Process steps for extraction of algal oilThis is a featured page


ALGALOILDIESEL, LLP

By James E. Miller
Draft No. 1, 11-11-2007

LIST FOR FLOW DIAGRAM FOR ALGAL OIL EXTRACTOR/CONCENTRATOR

1. Pond (See Pond Design Schematic)

2. Harvest cylinder. Continuous operation (See Jim’s MSU paper).

3. Transfer pump. Drains from inside of #2 and pumps water and smaller, daughter, cells to head of pond. Adjustable speed. Causes algae to move toward and engage the fine mesh filter. Continuous operation. Flow toward the harvest cylinder should be slow enough to have about 75% or so mature cells.

4. Vacuum pump and tank (Tank A). Vacuum applied to air screed along the mid-line-lateral of the drum on the back side. Removes algae to vacuum tank. Float value inside tank intakes water to 20% of volume. Continuous run.

5. Second vacuum pump and tank (Tank B). When Tank A is near full, sensor signals outlet value of Tank A to open. The higher vacuum in Tank B sucks the contents of Tank A into Tank B. When Tank A is empty, the sensor closes the Tank A outlet valve. A magnetic float valve (sensor) can be adjusted to allow for 20% volume of water in the tank and can actuate the pumps.

6. When this sensor closes the outlet valve of Tank A, it then (2 second delay) opens the outlet of Tank B and switches an air value from the vacuum pump to a pressure pump. The air pressure through the inlet valve to Tank B forces the contents toward # 9. Add check valve to Tank B to prevent backflow to Tank A.

7. Air pressure pump and pressure tank mentioned in # 6 with solenoid valve.

8. 8A is preceded by a check valve and is an inline heater which increases the temperature to about 90 degrees F. Automatic temperature control over range, 80 to 90 degrees F. 8B is a peristaltic pump which adds water into the line so that it has about 20% water.

9. A vibrating membrane separator has input and output valves by which it in-takes material, processes it, then purges the chamber through the outlet valve on a timed cycle. Constant pressure from #7 keeps the material at the input valve from Tank B, which acts as a buffer for the volume of algae and water need to keep # 9 busy. This separator has a sensor and switch to turn it off if no input product is available and turns it on when product is available. This separator divides the smaller, daughter cells from the mature, parent cells. The output from the distal side of the membrane is routed to a Port 9A, then, along with the water, is pumped back to the head of the pond. The larger, mature cells on the proximal side, are purged by air pressure through Port 9B. This system generates high air pressure used to purge its membrane disks (up to 1000 psi). Source: http://www.vsep.com/technology/index.html?gclid=CIP5l-3LyY8CFR-ohgodZ0ytyw,

10. Transfer pump downstream of Port 9A is switched on when port 9A opens and is switched off when port 9A closes.

11. Transfer pump (hydraulic gear pump) for Port 9B turns on when the valve for Port 9B opens and closes when the valve for Port 9B closes. The mature cells will be very viscous and not easily pumpable; hence the positive displacement hydraulic gear pump is specified. When Port 9B opens and discharges the mature cells, water is injected downstream into the pipe which is connected to a holding tank, Tank C.

12. The Water injector, which is a peristaltic pump, meters the injection of water into the pipeline where a vortex mixer, mixes the algal mass with the water..


13. Tank C receives the material when Port 9B opens. Tank C can continue to hold material and if full, opening Port 9B will have no effect on it. Tank C is an air purge tank with a poppet pressure relief value. Source: Wessel Company, http://westank.com/shock-surge.php.

14. Transfer Pump. The mature cells in Bank C, along with the water, is transferred by pump to the High Shear Processing unit. A transfer pump is turned on when a

15. Cell Bomb machine -- held as a trade secret.

16. separator (VMS). At this step, the VMS opens and closes its valves on a timed cycle, separating the broken cells from the cytoplasm, water and oil. The broken cell walls are purged to Port 16A and transferred to the alcohol unit. The cytoplasm, water and algal oil, on the distal side of the membrane are transferred through Port 16B to Tank E, then on to #18. Source: New Logic Research Group, Inc. http://www.vsep.com/technology/index.html?gclid=CIP5l-3LyY8CFR-ohgodZ0ytyw,

17. Tank E. This tank is a buffer for the zeolite unit which can run continuously. When the valve to Port 16B closes, an air value opens and 100 psi is creates pressure which pushes the mixture to and through the zeolite filter. We will need two filters so that we do not need to interrupt this cycle. This is a serge tank equipped with a value which serves to reduce the pressure to about 100 psi.

18.

19. Zeolite filters. Two cannisters are plumbed in parallel with three way, manual diverter valves so that either cannister can be the operative one. As determined by experiment, we need to figure the rate of flow (volume) of material through to zeolite cannisters to determine when the contents should be changed. This depends on the volume of the cannisters and how well the zeolite absorbs the water. The water injector in #12 should be adjustable so that the minimum amount of water needed to create the slurry, does not unnecessarily overload the zeolite filters.

20. Drying oven. We need a drying oven to purge the water from the zeolite spheres. Manual operation.

21. Outlet valves below each zeolite cannister can be manual and allow for the rectified oil be to transferred to a holding tank.

22. A final filter may be needed to remove any particulate matter which was not filtered out by #16, the second VMS. It is likely that the zeolite will perform this task. If so, we will need some way of cleaning the zeolite of any particulate matter before it is heated. We would not want to bake stuff onto the surface of the zeolite beads as that would essentially kill the beads. Perhaps a non-aqueous solvent would work. On the other hand, when the zeolite is removed from the cannisters, they already have absorbed a maximum amount of water. Why not simply use a mild detergent and wash them, then rinse, then spin dry? We could use a standard cloths washer and dump the zeolite into a fine mesh nylon bag or bags. The zeolite usually comes in 1/8th inch spheres so the mesh would only need to be 1/16th inch. It ought to work.


No user avatar
jimmiller5417 		Latest page update: made by jimmiller5417 , Jun 19 2009, 7:01 PM EDT (about this update About This Update jimmiller5417 Edited by jimmiller5417

1 word added
1 word deleted

view changes
- complete history)
Keyword tags: None
More Info: links to this page

Threads for this page

There are no threads for this page.  Be the first to start a new thread.