Algae oil extraction by ultrasonics at UWS

Biodiesel is considered to be one of the most promising renewable fuels for the future and is currently enjoying huge market growth throughout the world. The production of bio-diesel from algal oil combines biotechnology and advanced engineering in the large scale production of (ideally) high growth rate and high oil content algae. Algae are also considered far more productive per m2 than current biodiesel feedstocks produced from rapeseed and jatropher seeds.

Extraction of oil from algae usually combines a mechanical press with chemical extraction using a solvent. However, this also increases the cost and environmental impact of extraction due to the use of chemicals and specialised distillers to separate the oil from the solvent.

Associate Professor Kamali Kannangara, Dr Nguyen Tran and Dr Adriyan Milev from the School of Natural Sciences together with AusBiodiesel Pty Ltd have been awarded a UWS Research Partnership grant to investigate ultrasound effects on extraction of algal crude oils to biodiesel.

‘Extraction of crude oils from microalgae is an essential step that will impact on the efficiency of the biofuel production’ says Associate Professor Kannangara. ‘A remarkably simple, scalable technique that enables fast extraction of microalgae crude oils has been recognised as the ultrasound-assisted process. This involves significantly less volume of solvents compared to conventional techniques. However, many technical issues such as the composition, stability and chemistry of the extracts are dependent on the physical property of the algal cell, chemical composition of the cytoplasm and the ultrasound intensity and energy’. The research team will source the microalgae slurry externally which will then be filtered and the filtrate containing microalgae will be subjected to ultrasound-assisted oil extraction. Please read the full information sheet for more details on the project.

UWS has a growing list of researchers involved in renewable energy and clean technology. Contact us at ip@uws.edu.au for more information.