ElectroConcentration and ElectroFlotation for Dewatering/Water Purification

Oil-producing microalgae are an extremely attractive alternative to conventional fuel sources as they grow extremely rapidly, have the potential to produce as much as 100 times more oil per hectare of land area than land-based crops, and if properly developed, can serve as a biofuel source that is economical, sustainable, reduces global warming, reduces the need to displace conventional food crops, and provides energyindependence. In addition, algae farming has the potential to generate 50 – 100 times more oil production than that of competitive soy or corn based crops thereby significantly increasing monetary crop yield per acre to the algae farmer. Perhaps one of the largest technical/cost hurdles is efficient cultivation methods including dewatering/drying of the algae prior to final oil extraction processes. Current means to concentrate the algae is focused on centrifugation, possibly using additives to flocculate the algae. Centrifugation is a highly energy intensive process and the flocculants often times introduce impurities that can foul the fuel without further post processing, resulting in either choice being less attractive and with a reduced net energy yield of the oil.