Algae biorefinery - material and energy use of algae

165 Pages·2013·7.01 MB·English

DBFZ Report No. 16
Algae Biorefi nery –
Material and energy use of algae
Ingolf Petrick, Lilli Dombrowski (Hochschule Lausitz (FH)
Michael Kröger, Thomas Beckert (DBFZ)
Thomas Kuchling, Sven Kureti (TU Bergakademie Freiberg)
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authors:
Ingolf Petrick, Lilli Dombrowski (Hochschule Lausitz (FH),
Michael Kröger, Thomas Beckert (DBFZ),
Thomas Kuchling, Sven Kureti (TU Bergakademie Freiberg)
Contact:
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DBFZ, Leipzig 2013
Algae biorefinery - material and
energy use of algae
Report No. 16
Ingolf Petrick, Lilli Dombrowski (Hochschule Lausitz (FH))
Michael Kröger, Thomas Beckert (DBFZ)
Thomas Kuchling, Sven Kureti (TU Bergakademie Freiberg)

DBFZ Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum
gemeinnützige GmbH
Torgauer Straße 116
04347 Leipzig

Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.dbfz.de
[email protected]
Ingolf Petrick
Lilli Dombrowski

Michael Kröger
Thomas Beckert

Thomas Kuchling
Sven Kureti

Auftraggeber oder Vattenfall Europe Generation AG
Zuwendungsgeber Asset Development / R&D Projects
(bei Forschungsförderung) Thermal & Biomass Technology
Hermann-Löns-Straße 33
03050 Cottbus, Germany
Ansprechpartner: DBFZ Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gemeinnützige GmbH
Torgauer Straße 116
04347 Leipzig
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.dbfz.de

Michael Kröger
Tel.: [phone]
E-Mail: [email protected]
Thomas Beckert
Tel.: [phone]
E-Mail: [email protected]
Erstelldatum: 03.05.2013
Projektnummer DBFZ: P3410009
Gesamtseitenzahl + Anlagen 164
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Algae biorefinery - material and energy use of algae

Table of contents
1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 3
2 Algae production and species used .................................................................................................................. 4
3 Dewatering and drying ....................................................................................................................................... 7
3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 7
3.2 Dewatering ................................................................................................................................................................... 7
3.2.1 Gravity sedimentation .............................................................................................................................. 8
3.2.2 Filtration ..................................................................................................................................................... 8
3.2.1 Flotation...................................................................................................................................................... 8
3.2.1 Centrifugation ............................................................................................................................................ 9
3.2.1 Dewatering aids ..................................................................................................................................... 10
3.3 Drying ......................................................................................................................................................................... 12
3.3.1 Drying by solar energy ........................................................................................................................... 12
3.3.1 Flash dryers ............................................................................................................................................. 13
3.3.1 Spray dryers ............................................................................................................................................ 13
3.3.1 Drum dryers ............................................................................................................................................ 14
3.3.1 Conveyor dryers ...................................................................................................................................... 14
3.3.1 Freeze dryers........................................................................................................................................... 16
3.4 Assessment .............................................................................................................................................................. 16
3.4.1 Dewatering .............................................................................................................................................. 16
3.4.2 Drying ....................................................................................................................................................... 18
3.5 Manufacturers .......................................................................................................................................................... 19
4 Cell decomposition and extraction .................................................................................................................. 20
4.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................. 20
4.2 Cell decomposition .................................................................................................................................................. 21
4.3 Solvent extraction .................................................................................................................................................... 29
4.4 Supercritical fluid extraction .................................................................................................................................. 33
4.5 Recovery of other compounds ............................................................................................................................... 36
5 Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) ..................................................................................................................... 37
5.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................. 37
5.2 State of the art of hydrothermal liquefaction ..................................................................................................... 38
5.3 Hydrothermal liquefaction with algae .................................................................................................................. 43
5.4 Pilot and demonstration plants ............................................................................................................................. 46
5.5 Preliminary HTL experiments................................................................................................................................. 50
6 Hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) .................................................................................................................. 53
6.1 HTC literature research ........................................................................................................................................... 53
6.1.1 Method ..................................................................................................................................................... 53
6.1.2 Products................................................................................................................................................... 54
6.1.3 HTC coal from micro-algae ................................................................................................................... 55
IV
Table of contents

