Energy balance of biogas production from microalgae: development of an energy and mass balance model
Energy balance of biogas production from microalgae: development of an energy and mass balance model
The paper describes the construction of a mechanistic energy balance model for the production of biogas from anaerobic digestion of microalgal biomass grown in raceways, based on simple principles and taking into account growth, harvesting and energy extraction. The model compares operational energy inputs with the calorific value of the output biomass in terms of the energy return on operational energy invested (EROOI). Initial results indicate that production of microalgal biogas will require:
a) Favourable climatic conditions. The production of microalgal biofuel in the UK would be energetically challenging at best.
b) Achievement of ‘reasonable yields’ equivalent to ~3% photosynthetic efficiency (25 g m-2 day-1).
c) Low or no cost and embodied energy sources of CO2 and nutrients from flue gas and wastewater.
d) Mesophilic rather than thermophilic digestion.
e) Adequate conversion of the organic carbon to biogas (? 60%).
The model itself provides a powerful assessment tool both for comparison of alternative options and potentially for benchmarking real schemes.
554-567
Milledge, John
cc423401-b003-446f-98f5-2da6d710e403
Heaven, Sonia
f25f74b6-97bd-4a18-b33b-a63084718571
2016
Milledge, John
cc423401-b003-446f-98f5-2da6d710e403
Heaven, Sonia
f25f74b6-97bd-4a18-b33b-a63084718571
Milledge, John and Heaven, Sonia
(2016)
Energy balance of biogas production from microalgae: development of an energy and mass balance model.
Current Biotechnology, 4 (4), .
(doi:10.2174/2211550104666150722231755).
Abstract
The paper describes the construction of a mechanistic energy balance model for the production of biogas from anaerobic digestion of microalgal biomass grown in raceways, based on simple principles and taking into account growth, harvesting and energy extraction. The model compares operational energy inputs with the calorific value of the output biomass in terms of the energy return on operational energy invested (EROOI). Initial results indicate that production of microalgal biogas will require:
a) Favourable climatic conditions. The production of microalgal biofuel in the UK would be energetically challenging at best.
b) Achievement of ‘reasonable yields’ equivalent to ~3% photosynthetic efficiency (25 g m-2 day-1).
c) Low or no cost and embodied energy sources of CO2 and nutrients from flue gas and wastewater.
d) Mesophilic rather than thermophilic digestion.
e) Adequate conversion of the organic carbon to biogas (? 60%).
The model itself provides a powerful assessment tool both for comparison of alternative options and potentially for benchmarking real schemes.
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e-pub ahead of print date: 31 October 2015
Published date: 2016
Organisations:
Water & Environmental Engineering Group
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 402788
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/402788
ISSN: 2211-5501
PURE UUID: f224dfca-7039-4cab-8ab8-f3d7b19c4e4d
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Date deposited: 24 Nov 2016 16:32
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 02:46
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Author:
John Milledge
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