafe mesh tray

Final mesh tray

Construction 2
Welds

Top view of the steel stand

Complete Manual Gravity

Filtration
Steel stand with mesh
trays

Bucket
Basin

Testing 1
Water from the pond
before harvesting.

Algae obtained from the

0.11 mm mesh tray.

Water retained
after harvesting.

Testing 2
Algae at the top of the
moving water.

No agitation

Algae settles

Testing 3
Tree stalks, flies.

Dried algae

Results 1
pH vs. Time
8.7
8.6
8.5
8.4
pH 8.3
8.2
8.1
8
7.9
00:00:00

04:48:00

09:36:00

14:24:00

19:12:00

Time (hrs)
Day 1

Day 2

00:00:00

04:48:00

Results 2
Air and Pond Temperature vs. Time
40
Temperature
(degC)
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
00:00:00
04:48:00

09:36:00

14:24:00

19:12:00

00:00:00

Time (hrs)
Air Temperature

Pond Temperature

04:48:00

Results 3
Graph of pH and Temperature against the time of the day
35
30
pH and
25 Temperature (degC)
20
15
10
5
0
09:36

14:24

19:12

00:00

04:48

09:36

14:24

Day Time (hr intervals)

Temperature
pH

Conclusion 1

pH control via CO2 bubbling, was

successful and showed increase
growth in algae
Temperature control at a large
scale is not feasible
Unable to quantify biomass from
pond
Agitation is important for growth

Conclusion 2

Method of settling the algae can be

used to harvest
Algae grown was a mixed culture
and is not filamentous
Gravity filtration can also be used
to remove dirt.
Drying not achieved.

Challenges

Mainly in construction
Delivery delays
Algae IP
Attaining specific species

Recommendations 1

Design for a specific species type,

and find species culture (main
challenge)
Continuous harvesting as opposed
to batch
Impact of flow rates on the growth
of microalgae
Testing of microalgae in the
laboratory, for type and oil content

Recommendations 2

For unknown algae, the use of

settling pond is an advantage.
Other methods of harvesting and
drying still need to be investigated.

Conceptual Algae plant

(Taipei, 2008)

Acknowledgements 1

Professor JC Smithers
Louis Lagrange
Dr D Ciolkosz
Allan Hill
Mbuso Cele
ARC
Professor R Perissinotto
Professor F Bux
Dr F Inambao
Prof D Stretch

Acknowledgements 2

Rachel Brooks
Elizabeth Trigger
Sfundo E Nkomo
Raishan Naidoo