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US 2010/0304452 A1Published application
Process of producing oil from algae using biological rupturing
OwnerJames R. Oylerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for production of biofuels from algae can include cultivating an oil-producing algae, extracting the algal oil, and converting the algal oil to form biodiesel. Extracting the algal oil from the oil-producing algae can include biologically rupturing cell wall and oil vesicles of the oil-producing algae using at least one enzyme such as a cellulose or glycoproteinase, a structured enzyme system such as a cellulosome, a virus, or combination of these materials.
Claims20
A process for producing oil from algae, comprising:
- extracting an algal oil from an oil-producing algae by biologically rupturing cell wall and oil vesicles of the oil-producing algae using a virus.
A process for production of oil from algae, comprising:
- a) cultivating an oil-producing algae selected from the group consisting of diatoms, green algae, blue-green algae, golden-brown algae, haptophytes, and mixtures thereof;
- and
- b) extracting an algal oil from the oil-producing algae by biologically rupturing cell wall and oil vesicles of the oil-producing algae using a virus.
A system for production of oil from algae, comprising:
- a) algae growth reservoirs including a carbon dioxide source and a mixing mechanism configured to circulate an oil-producing algae within the algae growth reservoirs;
- b) an oil extraction bioreactor operatively connected to the algae growth reservoirs and configured for biologically rupturing algal oil vesicles of the oil-producing algae to form an algal oil and algal residue;
- and
- c) a biological agent source operatively connected to the oil extraction bioreactor, said agent source including a virus that is capable of biologically rupturing a cell wall and oil vesicles of the oil-producing algae.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.