Alge su Vrlo velika skupina jednostanicnih i viestanicnih autotrofnih organizama koji sadre razlicite pigmente Spadaju u eukariote.

Alge su male bioloke tvornice koje provode fotosintezu. Klasifikacija algi Makroalge i minialge su tzv. primitivne biljke

Alge bi se trebale koristiti u proizvodnji biogoriva jer Rastu svugdje : -u pustinjama, u slanoj i slatkoj vodi, cak i u otpadnoj i zagadenoj vodi te se stoga koriste za bioremedijaciju. Brzo se razmnoavaju. Koriste CO2 za fotosintezu Smanjuju koncentraciju CO2 za 40 % , a koncentraciju duikovih oksida za 85 %. Biorazgradive-biomasa se koristi kao stocna hrana. Iz 2 kg algi se dobije 1 kg suhe biomase. Potrebna su 2.5 kg suhe biomase da bi se dobio 1 kg ulja Visoki prinosi 10-100 puta vii nego kod drugih izvora biogoriva. Biogorivo iz algi ne sadri sumpor, nije toksicno i biorazgradivo je. Alge su jedini prirodni izvor koji ima potencijal da u potpunosti zamijeni fosilna goriva Mikroalge Mikroalge sadre visok udio masti i masnih kiselina. Do nakupljanja lipida dolazi tijekom izloenosti stresnim okolinim uvjetima ukljucujuci i gladovanje. Prinosi ulja su puno veci nego kod ostalih izvora (kokos). Razliciti sojevi mikroalgi daju razlicite prinose. Nema soja koji bi bio najbolji za proizvodnju biodizela. Ipak, dijatomeje i zelene alge predstavljaju najbolji potencijal Fotobioreaktor je bioreaktor koji ukljuuje neku vrstu izvora svjetlosti koji de obezbjediti fotonsku energiju na ulazu u bioreaktor. Veinom pojam fotobioreaktor se odnosi na zatvorene sisteme jer se time omoguduje visoka produktivnost.Fotobioreaktor se koristi za kontroliranje biolokog rasta algi . Cijevi su izraene od akrila i dizajnirani su da imaju svijetle i tamne intervale kako bi se poboljala stopa rasta.Ima ugraen sistem idenja ,da interno isti cijevi bez zaustavljanja proizvodnje.Prednost ovog naina uzgoja algi je velika produktivnost a mana im je to je ovakav nain skup. Izdvajanje ulja iz algi Mehanicki - ulrazvuk - prea Kemijski -ekstrakcija benzenom -ekstrakcija superkriticnim CO2 Proizvodi dobiveni iz algi: biodizel, bioetanol, vodik, metan, stona hrana Biodizel Izvodi se dodatkom etanola i natrijevog etoksida kao katalizatora. Trigliceridi i etanol reagiraju, a kao proizvod nastaju biodizel i glicerol koji se moe koristiti u proizvodnji polihidroksialkanoata

Bioetanol Za proizvodnju se koriste makroalge koje su bogate ugljikohidratima (krob i celuloza) Postupak proizvodnje: -izdvojena biomasa se razgradi -oecerenje -fermentacija- doda se kvasac -izdvajanje bioetanola Vodik obnovljiv izvor energije sagorijevanjem ne nastaje CO2 velike kolicine energije jednostavna konverzija u struju Proizvodnja pomocu mikroalgi zahtijeva koritenje jednostavnih solarnih bioreaktora uz mali utroak energije Metan Mogucnost dobivanja iz ugljikohidrata, proteina ili masti. Uzgoj algi u fotobioreaktorima, a godinji prinos je 150-300 tona algi / ha. Moguce je proizvesti 200 000- 400 000 m3 metana / ha godinje. Ukoliko se koriste otvoreni bazeni, prinosi su manji Stanicni ostaci se mogu koristiti kao stocna hrana, a buduci da sadre uravnoteenu kolicinu duika i fosfora, koriste se kao organsko gnojivo Zrakoplovne kompanije sve vise koriste biogorivo da bi smanjile trokove i emisiju CO2 Biogoriva temeljena na algama definitivno imaju potencijala pokrenuti revoluciju u energetskoj industriji i mogla bi igrati vodedu ulogu u borbi protiv staklenikih plinova i klimatskih promjena. Njihov energetski potencijal, injenica da ne pretvaramo hranu u gorivo i znatno smanjene ukupne emisije staklenikih plinova trebali bi im osigurati dovoljna financijska sredstva za daljnja istraivanja. Potranja za energijom nede se smanjivati u godinama koje dolaze nego de rasti i biti de potrebna alternativna goriva bez obzira koliko de dominantna ostati fosilna goriva. Proizvodnja biogoriva iz algi mogla bi biti jedna od najvanijih izvora alternativnih goriva u ne tako dalekoj bududnosti, osobito ako cijene fosilnih goriva budu rasle

