Harvest and concentration process for microalgae species

A method of obtaining microalgae from a liquid source material, wherein the microalgae have a concentration in a final concentrated solid-containing fraction of at least 10 wt %, based on the total weight of the final concentrated solid-containing fraction, wherein the method comprises:

• introducing a liquid source material to an apparatus to yield the final concentrated solid-containing fraction, said apparatus comprising:
• at least one leg for separating and concentrating a liquid source material to yield the final concentrated solid-containing fraction, wherein each leg comprises:
• (i) a separation unit comprising at least one separation stage, wherein each separation stage comprises an apparatus that can dewater the liquid source material to yield a first liquid fraction and a separation stage solid-containing fraction, wherein when there is more than one separation stage, they are communicatively connected (I) in series, and a separation stage solid-containing fraction is serially moved through to a next separation stage in the series for additional dewatering, or (II) in parallel, wherein separation stage solid-containing fractions from each separation stage are combined, or (III) combination of both (I) and (II), eventually yielding a final separation solid-containing fraction;
• and
• (ii) a concentration unit comprising at least one concentration stage, wherein each concentration stage comprises an apparatus that can concentrate the final separation solid-containing fraction to yield a second liquid fraction and a concentrated solid-containing fraction, wherein when there is more than one concentration stage, they are communicatively connected (I) in series, and a concentration stage solid-containing fraction is serially moved through to a next concentration stage in the series for additional concentration, or (II) in parallel, wherein concentration stage solid-containing fractions from each concentration stage are combined, or (III) combination of both (I) and (II), eventually yielding the final concentrated solid-containing fraction.