Methods of and systems for producing biofuels from algal oil

A method of making biofuels, comprising:

• a. dewatering an algal cell culture comprising intact algal cells to generate a wet algal biomass;
• b. adding a first ethanol fraction to the wet algal biomass in a ratio of about 1 part ethanol to about 1 part algal biomass by weight to generate a first solid biomass fraction from a first liquid fraction comprising proteins;
• c. separating the first solid biomass fraction from the first liquid fraction comprising proteins;
• d. combining the first solid biomass fraction with a second ethanol fraction in a ratio of about 1 part ethanol to about 1 part solid biomass by weight to generate a second solid biomass fraction from a second liquid fraction comprising polar lipids;
• e. separating the second solid biomass fraction from the second liquid fraction comprising polar lipids;
• f. combining the second solid biomass fraction with a third ethanol solvent fraction in a ratio of about 1 part ethanol to about 1 part solid biomass by weight to generate a third liquid fraction comprising neutral lipids, and a third solid biomass fraction comprising carbohydrates and intact algal cells;
• g. separating the third solid biomass fraction from the third liquid fraction, wherein the first liquid fraction has a higher protein concentration than the second and third liquid fractions, the second liquid fraction has a higher polar lipids concentration than the first and third liquid fractions, and the third liquid fraction has a higher neutral lipids concentration than the first and second liquid fractions;
• h. esterifying the neutral lipids with a catalyst in the presence of an alcohol;
• i. separating a water soluble fraction comprising glycerin from a water insoluble fraction comprising fuel esters;
• j. distilling the fuel esters under vacuum to obtain a C16 or shorter fuel esters fraction, a C16 or longer fuel ester fraction, and a residue comprising carotenoids and omega-3 fatty acids;
• k. hydrodeoxygenating at least one of (i) the C16 or shorter fuel esters to obtain a jet fuel blend stock and (ii) the C16 or longer fuel esters to obtain a diesel blend stock, wherein light hydrocarbons are produced by the hydrodeoxygenating processes;
• and
• l. reforming the light hydrocarbons to produce hydrogen.

A method of making biofuels, comprising:

• a. dewatering intact algal cells of a first algal strain to make an algal biomass;
• b. adding a first ethanol fraction to the algal biomass in a ratio of about 1 part ethanol to about 1 part algal biomass by weight to generate a first solid biomass fraction from a first liquid fraction comprising proteins;
• c. separating the first solid biomass fraction from the first liquid fraction comprising proteins;
• d. combining the first solid biomass fraction with a second ethanol fraction in a ratio of about 1 part ethanol to about 1 part solid biomass by weight to produce a second solid biomass fraction from a second liquid fraction comprising polar lipids;
• e. separating the second solid biomass fraction from the second liquid fraction comprising polar lipids;
• f. combining the second solid biomass fraction with a third ethanol solvent fraction in a ratio of about 1 part ethanol to about 1 part solid biomass by weight to generate a third liquid fraction comprising neutral lipids and a third solid biomass fraction comprising carbohydrates and intact algal cells;
• g. separating the third solid biomass fraction from the third liquid fraction comprising neutral lipids, wherein the first liquid fraction has a higher protein concentration than the second and third liquid fractions, the second liquid fraction has a higher polar lipids concentration than the first and third liquid fractions, and the third liquid fraction has a higher neutral lipids concentration than the first and second liquid fractions;
• h. esterifying the neutral lipids with a catalyst in the presence of an alcohol to produce a water soluble fraction comprising glycerin and a water insoluble fraction comprising fuel esters;
• i. separating the water soluble fraction comprising glycerin from the water insoluble fraction comprising fuel esters;
• j. distilling the fuel esters under vacuum to obtain a C16 or shorter fuel esters fraction, a C16 or longer fuel ester fraction, and a residue comprising carotenoids and omega-3 fatty acids;
• k. culturing a second strain of algae in conditions sufficient to produce hydrogen;
• l. capturing the produced hydrogen and supplying the hydrogen to hydrodeoxygenating processes;
• and
• m. hydrodeoxygenating at least one of (i) the C16 or shorter fuel esters to obtain a jet fuel blend stock and (ii) the C16 or longer fuel esters to obtain a diesel blend stock.