Biofuels Initiative
RESEARCH THRUSTS
Three key patented technologies are being exploited to produce biofuels and other products. New IP has been identified and will be developed to make the system commercially viable.
Induced Blanket Reactor (IBR): A patented anaerobic digester uses a steady flow process to produce biogas from animal wastes such as those found in a dairy operation. [1]
Solar Lighting System: A two-axis tracking solar collector concentrates visible sunlight and transports it via polymer fiber optics to provide the requisite solar energy throughout the bioreactor to grow the biomaterials [2, 6].
Vertical Biofilm Bioreactor: Microalgae are grown in biofilms on vertical membranes in an enclosed system. [3, 7]
Solar bioreactors can be symbiotically co-located next to commercial anaerobic digesters to sequester CO2, and utilize nutrients and methane from digester effluent to accelerate algal growth and enhance biofuel production. The induced blanket reactor produces biogas from animal waste. Its byproducts are CO2 and a nutrient rich effluent sufficient to feed the microalgae in the solar bioreactor. The solar bioreactor utilizes single cell algae, nature’s most efficient means to convert sunshine to biomass, which contain up to 60% oil by weight.[4] To minimize land and water resources, an enclosed bioreactor is used to grow algae on proprietary vertical membranes that resemble library newspaper racks. Harvesting of algae is achieved by periodically flushing water down the membrane from holes in the top ‘rack’. Mature algae are dislodged and collected in a bottom trough while immature algae cling to the membrane and continue to grow. Sunlight is collected and distributed to vertical panels that are sandwiched in close proximity between the growth membranes, much like alternating plates in a car battery. Oil extracted from mature algae can be converted to biodiesel using well established technologies.
ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES
Presently, the IBR is effective at producing renewable electricity and/or natural gas from waste organic matter. However, the nutrients in effluent from large IBR’s are often in excess of crop needs in the vicinity and thus become a serious disposal problem. Combining the IBR, the vertical bioreactor, and the solar lighting system into one system means that nutrients in the IBR effluent that are a nuisance can be efficiently converted into valuable renewable fuels. The research to convert nutrients into biofuels may also lead to production of other useful renewable chemicals such as those used to make plastics.
The ultimate goal is to develop biofuel technologies that prove to be commercially viable. The IBR is commercially available from Andigen, Inc. (www.andigen.com) Systems are operating successfully in conjunction with dairy operations in Utah, Idaho, and California.
Preliminary data show that this enclosed bioreactor system can yield more than a net 200-fold advantage of algae oil production per acre over soybean crops with significantly less water, pesticides, and fertilizer while consuming primarily renewable energy.
Biofuel reactors are now expanding at a commercial scale and attracting associated venture investment. Conventional systems use waste cooking oils or require large tracts of land and water to grow conventional terrestrial plants. The Utah solar-algae initiative is based on optimizing a totally enclosed, compact, vertical bioreactor that can be continuously operated year-round.
NEXT MAJOR MILESTONES
Research goals are to design, optimize, and operate a complete system that can readily be implemented in a broad variety of rural settings. Two major goals are:
FUNDING HISTORY
Since 2000, the Principals have received more that $6 million in federal research funding that has contributed to the development of the technologies and expertise within the USU Biofuels Team.
POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS/MARKETS
The IBR can produce natural gas for less than $5 per MMBtu, which is less than the price of gas from wells. The value of separable fiber (solids remaining in the effluent of an IBR) is over $20 per cubic yard, which compares favorable with compost at about $10 cubic yard. However, presently there is no market for dissolved and suspended nutrients in IBR effluent. These nutrients can become valuable if made into biologically produced fuels such as biodiesel.
Biodiesel is a direct substitute for petro-diesel and may be able to compete with conventional fuels when crude oil prices are above $55/bbl. Marketing and distribution of biodiesel has reached the tipping point where demand now regularly exceeds supply to create attractive capacity investment opportunities. B100 bio-diesel produces 50% less harmful particulates than conventional diesel, and reduces carcinogenic hydrocarbon emissions by over 75% [5]
Because of EPA regulations, nutrient rich effluents are a significant impediment to the commercial viability of anaerobic digesters. Removing them within the solar bioreactor greatly benefits the marketability and production capacity of biofuels.
