27-28 Apr, 2009 - Rotterdam, NETHERLANDS
Van der Valk Hotel Ridderkerk
Van der Valk Hotel Ridderkerk
Source- ORIGIN OIL
Origin Oil was identified as one of the “Hottest 50 Companies in BioEnergy” by the Biofuels Digest in 2008. This Los Angeles start-up is blazing a trail in the Algae industry with their innovative, closed-environment cultivation system that aims to be more ‘cost-effective’ and ‘high-speed’ for manufacturing microalgal oil.
Origin Oil’s three-stage production system begins with a process they call ‘quantum fracturing’; where water, CO2 and nutrients are mixed under high pressure to create a “slurry” of “micron-sized nutrient bubbles”.
The “slurry” is then channelled into an algae culture set within their proprietary low-pressure “Helix” photobioreactor. (As pictured above). Within the photobioreactor, the algae are treated with low energy light cast by a rotating vertical shaft in a spiral pattern, aimed at stepping up production.
In an interview with Recharge News, Origin Oil CTO Dr. Pattarkine said, “The process achieves efficient distribution of nutrients to the algae culture without much agitation or aeration.”
The company’s ambitions for its “Helix” photobioreactor took its place in the spotlight in December last year when the unit was automated, allowing Origin Oil real time control over all stages of the algae production process.
Once a batch of algae has matured, most of the algae is skimmed for harvesting, and the remaining ‘green water’ is purified and returned to the “Helix” photobioreactor to repeat the growth cycle.
By using this ‘cascading’ system, Dr. Pattarkine added, there was “no need to re-incubate” successive batches of algae, as the algae which was not transferred out for the oil extraction stage would already be mature, and can continue growing within the Helix Bioreactor until the next harvest.
However, even Dr. Pattarkine acknowledges the challenge in extracting oil from the harvested algae. In the same interview, he says mechanical lysing methods are energy-intensive and “often ineffective”, and commonly used chemical solvents likes benzene, ether or hexane called for careful handling and increased operating costs.
At Algae World 2009 Dr. Pattarkine shares frank insights on the topic “ALGAE FOR FUEL: PROMISES & CHALLENGES,” touching on specific technology issues and solutions to overcome technology challenges for algae production and commercialization.
"We are continuing to interact with key players in the fast-growing algae-to-oil field,” said Dr. Pattarkine about sharing at Algae World 2009.
“As we continue to grow, events such as Algae World 2009 allow us to educate even more people on the promise of algae so that we can work together on utilizing this biofuel to its fullest potential.”
Don’t miss out on this hearing from Dr. Pattarkine, the brains behind one of the Hottest Algae start-ups, Origin Oil at Algae World 2009 in Rotterdam on 27-28 April 2009!
