Algal Fuel Research in Korea

Ji--WonJiW Yang
YDept.
Dept of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
KAIST

Contents

 Climate Change & Energy Crisis
 Solutions for the Problem
 Global Research Trend
 AlgalAl l F
Fuell RResearchh iin KKorea
 Breakthrough of Algal Fuel
 Conclusion
2

Climate Change & Energy Crisis
Fossil
F il FFuell
Energy Crisis
HighHih Oil P
Pricei
Energy Security Risk

3

Climate Change
GlobalGlb lWWarmingiTemperature Rise
Sea Level Rise

Solution for Climate & Energy Crisis
 Biofuel• Short
Sh t carbon
b liflife cyclel• Substitution of fossil fuel4

Science 319, 1238 (2008) / Biotechnology Advances 25: 294-306, 2007

Solutions for the Problem

Oil yieeld (L/ha)

 Algal biofuel – Alternative to biofuel from land plants• GreenhouseGhgas reduction
d ti – RenewableRbl ffeedstockd t k– Carbon neutral• No competition with food crop
• High oil yield > 100x those for land plants• Biodegradable

Microalgae Corn

5

Soybean Oil palm

A Look Back at the U.S. Department of Energy's Aquatic Species Program: Biodiesel from Algae

Global Research Trend Past Microalgal Research at NREL
• U.S. DOE’s Aquatic Species Program((ASP,, 1978-1996))– 3,000 strains of algae collected andscreened– DevelopDl renewable
bl ttransportationt tifuels from algae– Produce biodiesel from microalgaegwith high lipid contents in open
pond (1000 m2)– High cost estimates for algal lipids($40-$70/barrel oil)
– Important resource for algae
researchers worldwide6http://www.nrel.gov/biomass/proj_microalgae.html

Global Research Trend
 Current Microagal Research at NREL
• Colorado Center for Biorefining and Biofuels (collaboration between
NREL and Colorado School of Mines)– Bioenergy-focused microalgae strain collection• Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) under
Chevron/NREL Alliance– Algae strains that can be economically harvested and processed
into finished transportation fuels• Laboratory Directed Research and Development– High-throughput
Hi h hhtechniqueh iffor assessing
i li
lipid
id productiond i iin algael– Novel gene sequencing technology for high-throughput
transcriptomics analysis of microbial strains used for biofuel
production
7

Energy Convers. Mgmt Vol. 38, Suppl., pp. 487-492, 1997 / Energy Convers. Mgmt Vol. 38, Suppl., pp. 493-497, 1997

Global Research Trend
 RITE (Research Institute of Innovated technology for Earth, Japan)• Biological CO2 fixation and utilization project by microalgae(1990-1999)– Developed highly effective photobioreactor system– closed photobioreactor using optic fiber– Sunlight collection & transmission system– Appliedpp
to LNG ppower pplant– 70% conversion rate of CO2 to microalgal biomass– Production of fuel oil from Botryococcus sp.
: 10,400 kcal/kg8http://www.co2captureandstorage.info/networks/Biofixation.htm

Global Research Trend
 International Network on Biofixation of CO2 and Greenhouse Gas
Abatement with Microalgae• Biologicalg
CO2 fixation pprojectj– Started operation in June, 2002.
– Manager: Dr. Benemann (Inst. for Environ. Management)– US DOE, Eni Technologie (Italy), Exxon Mobil, etc.
– Biodiesel production (Botryococcus sp.)• Research goal
– Doubled p
productivityy in mass cultivation of microalgaeg(50→100 DCW ton/ha/year in favorable climatic conditions)– CO2 reduction: 100 ton CO2/ha of algal pond
9http://www.cdrs.re.kr/Algal Fuel Research in Korea (1) CDRS (Carbon Dioxide Reduction & Sequestration R&D Center)• Ministry of Education, Science and Technology– KRIBB (Korea Research Institute of Bioscience andBiotechnology)• Period : 2002-2012 (10 years in 3 phases)• CO2 fixation with microalgae and biodiesel production
Government

Private (cash)

Private (spot)
Unit : $10

Algal Fuel Research in Korea (1) Microalgae Screening and Identification
Accessible microalgal strains through BRC

Microalgal
g strainsService by BRC-Web site : http://www.brc.re.kr11

Bioresource Technology (2009), Comparison of several methods for effective lipid extraction from microalgae

Algal Fuel Research in Korea (1) High efficient lipid extraction method– Microwave
Mioven• For Botryococcus sp.
– Bead-beating (28.1%): difficult to scale-up– Microwave oven (28.6%)• For C. vulgaris– Autoclaving
A t l i andd microwaveioven: highest efficiency– Bead-beatingg (7.9%)()• For Scenedesmus sp.
– Microwave oven: highest efficiency
12

Marine Bioenergy Planning Report (2009), Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs

Algal Fuel Research in Korea (2) Planning of R&D : Bioenergy Technology Master Plan using Marine
Biomass• Ministryy of Land,, Transportpand Maritime Affairs– Inha University• Period : 2008-2009 / 2009-2018• Total fund : $ 200 million• Biofuel p
production using
g microalgae
g and macroalgaeg13Algal Fuel Research in Korea (2) Condition of location• MassMcultivation
lti ti : utilizationtili ti off power plants
l t on th
the coastt
We have the sea!