There are open-pond and closed-system reactors As the name indicates the open-pond photobioreactor is simply an open body of water exposed to the elements. This may be an attractive route if you already have a pond in your yard. Be aware that different algae strains require certain conditions to grow. With an open-pond you'll need to think about a few key factors. First, algae grows so thick in many cases that light will only penetrate about 3 to 4 inches under the surface of the pond water. To maximize the amount of algae grown, many open-pond users create some sort of agitation to stir the algae around exposing more algae to sunlight. A s seen in the picture below (these pictures are large examples of an open-pond, you wouldn't have to have a pond nearly this large to cultivate algae), the pond is in a race-track shape with a stirring device mixing the water. Algae will not grow quickly at night so the agitation device would not need to run 24 hours a day. Second, most if not all algae strains photosynthesize, which means they absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen. In fact, most of our oxygen supply comes not from plants but from plankton (a form of algae) in the ocean. You'll want to supply your pond with plenty of CO2 to speed the growth of your algae. Finding a cheap source of CO2 will require a bit of imagination. Most commonly either pure

CO2 or air with a high concentration is bubbled through the pond using an air pump. Most likely you'll not wish to pay for pure CO2 sources to use, so try to find a source of abundant ambient CO2 such as a furnace vent, a factory exhaust vent. Third, open ponds are susceptible to Mother Nature. This includes everything from weather disasters to microbial invasions. Algae do not have immune systems, they cannot fight off invading bacterial or viral infections. Losing a whole pond of algae to such an invasion is a risk to consider before growing algae in an open pond. Preventative steps can be taken to keep the algae pure and free from microbial invasion e.g. keeping animals away from the pond, be aware if the pond has a source of intake say from rain-water run-off, and starting the pond with clean water . Most strains of algae will not tolerate chlorinated water! Be sure to remove chlorine before starting a crop of algae. Problems that may arise in using an open pond are numerous, it is highly recommended that you do lots of research into your chosen strain of algae to determine if it can be safely and consistently produced in an open pond photobioreactor. Closed-System Photobioreactor The picture shown above may give the appearance that building and using a closed-system reactor will require expensive materials and skills. This is not the case. A gain the goal of the reactor is to provide light and nurients. Closed systems have the advantage over open ponds in that they require less space and are not susceptible to mother nature. Closed-system photobioreactors consist of a clear container with CO2 bubbling through water containing algae. This could be as simple as a fish tank with a bubbler pumping CO2 through the water. Some designs are more complex using pressure and multiple air-pumps to optimize photosynthesis. The design may be as simple or complex as you desire. Some issues to be aware of: algae in a small closed-system will not need direct sunlight. Too much sunlight can kill algae in such container, typical practice is to use artificial light. Algae grown in a closed-system can be exposed to light 24 hours a day, another advantage over the open pond.

