Algae
There is a facility at Newcastle University ’s Dove Marine Laboratory to cultivate seawater algae. Research focuses on biological CO2 capture using these marine micro-algae for conversion to energy and bio-products. Discussions are underway with potential industrial collaborators who have an interest in deploying such technology at scale.
We have expertise in:
- microalgal chemical ecology, culture and growth physiology
- biofuel processing and process intensification
- algae processing and downstream processing, particularly intensification of solvent extraction (microalgae bioflocculation and harvesting), and Biofuel engine testing
- Facilities: computer controlled environmental aquaria, analytical equipment, and lab scale reactors
Work on cultivating freshwater algae as a biodiesel feedstock for Sierra Leone is underway within the School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, focussing in particular on identifying suitable low-cost nutrients.
Researchers are also working on seaweed anaerobic digestion, microalgal flocculation and novel harvesting technologies, the application of chemical communication principles to sustained mass algae culture, and the water tolerant extract of algal biofuels.
Beyond algae for oil for diesel replacement, there is also some work on cultivating heavy algae oil that can serve as a replacement for crude oil in refinery feedstock.
Swan researchers are also looking at using algae ponds as a means of capturing large industrial CO2 streams.
