Algae Oil Extraction – Ultrasonic

Oil Extraction from Algae is a hot topic.

Extracting Oil from Algae can be done by a variety of processes. 

There are mechanical and chemical methods. 

The mechanical methods are with presses, high pressure homogenizers and now ultrasonic technology.  

Chemical Methods for extracting algae are also available, however the industry is trending towards the less toxic mechanical algae separation.

Ultrasonic Technology -

I had great conversation with Gunther Benner from Hielscher Ultrasonis GmbH.   Helscher has basically developed a “gamma ray” type device for mixing hard-to-mix substances , like fine powder and liquid.  

Ultrasonic devices are excellent at breaking cell structures. Thus, these devices can be used to extract oil from Algae.

From laboratories to industrial scale algae oil production facilities, these ultrasonic devices have proven well for separating oil from Algae and are currently used in industrial scale algae installations, like Algae Grow Labs.

These ultrasonic machines are more efficient(energy-wise) than high pressure homogenizers, and are lower maintenance. 

From research both on press style and ultrasonic algae extraction, the concensus is the algae needs to be fairly concentrated to facilitate proper oil extraction.  

A Paste Like Algae Concentrate is Recommended -

With the ultrasonic algae device and algae presses, the algae paste/solution needs to be concentrated into a paste like consistency.  For mechanical press algae extraction specifically, it should be more of a hard and brittle consistency.

Centrifuges are the common means to collect the algae into the required paste that you need.

Ultrasonic Biodiesel -

Biodiesel manufacturers are benefiting from methanol and catalyst efficiencies created by ultrasonic devices used in the transesterification process.  

With a quicker and more complete mixing process, less methanol and catalyst are used, saving chemicals.

Up stream savings on Heating

Ultrasonic mixing devices for biodiesel save upstream costs as well.  Feedstock heat can be reduced 2*C when using ultrasonic mixing over traditional mixing.

Down Stream Savings

Productions efficiencies are also gained downstream with a more pure product.

Volume of Biodiesel from Ultrasonic

A base model ultrasonic device will generate can process up to 1 million gallons of biodiesel per year.

Contact me at skype: jjelonek1 or jmjelonek@gmail.com for more information