Solar steam explosion of algae
AssigneeExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
InventorsPatrick L. Hanks, Everett J. O'Neal, Sarah E. Feicht, Mark A. Deimund, Vinit Choudhary, Louis R. Brown
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Abstract
A system includes an algae bioreactor that contains an algae slurry, a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the algae bioreactor to receive the algae slurry from the algae bioreactor and heat and increase a pressure of the algae slurry, and one or more valves and a flash vessel in fluid communication with a discharge of the heat exchanger to flash the algae slurry and create steam and algae biomass. A separator receives the algae biomass from the flash vessel and separates oils from the algae biomass to generate a biofuel.
Claims25
A system, comprising:
- an algae bioreactor that contains an algae slurry;
- a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the algae bioreactor to receive the algae slurry from the algae bioreactor and heat and increase a pressure of the algae slurry;
- one or more valves and a flash vessel in fluid communication with a discharge of the heat exchanger to flash the algae slurry and create steam and algae biomass;
- and
- a separator that receives the algae biomass from the flash vessel and separates oils from the algae biomass to generate a biofuel.
A method, comprising:
- conveying an algae slurry to a heat exchanger;
- heating and increasing a pressure of the algae slurry in the heat exchanger;
- flashing the algae slurry across one or more valves and depositing the algae slurry in a flash vessel to thereby create steam and algae biomass;
- and
- processing the algae biomass to generate a biofuel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.