SunBiological CO2 fixation( h(photosynthesis)h i )Microalgae

Industrial facility(Coal power plant)

Photobioreactor
Microalgal biomassTransesterification

14

Bioenergy
Biodiesel / Bioethanol

Algal Fuel Research in Korea (2) Strategy of Research
Macroalgae

Screening
Improvement
Mass Cultivation

Microalgae

Biomass
Carbohydrate

BtL
B
L(Biomass toLiquid)

BiogasBiodiesel

Feedstock

Bioalcohol

Selection of Optimum Site / Economical Feasibility / Wastewater Treatment
15

The 2nd International Bioenergy Forum October 31, 2008, Korea

Algal Fuel Research in Korea (3) Development of Bioethanol Production Technology from Red Algae• KITECH (Korea Institute of Industrial Technology)• Period : 2008-2011• Feedstock : 2 million ha of farm until 2018
• Commercialization of bioalcohol until 2013
• Production of 1.9 billion L of bioalcohol until 201816

Algal Fuel Research in Korea (3) Compositional Analysis of Red Algae
Red Algae(Gelidium amansii)
Fiber (Cellulose)
about 20%

Agar (Galactan)
about 60%

Lipid, protein, ash
about 20%

• Galactan
G l t structuret t:DD-Galactose
G l t+ 3,6-anhydrogalactose
36 h dl t(AHG)

D-Galactose
17

3,6-anhydrogalactose (AHG)

Algal Fuel Research in Korea (3) Simple Process
Agar(Galactan)

Pretreatment

Red algae

Galactose

EthanolDirectSaccharification
Mono Sugars

Pretreatment

Fermentation

AcetoneButanol
Fibers(Cellulose)

18

GlucoseEthanolAlgal Fuel Research in Korea (3) Technical Hurdles : Economical Feedstock by Marine Aquaculturing• TropicalT i l region
i– Plenty of sunshine, warm temp., low labor cost, etc.

Indonesia

19

Algal Fuel Research in Korea (3) Technical Hurdles : Effective Depolymerization• D
Depolymerization
li ti off galactose-basedl tb d mixed
i d sugars• Minimization of byproduct (5-HMF) formation using noble catalyst• Saccharification of crystalline fiber Saccharification Experiment• CCondition
diti : 140 ~ 150℃ with
ith variousiacid
id catalystst l t– Substrate : pulverized Gelidium amansii• Saccharification (Direct) : 51% based on total carbohydrate• Saccharification (Indirect, Acidic saccharification)– Monosugar yields from Agar : 78% based on galactan– Monosugar yields from Agar : > 95 % using ionic liquids (IL) withminimized formation of 5-HMF– Monosugar yields from Fiber : 61% based on glucan

20Total saccharification yield : 59% (without IL), 69% (with IL)

J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. (2005), 15(3), 461-465

Algal Fuel Research in Korea (4) Biological CO2 fixation by microalgae (KAIST, 1999-2001)• Chlorella
Chl ll sp. HA-1
HA 1 (NIES,(NIES JJapan))• 3L lab-scale photobioreactor• VVariousi
operation
ti– Batch mode
– SemiSemi-continuouscontinuous mode
– Series mode

21

J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. (2005), 15(3), 461-465

Algal Fuel Research in Korea (4) Semi-continuous mode22

 Series mode

J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. (2005), 15(3), 461-465

Algal Fuel Research in Korea (4) Correlation of total CO2fixation rate and the numberof connected reactors

23

 Series reactor system of semicontinuous operation

Algal Fuel Research in Korea (4) Biological CO2 fixation by microalgae (KAIST, 1999-2001)• Chlorella
Chl ll sp. HA-1
HA 1 (NIES,(NIES JJapan))• 600L pilot-scale photobioreactor– Main objective : CO2 fixation– CO2 fixation rate : 0.562 kg/m2·day– Oil contents of Chlorella sp. HA-1 : 18.4%
Medium Storage

Exit

Temp
Controller
Reactor

Input
Gas

Flowmeter+Heat ExchangerWastewater

24

Pump

Reactor

Reactor

Pump

Biomass Separation

Biomass

600 L Reactor (pilot-scale)Breakthrough of Algal Cultivation
 Conventional Culture System

Tubularphotobioreactor

Helicalphotobioreactor

High efficiency
but high cost

Suitable for smallscale cultivation ofmicroalgal
inoculant

Racewayy pondp
Low operation cost
but low growthyield

Problem : Photoinhibition, Biofilm formation, Higher production cost25Breakthrough of Algal Cultivation
 Breakthrough - PBR Design• HighHi h ddensity
it mass cultivation
lti ti off microalgaeil
Lightg• Internal light using high efficient light source (LED)– Reduction of photoinhibition and heat generation– Low electrical energy costType• Bubble column type reactor– Improvement of mixing efficiency (baffle, stirrer, etc.)– Various operation methods(batch, semi-continuous, series, etc.)26

http://www.lbgweb.com/articles-news015a.aspx

Breakthrough of Algal Cultivation

Flow Breakthrough - PBR Design• Internal
I tl LED lilightht• High gas flow rate → Slug flow
• Baffle design → Decrease of bubble size

Increasing gas flowflo27

Conclusion Algae as a Solution for Climate and Energy Crisis
Chemistry
Bioalcohol
CO2Biodiesel
Sun

CO2 Reduction

Seawater
28

Biologyjwyang@kaist.ac.kr