A comparative analysis of algal biomass densification methods aimed at the biofuel production
1 Environmental Engineering Program, Polytechnic School and School of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Avenue Athos da Silveira Ramos, nº 149, Block A, Room 8, University City, 21941-909, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
2 Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Avenue Athos da Silveira Ramos, nº 149, Block E, Room 203, University City, 21941-909, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Review
World Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology and Sciences, 2023, 08(01), 132-156.
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjaets.2023.8.1.0022
Publication history:
Received on 09 December 2022; revised on 18 January 2023; accepted on 21 January 2023
Abstract:
The reduced size of the cells (< 30 µm in diameter) and the low cell concentration of microalgae and cyanobacteria cultures (0.5 g/L on average) greatly hinder the densification of the biomass, a crucial step to becoming biofuel production from algal biomass economically viable. To identify the best densification method, about 90 studies applied to 60 different microalgae and cyanobacteria were compiled through an extensive literature survey, classified into eight methods of algal biomass densification, and analyzed regarding the harvesting efficiency, energy consumption, and costs. Low-cost methods (spontaneous settling, autoflocculation, and bioflocculation) can achieve high densification only with specific species and conditions. On the contrary, many species only achieve high densification using high-cost methods (centrifugation, membrane filtration, electrocoagulation). Based on the analyzed data, researchers should focus on selecting species that combine the desired characteristics for the downstream processes with their potential for biofuel production.
Keywords:
Algal biomass; Biomass densification; Harvesting efficiency; Energy consumption; Biofuel
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Copyright © 2023 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0