A ready market exists for the combined IBR and solar bioreactor because the IBR has already been successfully marketed for nearly three years. If it can be shown that the combined system has advantages over an IBR used by itself, then clients will want to install the complete system.
REFERENCES
1. U.S. Patent no.6,911,149, June 28, 2005, Induced Sludge Bed Anaerobic Reactor, Hansen, C.L and C.S. Hansen. Two more patents and a Continuation-in-Part are pending. Owned by Utah State University (Logan, UT)
2. US patent no. 6603069, Sept. 18, 2001, Adaptive full spectrum solar energy system, Jeffrey D. Muhs and Dennis D. Earl. Owned by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
3. US Patent no. 6,667,171, Dec. 23, 2003, Enhanced practical photosynthetic CO2 mitigation, Bayless; David J. (Athens, OH); Vis-Chiasson; Morgan L. (Athens, OH); Kremer; Gregory G. (Athens, OH) Owned by Ohio University (Athens, OH)
4. A Look Back at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Aquatic Species Program—Biodiesel from Algae, John Sheehan, Terri Dunahay, John Benemann, Paul Roessler, NREL Report NREL/TP-580-24190, July 1998
5. A Comprehensive Analysis of Biodiesel Impacts on Exhaust Emissions, United States Environmental Protection Agency Draft Technical Report EPA420-P-02-001 October 2002
6. Analysis of a Full Spectrum Hybrid Lighting System, G.O. Schlegel, F.W. Burkholder, S.A. Klein, W.A. Beckman, B.D. Wood, J.D. Muhs, Solar Energy, Vol 76, pp 359-368, 2004
7. Enhanced Practical Photosynthetic CO2 Mitigation, Bayless, D.J., Kremer, G.G., Vis, M. Stuart, B.J., Prudich, M.E., Cooksey, J.E., and Muhs, J.S., Third Annual Conference on Carbon Sequestration, Alexandria, VA, May 3, 2004.
Three key patented technologies are being exploited to produce biofuels and other products. New IP has been identified and will be developed to make the system commercially viable.
Induced Blanket Reactor (IBR): A patented anaerobic digester uses a steady flow process to produce biogas from animal wastes such as those found in a dairy operation. [1]
Solar Lighting System: A two-axis tracking solar collector concentrates visible sunlight and transports it via polymer fiber optics to provide the requisite solar energy throughout the bioreactor to grow the biomaterials [2, 6].
Vertical Biofilm Bioreactor: Microalgae are grown in biofilms on vertical membranes in an enclosed system. [3, 7]
Solar bioreactors can be symbiotically co-located next to commercial anaerobic digesters to sequester CO2, and utilize nutrients and methane from digester effluent to accelerate algal growth and enhance biofuel production. The induced blanket reactor produces biogas from animal waste. Its byproducts are CO2 and a nutrient rich effluent sufficient to feed the microalgae in the solar bioreactor. The solar bioreactor utilizes single cell algae, nature’s most efficient means to convert sunshine to biomass, which contain up to 60% oil by weight.[4] To minimize land and water resources, an enclosed bioreactor is used to grow algae on proprietary vertical membranes that resemble library newspaper racks. Harvesting of algae is achieved by periodically flushing water down the membrane from holes in the top ‘rack’. Mature algae are dislodged and collected in a bottom trough while immature algae cling to the membrane and continue to grow. Sunlight is collected and distributed to vertical panels that are sandwiched in close proximity between the growth membranes, much like alternating plates in a car battery. Oil extracted from mature algae can be converted to biodiesel using well established technologies.
ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES
Presently, the IBR is effective at producing renewable electricity and/or natural gas from waste organic matter. However, the nutrients in effluent from large IBR’s are often in excess of crop needs in the vicinity and thus become a serious disposal problem. Combining the IBR, the vertical bioreactor, and the solar lighting system into one system means that nutrients in the IBR effluent that are a nuisance can be efficiently converted into valuable renewable fuels. The research to convert nutrients into biofuels may also lead to production of other useful renewable chemicals such as those used to make plastics.