Advantages of Photobioreactors Cultivation of algae is in controlled circumstances, hence potential for much higher productivity Large surface-to-volume ratio. PBRs offer maximum efficiency in using light and therefore greatly improve productivity. Typically the culture density of algae produced is 10 to 20 times greater than bag culture in which algaeculture is done in bags - and can be even greater. Better control of gas transfer. Reduction in evaporation of growth medium. More uniform temperature. Better protection from outside contamination. Space saving - Can be mounted vertically, horizontally or at an angle, indoors or outdoors. Reduced Fouling - Recently available tube self cleaning mechanisms can dramatically reduce fouling. Covering ponds does offer some of the benefits that are offered by photobioreactors, but enclosed systems will still provide better control of temperature, light intensity, better control of gas transfer, and larger surface area-to-volume ratio. An enclosed photobioreactor design will enhance commercial algae biomass production by keeping algae genetics pure and reducing the possibility of parasite infestation. Disadvantages of Photobioreactors Capital cost is very high. This is one of the most important bottlenecks that is hindering the progress of algae fuel industry.

Despite higher biomass concentration and better control of culture parameters, data accumulated in the last two decades have shown that the productivity and production cost in some enclosed photobioreactor systems are not much better than those achievable in open-pond cultures. The technical difficulty in sterilizing these photobioreactors has hindered their application for algae culture for specific end-products such as high value pharmaceutical products.

Microalgae cultivation has received much research attention in recent decades due to its high photosynthetic productivity and ability to produce biofuel feedstocks as well as high value compounds for the health food, cosmetics, and agriculture markets. Microalgae are conventionally grown in open pond raceways or closed photobioreactors. Due to the high water contents of these cultivation systems, they require large energy inputs for pumping and mixing the dilute culture, as well as concentrating and dewatering the resultant biomass. The energy required to operate these systems is generally greater than the energy contained in the resultant biomass, which precludes their use in sustainable biofuel production. Biofuels derived from microalgae have received much attention in recent decades. Unlike fossil fuels, the biofuel life cycle can be (i) carbon neutral, in that the CO emitted by fuel combustion is recycled during biofuel crop growth, and (ii) renewable, as the sun is the energy source. Biofuels derived from algae are particularly promising due to algae's high photosynethetic productivity and lipid content compared to conventional biofuel crops [26]. It was estimated that algae derived biofuels have a potential areal productivity as large as 250 times that of biofuel derived from conventional crops like corn and soybean. Moreover, algae can grow in saline or brackish water and do not require arable land to grow.
Nowadays 3 basic types of algae photobioreactors have to be differentiated, but the determining factor is the unifying parameter the available intensity of sunlight energy.

Plate photobioreactor[edit]
A plate reactor simply consists of vertically arranged or inclined rectangular boxes which are often divided in two parts to effect an agitation of the reactor fluid. Generally these boxes are arranged to a system by linking them. Those connections are also used for making the process of filling/emptying, introduction of gas and transport of nutritive substances, easier. The introduction of the flue gas mostly occurs at the bottom of the box to ensure that the carbon dioxide has enough time to interact with algae in the reactor fluid.

Tubular photobioreactor[edit]
A tubular reactor consists of vertical or horizontal arranged tubes, connected together to a pipe system. The algae-suspended fluid is able to circulate in this tubing. The tubes are generally made out of transparent plastics or borosilicate glass and the constant circulation is kept up by a pump at the end of the system. The introduction of gas takes place at the end/beginning of the tube system. This way of introducing gas causes the problem of deficiency of carbon dioxide, high concentration of oxygen at the end of the unit during the circulation, and bad efficiency.

Bubble column photobioreactor[edit]

A bubble column photo reactor consists of vertical arranged cylindrical column, made out of transparent material. The introduction of gas takes place at the bottom of the column and causes a turbulent stream to enable an optimum gas exchange. At present these types of reactors are built with

a maximum diameter of 20 cm to 30 cm in order to ensure the required supply of sunlight energy. This [clarification needed (What forces?)] type allows for a reduction of the harmful shear forces. The biggest problem with the sunlight determined construction is the limited size of the diameter. [who?] Feuermann et al. invented a method to collect sunlight with a cone shaped collector and transfer it with some fiberglass cables which are adapted to the reactor in order to enable constructions of a column reactor with wider diameters. - on this scale the energy consumption due to pumps etc. and the CO2 cost of manufacture may outweigh the CO2 captured by the reactor