Chemical Engineering April 2012 - 16

Growing algae with fluegas CO2
ChementatoR
(Continued from p. 14)
www.basf-vc.de) invested $13.5 million
in allylix, part of a $18.2-million financing
round, joined by existing investors
Tate & lyle Ventures, avrio Ventures and
Cultivian Ventures.
C
onstruction of a 1-hectare (ha) carbon-capture
and recycling " synthesizer "
demonstration plant has started
at Tarong Power Station near the town
of Nanango in southeast Queensland,
Australia. Tarong Power Station comprises
four coal-fired units with a gross
generating capacity of 1,400 MW. The
plant - a joint initiative between MBD
Energy Ltd. (Melbourne, Australia;
www.mbdenergy.com) and the Queensland
government-owned Stanwell
Corp. - is expected to be operational
later this year.
The aim of the project is to determine
whether waste industrial CO2
emissions can be recycled to produce
algal biomass on a commercial scale
and cut net CO2 emissions. The project
will also help determine whether algal
biomass grown with the assistance of
captured and recycled waste CO2 is
suitable for the production of animal
feed, fertilizers and solid and liquid
fuels. The plant is expected to capture
700 m.t./yr of CO2 and produce 1 m.t./d
of algal biomass.
Algal synthesis involves the injection
of captured fluegases into a water
growth medium contained in large, elongated
plastic membranes to produce a
rapid increase of algal biomass - doubling
about every 24-48 h. MBD Energy
says this algal biomass is grown from
locally selected strains of micro algae
to protect local biodiversity, and may be
harvested daily.
One of the company's technologies,
its Biological Algal Growth System
(BAGS) allows synthesizing captured
smokestack CO2 emissions on a continuous
basis. The rapid algal growth is
enhanced by a constant flow of captured
CO2 (and other gases such as NOx and
SOx) that are dissolved into nutrientrich
wastewater that slowly circulates
through the membranes. The algal biomass
is dewatered and processed according
to intended end use (biofuels,
nutrition or fertilizer production).
Hygienic gas bottles
air products and Chemicals, inc. (lehigh
Valley, pa.; www.airproducts.com)
has launched Freshline plus, a gas
cylinder with a built-in barrier technology
to drive hygiene and safety standards in
the food-packaging industry. Developed
specifically for use in modified-atmosphere
packaging (map) applications,
the gas cylinder has an antimicrobial
coating that is designed to minimize the
risk of contamination in food-processing
areas. The coating inhibits the growth
of microbes, bacteria and mold on the
cylinder's surface.
MBD Energy aims to build an algal
synthesizer of about 80 ha, with a CO2
supply of 70,000 m.t./yr of fluegas emissions,
and algae production capacity of
100 m.t./d (35,000 dry m.t./yr). An even
larger plant is planned, to 1,600 ha, with
an algal biomass production capacity of
2,000 m.t./d (700,000 dry m.t./yr).
Keep your cool.
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Circle 3 on p. 82 or go to adlinks.che.com/40266-03
16 ChemiCal engineering www.Che.Com april 2012
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Chemical Engineering April 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering April 2012
