Comparative performance and technoeconomic analyses of two microalgae harvesting systems evaluated at a commercially relevant scale

Lu, Zhiying; Beal, Colin M.; Johnson, Zackary I.

doi:10.1016/j.algal.2022.102667

Comparative performance and technoeconomic analyses of two microalgae harvesting systems evaluated at a commercially relevant scale

Journal Article · Tue Mar 29 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Algal Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2022.102667· OSTI ID:1976810

Lu, Zhiying ^[1]; Beal, Colin M. ^[2]; Johnson, Zackary I. ^[3]

Duke University, Durham, NC (United States); University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL (United States); OSTI
B&D Engineering and Consulting LLC, Lander, WY (United States); Univ. of Hawaii, Hilo, HI (United States)
Duke University, Durham, NC (United States)

Using a commercially scalable system designed for processing thousands of liters a day, here we evaluated the factors that affected the performance, energy consumption and capital/operating costs of both flocculation-based and filtration-based algal harvesting systems over a 16 month period. Coagulation efficiency was the primary driver of harvest efficiency in the flocculation-based method, while cell lysis was important for the filtration-based method. Culture (algae) age differentially influenced harvest efficiency through changes in cell fragility and stickiness. The average energy consumption of the flocculation-based method was 0.389 kWh/m³, while that for the filtration-based method was 4.343 kWh/m³. The average harvesting cost of the filtration-based method was 5.35 $$\$$$$/m³, while for flocculation-based method it was 4.52 $$\$$$$/m³. The concentration factor of filtration-based and flocculation-based method were 770–1086 and 407–448, respectively. For both harvesting methods, labor costs dominated and ranged from 55.84%–67.94% of total cost. Further system automation is a potential method to lower the harvesting cost. The filtration-based harvesting method could produce a better quality of algal biomass with higher concentration factors and less ash content, but needed more energy input, as compared with a flocculation-based method. This study highlights the importance of algal culture status to successful harvesting, and it also provides insight into developing more efficient harvesting technology with lower energy and capital cost.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Duke University, Durham, NC (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: International Postdoctoral Exchange Fellowship of China; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Molecule Works Inc.; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0007091; EE0008518

OSTI ID:: 1976810

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2439753

Journal Information:: Algal Research, Journal Name: Algal Research Journal Issue: C Vol. 64; ISSN 2211-9264

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (34)