The ultimate goal is to develop biofuel technologies that prove to be commercially viable. The IBR is commercially available from Andigen, Inc. (www.andigen.com) Systems are operating successfully in conjunction with dairy operations in Utah, Idaho, and California.
Preliminary data show that this enclosed bioreactor system can yield more than a net 200-fold advantage of algae oil production per acre over soybean crops with significantly less water, pesticides, and fertilizer while consuming primarily renewable energy.
Biofuel reactors are now expanding at a commercial scale and attracting associated venture investment. Conventional systems use waste cooking oils or require large tracts of land and water to grow conventional terrestrial plants. The Utah solar-algae initiative is based on optimizing a totally enclosed, compact, vertical bioreactor that can be continuously operated year-round.
NEXT MAJOR MILESTONES
Research goals are to design, optimize, and operate a complete system that can readily be implemented in a broad variety of rural settings. Two major goals are:
- Demonstrate 70% NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium) nutrient removal (USDA program goal) from influent organic matter and unwanted CO2 in the IBR Biogas by the combined IBR and solar bioreactor by December 2008.
- Demonstrate, using the algal solar bioreactor, the production of biodiesel at market competitive prices by March 2009.
FUNDING HISTORY
Since 2000, the Principals have received more that $6 million in federal research funding that has contributed to the development of the technologies and expertise within the USU Biofuels Team.
POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS/MARKETS
The IBR can produce natural gas for less than $5 per MMBtu, which is less than the price of gas from wells. The value of separable fiber (solids remaining in the effluent of an IBR) is over $20 per cubic yard, which compares favorable with compost at about $10 cubic yard. However, presently there is no market for dissolved and suspended nutrients in IBR effluent. These nutrients can become valuable if made into biologically produced fuels such as biodiesel.
Biodiesel is a direct substitute for petro-diesel and may be able to compete with conventional fuels when crude oil prices are above $55/bbl. Marketing and distribution of biodiesel has reached the tipping point where demand now regularly exceeds supply to create attractive capacity investment opportunities. B100 bio-diesel produces 50% less harmful particulates than conventional diesel, and reduces carcinogenic hydrocarbon emissions by over 75% [5]
Because of EPA regulations, nutrient rich effluents are a significant impediment to the commercial viability of anaerobic digesters. Removing them within the solar bioreactor greatly benefits the marketability and production capacity of biofuels.
A ready market exists for the combined IBR and solar bioreactor because the IBR has already been successfully marketed for nearly three years. If it can be shown that the combined system has advantages over an IBR used by itself, then clients will want to install the complete system.
REFERENCES
1. U.S. Patent no.6,911,149, June 28, 2005, Induced Sludge Bed Anaerobic Reactor, Hansen, C.L and C.S. Hansen. Two more patents and a Continuation-in-Part are pending. Owned by Utah State University (Logan, UT)
2. US patent no. 6603069, Sept. 18, 2001, Adaptive full spectrum solar energy system, Jeffrey D. Muhs and Dennis D. Earl. Owned by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
3. US Patent no. 6,667,171, Dec. 23, 2003, Enhanced practical photosynthetic CO2 mitigation, Bayless; David J. (Athens, OH); Vis-Chiasson; Morgan L. (Athens, OH); Kremer; Gregory G. (Athens, OH) Owned by Ohio University (Athens, OH)
4. A Look Back at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Aquatic Species Program—Biodiesel from Algae, John Sheehan, Terri Dunahay, John Benemann, Paul Roessler, NREL Report NREL/TP-580-24190, July 1998
5. A Comprehensive Analysis of Biodiesel Impacts on Exhaust Emissions, United States Environmental Protection Agency Draft Technical Report EPA420-P-02-001 October 2002
6. Analysis of a Full Spectrum Hybrid Lighting System, G.O. Schlegel, F.W. Burkholder, S.A. Klein, W.A. Beckman, B.D. Wood, J.D. Muhs, Solar Energy, Vol 76, pp 359-368, 2004
7. Enhanced Practical Photosynthetic CO2 Mitigation, Bayless, D.J., Kremer, G.G., Vis, M. Stuart, B.J., Prudich, M.E., Cooksey, J.E., and Muhs, J.S., Third Annual Conference on Carbon Sequestration, Alexandria, VA, May 3, 2004.