6.1.4 HTC market overview ............................................................................................................................. 56
6.2 Preliminary HTC experiments ................................................................................................................................ 56
6.2.1 Objective .................................................................................................................................................. 56
6.2.2 Material and methods ........................................................................................................................... 56
6.2.3 Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 58
7 Motor fuel production processes ..................................................................................................................... 62
7.1 Fuel requirements .................................................................................................................................................... 62
7.2 Transesterification ................................................................................................................................................... 64
7.3 Pyrolysis / Cracking ................................................................................................................................................. 68
7.4 Hydrocracking ........................................................................................................................................................... 72
7.5 Hydrogenation .......................................................................................................................................................... 73
7.6 Gasification ............................................................................................................................................................... 77
8 Biogas production ............................................................................................................................................. 79
8.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... 79
8.2 Overview of biogas production ............................................................................................................................... 79
8.3 Suitability of micro-algae for biogas production ................................................................................................. 81
8.4 Yield prediction ......................................................................................................................................................... 83
8.5 Recovery paths ......................................................................................................................................................... 84
8.5.1 Digestion of the complete algal biomass ........................................................................................... 85
8.5.2 Digestion of individual fractions .......................................................................................................... 86
8.5.3 Linkage with biogas cleaning ............................................................................................................... 86
8.6 Summary ................................................................................................................................................................... 87
9 Algae as animal feed ....................................................................................................................................... 88
9.1 Poultry ........................................................................................................................................................................ 88
9.2 Pigs ............................................................................................................................................................................. 89
9.3 Aquaculture ............................................................................................................................................................... 89
9.4 Legal aspects ............................................................................................................................................................ 91
10 Assessment of product lines ........................................................................................................................... 92
10.1 Fundamentals........................................................................................................................................................... 92
10.1.1 Aims of the assessment ........................................................................................................................ 92
10.1.2 System constraints ................................................................................................................................ 92
10.2 Process chains .......................................................................................................................................................... 94
10.2.1 Base case ................................................................................................................................................ 96
10.2.2 Biogas path ............................................................................................................................................. 97
10.2.3 HTC path .................................................................................................................................................. 99
10.2.4 HTL path .................................................................................................................................................101
10.2.5 Direct hydrogenation ...........................................................................................................................103
10.3 Assessment and comparison of product lines ..................................................................................................110
10.3.1 Base case: Production of biodiesel ...................................................................................................112
10.3.2 Biogas path: ..........................................................................................................................................112
10.3.3 HTC path ................................................................................................................................................113
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Algae biorefinery - material and energy use of algae

10.3.4 HTL path ................................................................................................................................................ 113
10.3.5 Direct hydrogenation ........................................................................................................................... 114
11 Summary ......................................................................................................................................................... 115
Appendix ........................................................................................................................................................................ 117
Overview of HTL .................................................................................................................................................................... 117
Overview of transesterification ........................................................................................................................................... 122
Hydrocracking and hydrogenation ..................................................................................................................................... 124
Overview of pyrolysis ............................................................................................................................................................ 125
Algae data sheets ................................................................................................................................................................. 127
Base data of assessment .................................................................................................................................................... 132
Literature references .................................................................................................................................................... 133
VI
List of abbreviations

