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Coupling Carbon Capture from a Power Plant with Semi-automated Open Raceway Ponds for Microalgae Cultivation
Published on: August 14, 2020
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Challenges and opportunities for microalgae-mediated CO2 capture and biorefinery
Jyoti R Seth1,2, Pramod P Wangikar3,4,5
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, India.
Biotechnology and Bioengineering
|April 23, 2015
Summary
Microalgae biorefineries capture CO2 from flue gas for fuel and products. Engineering calculations show fermentation yields valuable products but with significant carbon loss, while thermochemical methods are more efficient but produce mixed products.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Microalgae cultivation offers a promising route for photosynthetic carbon dioxide (CO2) capture from industrial flue gases.
- Integrating microalgal CO2 capture with biomass conversion into valuable products is crucial for economic viability and environmental benefit.
- Biorefinery complexes are essential for efficient biomass growth, harvesting, and downstream processing for product synthesis and purification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present basic engineering calculations for microalgal biorefining loops, focusing on CO2 capture from thermal power station flue gases.
- To evaluate the carbon and energy yields of different downstream conversion pathways for microalgal biomass.
- To compare the feasibility of producing biofuels (ethanol) and platform chemicals (succinic acid) versus thermochemical conversion.
Main Methods:
- Summarizing engineering calculations for key biorefining steps, including biomass growth, harvesting, and product conversion.
- Assimilating findings from laboratory, pilot-scale experiments, and life cycle analysis (LCA) studies.
- Analyzing carbon and energy yields for specific downstream processing options like fermentation and thermochemical conversion.
Main Results:
- Fermentative conversion to ethanol or succinic acid yields specific products with moderate energy input but results in 60-70% carbon loss.
- Thermochemical conversion pathways exhibit lower carbon and energy losses compared to fermentation.
- Thermochemical routes produce a mixture of products, requiring further separation and purification.
Conclusions:
- Biorefining microalgal biomass for CO2 capture presents a viable but complex technological challenge.
- The choice of downstream conversion technology significantly impacts carbon efficiency and product profiles.
- Further research and development are needed to optimize biorefinery designs for energy positivity and carbon negativity.
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