Transcript Presentation to Calvin Engineering Advisory Council

Team 12
The Team
Steve Pohler Eric Michel Nate Gifford Mark Dekker Caleb Mutschler
Summary
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Overview
Experimental accomplishments
Experimental Obstacles
Base case and UNISIM design
Final Design
Questions
Overview
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Use algae to convert CO2 to lipids
Convert lipids into biodiesel
Scaled to industrial application
Preliminary Experiments
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Growth studies on local algae
Conducted research on various strains
Chlorella vulgaris
Pilot Plant Construction
Pilot Plant
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Algae was initially
grown in growth
chambers
Transferred to reactor
Bacteria was also
introduced
Bacteria outcompeted
algae for nutrients
Experimentation was
discontinued
Base Case
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Developed a process flow diagram
Utilized UNISIM process simulator to model
Catalyst design decision
Early equipment selection
Process Flow Diagram
UNISIM
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Developed biomass and triglyceride hypotheticals
Useful for early estimates of equipment sizing
Models liquid operations better than solid
Final Design
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Hand calculations to size equipment
Develop a piping and instrumentation diagram
Process costing
Feasibility analysis
Obstacles
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Reasonable sizing estimates of photobioreactor
Solids handling
 Dewatering
 Crushing
Questions?