Team 12

The Team

Steve Pohler Eric Michel Nate Gifford Mark Dekker Caleb Mutschler

Summary

Overview Experimental accomplishments Experimental Obstacles Base case and UNISIM design Final Design Questions

Overview

Use algae to convert CO2 to lipids Convert lipids into biodiesel Scaled to industrial application

Preliminary Experiments

Growth studies on local algae Conducted research on various strains Chlorella vulgaris

Pilot Plant Construction

Pilot Plant

Algae was initially grown in growth chambers

Transferred to reactor Bacteria was also

introduced Bacteria

outcompeted algae for nutrients

Experimentation was discontinued

Base Case

Developed a process flow diagram Utilized UNISIM process simulator to

model Catalyst design decision Early equipment selection

Process Flow Diagram

UNISIM

Developed biomass and triglyceride hypotheticals

Useful for early estimates of equipment sizing

Models liquid operations better than solid

Final Design

Hand calculations to size equipment Develop a piping and instrumentation

diagram Process costing Feasibility analysis

Obstacles

Reasonable sizing estimates of photobioreactor

Solids handling Dewatering Crushing

Questions?