Patent ID: 8287732
Filing Date: 2012-10-16
Classification: A01H,C11B,C12M,C12P,Y02E,Y02W

Abstract:
1. A method of recovering and recycling nutrients from lipid-extracted algae biomass, comprising the steps of: growing lipid-producing algae; extracting lipids and/or oils from said lipid-producing algae, thereby obtaining a lipid-extracted algae biomass; hydrolyzing the lipid-extracted algae biomass, thereby forming hydrolyzed algae biomass such that at least a portion of saccharides produced by the hydrolysis of one or more algae cell wall components are recycled back into said step of growing lipid-producing algae; anaerobically digesting the hydrolyzed algae biomass, thereby forming anaerobically digested effluent such that at least a portion of CO separating water from the anaerobically digested effluent such that said water is recycled back into said step of hydrolyzing and/or anaerobically digesting; and recovering one or more nutrients from the anaerobically digested effluent such that at least a portion of recovered phosphorous and nitrogen are recycled back into said step of growing lipid-producing algae, thereby recycling one or more components of the recovered nutrients and/or waste into a single integrated algae growth processing system.