List of abbreviations
AA Arachidonic acid
BOD Biological Oxygen Demand
COD Chemical Oxygen Demand
CED Cumulative Energy Demand
DHA Docosahexaenoic acid
EPA Eicosapentaenoic acid
FAME Fatty Acid Methyl Ester
FCC Fluid Catalytic Cracking
FPA-PBR Flat Plate Airlift Photobioreactor
FA Fatty Acid(s)
GLA γ-linolenic acid
HHV Higher Heating Value
HMF Hydroxymethylfurfural
HRT Hydraulic Retention Time
HTC Hydrothermal Carbonisation
HTL Hydrothermal Liquefaction
HVP High Value Product
IRR Internal Rate of Return
wt.% weight percent
MSW Municipal Solid Waste
PBR Photobioreactor
p Critical pressure
c
PUFA Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid(s)
RON Research Octane Number
sc-CO Supercritical CO
2 2
SFE Supercritical Fluid Extraction
TAG Triacylglycerol(s)
T Critical temperature
c
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Algae biorefinery - material and energy use of algae

dm Dry matter
Vol.% Percent by volume
VS Volatile Solids
ρ Critical density
c
VIII
List of tables

List of tables
Table 3.1 Coagulants compared ................................................................................................................... 12
Table 3.2 Assessment of the dewatering methods ...................................................................................... 17
Table 3.3 Assessment of drying methods..................................................................................................... 18
Table 3.4 Manufacturers of drying/dewatering plants ................................................................................ 19
Table 4.1 Coarse chemical composition of selected alga species (% of dry matter) (Becker 1994) ....... 21
Table 4.2 Selected decomposition and extraction methods for algae ....................................................... 23
Table 4.3. Comparison of various extraction and conversion methods to generate 10,000 MJ of
biodiesel (Brentner 2011) ....................................................................................................... 28
Table 4.4 Hydrocarbon yields and photosynthesis activity following extraction (Frenz et al. 1989) ........ 32
Table 4.5 Comparison of supercritical CO and conventional solvent extraction (Hosikian et al.
2
2010; Mercer and Armenta 2011) ......................................................................................... 33
Table 4.6 Physical-chemical data of some gases used for extraction (Stahl et al. 1987) ........................ 34
Table 4.7 Examples of studies on supercritical extraction of micro-algae with different extraction
agents ....................................................................................................................................... 35
Table 5.1 Water properties under selected conditions (adapted according to Toor et al. 2011) ............ 37
Table 5.2 Possible degradation products of glucose/fructose under hydrothermal conditions ............... 42
Table 5.3 Results of hydrothermal treatment of various biomasses .......................................................... 42
Table 5.4 Oil yield and energy consumption rate of oil production in hydrothermal liquefaction of
micro-algae (Tsukahara and Sawayama 2005) ..................................................................... 44
Table 5.5 Overview of the hydrothermal liquefaction of various micro-algae ............................................ 45
Table 5.6 Overview of the elemental composition and calorific value of the bio-oil HTL .......................... 46
Table 5.7 Overview of HTL processes in pilot plants (Toor et al. 2011) ..................................................... 47
Table 6.1. Overview of HTC process developers in Germany ...................................................................... 56
Table 6.2 Analysis methods ........................................................................................................................... 58
Table 6.3 Analysis results for the solid matter before and after hydrothermal treatment ........................ 58
Table 6.4 Analysis of the liquid products ...................................................................................................... 60
Table 7.1 Requirements for motor fuels and typical composition (ARAL 1995; ARAL 2000) ................... 62
Table 7.2 Lipid contents of some alga species (Demirbas 2010) .............................................................. 64
Table 7.3 Composition of the biodiesel (Li et al. 2007) .............................................................................. 66
Table 7.4 Comparison of speed constants in 10-2 l/(mol min) with and without ultrasound
assistance (Gole and Gogate 2012) ...................................................................................... 67
Table 7.5 Overview of pyrolysis conditions and product yields (Brennan and Owende 2010) ................. 69
Table 7.6 Composition of fast pyrolysis oil from algae (Miao et al. 2004) ................................................. 69
Table 7.7. Results of catalytic cracking of oil of the alga Botryococcus braunii compared to FCC of
a heavy crude oil fraction (Kitazato et al. 1989) ................................................................... 71
Table 7.8 Composition of the micro-alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa (wt.%) (Chin 1979) ................................ 75
Table 7.9 Product distribution and elemental composition of products in hydrogenation of algae
(wt.%) (according to Chin 1979) ............................................................................................. 76
IX