Direct to Ethanol Technology

Technology that uses hybrid algae? to produce ethanol from carbon dioxide, water and sunlight. Algenol has a large number of algal strains capable of producing ethanol and has an active research effort to produce more. The central component of the direct to ethanol process is a proprietary flexible film photobioreactor made of plastic with special additives and coatings. The photobioreactor contains seawater that has been treated to remove particulates and contaminants, added nutrients, and a headspace above the seawater. After hybrid algae inoculation, carbon dioxide is introduced into the outdoor photobioreactor. After exposure to the sun, the hybrid algae perform photosynthesis and produce internal sugars that are converted into ethanol inside each algal cell. The ethanol made inside the cell diffuses through the cell wall into the culture medium and then evaporates, along with water, into the headspace. The ethanol- water vapor condenses on the inner surface of the bioreactor and is collected by gravity, concentrated, and then distilled into fuel grade ethanol.

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Algenol Biofuels