Oil products from algae
OwnerMoshe R. Bloch, Joel Sasson +5inventors
InventorsMoshe R. Bloch, Joel Sasson, Margaret E. Ginzburg, Zvi Goldman, Ben Z. Ginzburg, Nissim Garti, Asher Porath
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Abstract
Oil products and a high nitrogen content residue are obtained by growing halophilic algae in saline solution, harvesting an algae-salt water slurry, solvent extracting said slurry, and recovering the product and residue. Use of a growth promoting enzyme, salt concentration gradients for harvesting, and water insoluble solvents at elevated temperatures are preferred.
Claims23
A process for obtaining oil products from algae, which process comprises:
- (a) growing halophilic, unicellular, swimming algae, having no cell walls, in a saline solution and in the presence of carbonic anhydrase enzyme derived from such algae;
- (b) harvesting said algae to obtain an algae-salt water slurry;
- (c) extracting oil products from said slurry employing a solvent for said products;
- and
- (d) recovering said oil products and an algae residue.
A process for obtaining oil products from algae, which process comprises:
- (a) growing halophilic, unicellular, swimming algae, having no cell walls, in a saline solution and in the presence of carbonic anhydrase enzyme derived from such algae;
- (b) concentrating and harvesting said algae by contacting the algae-containing growth solution with a second saline solution having a salt content of from 30 to 90 percent of that of the growth solution, thereby obtaining an algae-salt water slurry;
- (c) extracting oil products from said slurry employing a solvent for said products;
- and
- (d) recovering said oil products and an algae residue.
A process for obtaining oil products from algae, which process comprises:
- (a) growing halophilic, unicellular, swimming algae, having no cell walls, in a saline solution and in the presence of carbonic anhydrase enzyme derived from such algae;
- (b) harvesting and concentrating said algae to obtain an algae-salt water slurry;
- (c) extracting oil products from said slurry by contacting same with a water insoluble solvent for the oil products at a temperature between ambient and about 350.degree. C.;
- and
- (d) recovering said oil products and an algae residue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.