Harvesting of microalgae by bio-flocculation Salim, Sina; Bosma, Rouke; Vermuë, Marian H. Journal of Applied Phycology, Vol. 23, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-010-9591-x	journal	September 2010
Recovery of microalgal biomass and metabolites: process options and economics Molina Grima, E.; Belarbi, E.-H.; Acién Fernández, F. G. Biotechnology Advances, Vol. 20, Issue 7-8, p. 491-515 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0734-9750(02)00050-2	journal	January 2003
Characterization of dissolved organic matters responsible for ultrafiltration membrane fouling in algal harvesting Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Wen; Zhang, Xuezhi Algal Research, Vol. 2, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2013.05.002	journal	July 2013
Demonstrated large-scale production of marine microalgae for fuels and feed Huntley, Mark E.; Johnson, Zackary I.; Brown, Susan L. Algal Research, Vol. 10 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2015.04.016	journal	July 2015
Algal biofuel production for fuels and feed in a 100-ha facility: A comprehensive techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment Beal, Colin M.; Gerber, Léda N.; Sills, Deborah L. Algal Research, Vol. 10 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2015.04.017	journal	July 2015
Harvesting of microalgae within a biorefinery approach: A review of the developments and case studies from pilot-plants Gerardo, Michael L.; Van Den Hende, Sofie; Vervaeren, Han Algal Research, Vol. 11 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2015.06.019	journal	September 2015
Review of the harvesting and extraction program within the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Marrone, Babetta L.; Lacey, Ronald E.; Anderson, Daniel B. Algal Research, Vol. 33 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2017.07.015	journal	July 2018
Techno-economic evaluation of microalgae harvesting and dewatering systems Fasaei, F.; Bitter, J. H.; Slegers, P. M. Algal Research, Vol. 31 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2017.11.038	journal	April 2018
Harvesting microalgal biomass using magnesium coagulation-dissolved air flotation Zhang, Xuezhi; Wang, Lan; Sommerfeld, Milton Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 93 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2016.06.024	journal	October 2016
An effective method for harvesting of marine microalgae: pH induced flocculation Pérez, Leticia; Salgueiro, Jose Luis; Maceiras, Rocío Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 97 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2016.12.010	journal	February 2017
Harvesting algal biomass for biofuels using ultrafiltration membranes Zhang, Xuezhi; Hu, Qiang; Sommerfeld, Milton Bioresource Technology, Vol. 101, Issue 14, p. 5297-5304 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.02.007	journal	July 2010
Cultivation, photobioreactor design and harvesting of microalgae for biodiesel production: A critical review Chen, Chun-Yen; Yeh, Kuei-Ling; Aisyah, Rifka Bioresource Technology, Vol. 102, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.06.159	journal	January 2011
Algal biomass dehydration Show, Kuan-Yeow; Lee, Duu-Jong; Chang, Jo-Shu Bioresource Technology, Vol. 135 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2012.08.021	journal	May 2013
High pH-induced flocculation–sedimentation and effect of supernatant reuse on growth rate and lipid productivity of Scenedesmus obliquus and Chlorella vulgaris Castrillo, M.; Lucas-Salas, L. M.; Rodríguez-Gil, C. Bioresource Technology, Vol. 128 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2012.10.114	journal	January 2013
Harvesting of Chlorella sp. KR-1 using a cross-flow membrane filtration system equipped with an anti-fouling membrane Hwang, Taewoon; Park, Seong-Jik; Oh, You-Kwan Bioresource Technology, Vol. 139 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2013.03.149	journal	July 2013
High-pH-induced flocculation–flotation of the hypersaline microalga Dunaliella salina Besson, Alexandre; Guiraud, Pascal Bioresource Technology, Vol. 147 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2013.08.053	journal	November 2013
A magnetic separator for efficient microalgae harvesting Hu, Yi-Ru; Guo, Chen; Xu, Ling Bioresource Technology, Vol. 158 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2014.02.120	journal	April 2014
The effect of culture salinity on the harvesting of microalgae biomass using pilot-scale tangential-flow-filter membrane Das, Probir; Thaher, Mahmoud; Khan, Shoyeb Bioresource Technology, Vol. 293 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122057	journal	December 2019
Microalgal growth characteristics and subsequent influence on dewatering efficiency Danquah, Michael K.; Gladman, Brendan; Moheimani, Navid Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol. 151, Issue 1-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2009.01.047	journal	August 2009
A comparative assessment of support vector regression, artificial neural networks, and random forests for predicting and mapping soil organic carbon stocks across an Afromontane landscape Were, Kennedy; Bui, Dieu Tien; Dick, Øystein B. Ecological Indicators, Vol. 52 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2014.12.028	journal	May 2015
Efficient membrane microalgal harvesting: Pilot-scale performance and techno-economic analysis Wang, Lan; Pan, Bo; Gao, Yunxiao Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 218 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.01.321	journal	May 2019
Integration of membrane technology in microalgae biorefineries Gerardo, Michael L.; Oatley-Radcliffe, Darren L.; Lovitt, Robert W. Journal of Membrane Science, Vol. 464 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2014.04.010	journal	August 2014
Rapid harvesting of freshwater microalgae using chitosan Rashid, Naim; Rehman, Saif Ur; Han, Jong-In Process Biochemistry, Vol. 48, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procbio.2013.04.018	journal	July 2013
Exploring the critical factors of algal biomass and lipid production for renewable fuel production by machine learning Coşgun, Ahmet; Günay, M. Erdem; Yıldırım, Ramazan Renewable Energy, Vol. 163 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2020.09.034	journal	January 2021
Harvesting techniques applied to microalgae: A review Barros, Ana I.; Gonçalves, Ana L.; Simões, Manuel Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 41 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.09.037	journal	January 2015
Influence of growth phase on the harvesting of Scenedesmus acuminatus using ultrafiltration Ye, Jing; Sha, Jun; Liu, Qingling Science of The Total Environment, Vol. 660 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.020	journal	April 2019
Flocculation as a low-cost method for harvesting microalgae for bulk biomass production Vandamme, Dries; Foubert, Imogen; Muylaert, Koenraad Trends in Biotechnology, Vol. 31, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2012.12.005	journal	April 2013
Microalgae Filtration Using an Electrochemically Reactive Ceramic Membrane: Filtration Performances, Fouling Kinetics, and Foulant Layer Characteristics Hua, Likun; Cao, Han; Ma, Qingquan Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 54, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b07022	journal	December 2019
Membrane-Based Energy Efficient Dewatering of Microalgae in Biofuels Production and Recovery of Value Added Co-Products Bhave, Ramesh; Kuritz, Tanya; Powell, Lawrence Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 46, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1021/es204107d	journal	May 2012
Solutions for a cultivated planet Foley, Jonathan A.; Ramankutty, Navin; Brauman, Kate A. Nature, Vol. 478, Issue 7369 https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10452	journal	October 2011
Dewatering of microalgal cultures: A major bottleneck to algae-based fuels Uduman, Nyomi; Qi, Ying; Danquah, Michael K. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Vol. 2, Issue 1, Article No. 012701 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3294480	journal	January 2010
Comparison of different artificial neural network architectures in modeling of Chlorella sp. flocculation Zenooz, Alireza Moosavi; Ashtiani, Farzin Zokaee; Ranjbar, Reza Preparative Biochemistry & Biotechnology, Vol. 47, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1080/10826068.2016.1275013	journal	February 2017
Carbon allocation under light and nitrogen resource gradients in two model marine phytoplankton ¹ Bittar, Thais B.; Lin, Yajuan; Sassano, Lara R. Journal of Phycology, Vol. 49, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1111/jpy.12060	journal	March 2013
Marine Microalgae: Climate, Energy, and Food Security from the Sea Greene, Charles; Huntley, Mark; Archibald, Ian Oceanography, Vol. 29, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2016.91	journal	December 2016

Similar Records

The Energy Costs of Dewatering Feedstock Microalgae Species Using Conventional Implementations of Ultrasonic and Crossflow Filtration Technologies

Journal Article · Sun Mar 22 20:00:00 EDT 2026 · Algal Research · OSTI ID:3030691

Water reuse for sustainable microalgae cultivation: current knowledge and future directions

Journal Article · Wed Jun 10 20:00:00 EDT 2020 · Resources, Conservation and Recycling · OSTI ID:1848483

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
algal harvesting
harvesting efficiency
machine learning
marine algae
technoeconomic analyses

Comparative performance and technoeconomic analyses of two microalgae harvesting systems evaluated at a commercially relevant scale

Citation Formats

References (34)

Similar Records

Related Subjects