School of Engineering, University of California at Merced, Merced, California 95348, USA.
Water Environ Res. 2011 Apr;83(4):326-38. doi: 10.2175/106143010x12780288628615.
Algae are an attractive biofuel feedstock because of their fast growth rates and improved land use efficiency when compared with terrestrial crops. Process train components needed to produce algal biofuels include (1) cultivation, (2) harvesting, and (3) conversion into usable fuel. This paper compares various process train options and identifies knowledge gaps presently restricting the production of algal biodiesel and algae-derived biogas. This analysis identified energy-intensive processing and the inability to cultivate large quantities of lipid-rich algal biomass as major obstacles inhibiting algal biodiesel production. Anaerobic digestion of algal biomass requires fewer process train components and occurs regardless of lipid content. In either scenario, the use of wastewater effluent as a cultivation medium seems necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maximize water use efficiency. Furthermore, anaerobically digesting algal biomass generated from low-technology wastewater treatment processes represents an appropriate technology approach to algal biofuels that is poorly investigated. Coupling these processes can improve global health by improving sanitation, while providing a cleaner burning biogas alternative to indoor biomass cooking systems typical of less-developed areas.
藻类是一种有吸引力的生物燃料原料，因为与陆生作物相比，藻类具有更快的生长速度和更高的土地利用效率。生产藻类生物燃料所需的工艺链组件包括（1）培养，（2）收获和（3）转化为可用燃料。本文比较了各种工艺链选项，并确定了目前限制藻类生物柴油和藻类衍生沼气生产的知识空白。该分析确定了能源密集型加工以及无法培养大量富含脂质的藻类生物质是抑制藻类生物柴油生产的主要障碍。藻类生物质的厌氧消化需要较少的工艺链组件，并且无论脂质含量如何，都可以发生。在这两种情况下，似乎都需要使用废水作为培养介质，以减少温室气体排放并最大限度地提高水的利用效率。此外，厌氧消化来自低技术废水处理工艺的藻类生物质是一种对藻类生物燃料研究不足的适当技术方法。结合这些过程可以通过改善卫生条件来改善全球健康，同时为室内生物质烹饪系统提供更清洁的沼气替代品，而室内生物质烹饪系统是欠发达地区的典型系统。
