Answers to some Algae Oil FAQs - Heating Value, Yield...

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Here's an interesting post by Clint LeRoy at the Oil from Algae yahoogroup

Answers to some Algae Oil FAQs

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Algae oil to 72 % of their weight

Ladies and Gentleman

Each day I get a phone call or two from interested people wishing to find out all the details about the Algae and the developing business of growing the algae to produce high volumes of oil. I myself find these answers out by reading everything I can and counseling with the scientist in charge. Today I give you answers to some of those lingering questions which have become quite repetitive.

1. What is the heating value of the oil when burned?
2. How do you get more fatty oils from the current algae substrates?

#1 Answer: A typical algal mass has a heating value (heat produced by combustion) of 8,000-10,000 BTU/lb, which is better than lignite; but the heating value of algal oil and lipids is 16,000 BTU/lb, which is better than anthracite coal.

#2 Answer: Under normal circumstances, algae contain mainly hydrocarbons and proteins; the fat content does not exceed 20% of the total dry weight. But it was discovered that under nutritional stress - limited nutrients or saline environment - certain micro algae will accumulate up to 72% of their weight as lipids (fatty substances).

***** So by starving them you make them grow fatter? Only in a sense: by limiting their food, you make them form a higher percentage of their body weight as fat.

While you’re working hard to visualize your wealth of building and operating these vast farms of Algae, others are developing the maximum output so you don’t have the headaches when the time comes to release the final Photo-bioreactor.

Clint LeRoy
Lead Consultant
Marg Energy inc.
www.margenergy. com

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Original message here

Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again

Oilgae - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae
Oilgae Blog; The complete list of Oilgae Blog articles.
algOS - Biodiesel from Algae Open Source

About Oilgae - Oilgae - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae has a focus on biodiesel production from algae while also discussing alternative energy in general. Algae present an exciting possibility as a feedstock for biodiesel, and when you realise that oil was originally formed from algae - among other related plants - you think "Hey! Why not oil again from algae!"