Australian researchers develop new way to deliver CO2 to microalgae

January 25, 2016 |

In Australia, chemical and biomolecular engineers from the Melbourne School of Engineering have discovered a new way to deliver carbon dioxide to microalgae, which in turn, can be harvested to make renewable fuels such as biodiesel. Carbon dioxide is well known to speed up the growth of microalgae.

However, the carbon dioxide has to be free of contamination or the algae die. Published in the research journal, Energy and Environmental Science, the new method purifies the carbon dioxide that is in power station flue gases by absorbing it into a liquid. This liquid is then pumped through hollow fiber membranes. These hollow fiber membranes are like very long drinking straws, which can be immersed into the microalgae beds.

Professor Sandra Kentish, Head of the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Melbourne and leader of the research team said that supplying purified carbon dioxide by extracting it from flue gases can work, but it is expensive and takes a lot of energy.

Category: Research

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