THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA. A new way of delivering carbon dioxide to microalgae that can be harvested to make renewable fuels like biodiesel was developed by a group of biomolecular and chemical engineers. The study was published in the journal Energy and Environmental Science.
Professor Sandra Kentish and her team developed this new technique since the currently existing methods require lots of energy and are very costly. It is a known fact that carbon dioxide can speed up the growth of microalgae. However, it has to be free of contamination or the algae will eventually die. The newly developed method purifies the carbon dioxide that is in the power station flue gases then absorbs it into a liquid that is then pumped through hollow fiber membranes. These fiber membranes are similar to very long drinking straws that can be immersed into the microalgae beds.
The team found a way to purify the carbon dioxide. Also, they made it possible to supply it to the microalgae for a more affordable cost and less energy requirement. The method is definitely a cheaper approach since the carbon dioxide directly moves from the liquid into the microalgae culture by permeating through the fiber walls. Another benefit is that the microalgae grow faster as compared to other existing methods.
Aside from biofuels, there are other products that can be produced using this new method such as nutraceuticals, chemicals and proteins.
| Invention | Cheaper and More Eco-Friendly Method for Making Biofuels |
|---|---|
| Organization | University of Melbourne |
| Researcher | Professor Sandra Kentish & Team |
| Field(s) | Biofuels, Biotechnology, Energy and environmental science, University of Melbourne, Renewable fuel |
| Further Information | http://www.researchcareer.com.au/news/biofuel-boost-from-algae-effect |
Image courtesy of pixabay.com
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