Solvent screening and process optimization for high shear-assisted lipid extraction from wet cake of Nannochloropsis sp

Minsoo Kwak, Donghyun Kim, Sungwhan Kim, Hansol Lee and Yong Keun Chang

Renewable Energy, 2020, vol. 149, issue C, 1395-1405

Abstract: Microalgae are regarded as a promising feedstock for biofuels and value-added products but still suffer from an inefficient lipid extraction process. In the present study, a simple and energy-efficient extraction method is demonstrated to extract oil directly from the wet cake (260 g/L) of Nannochloropsis sp. with an assist from the high shear mixer (HSM). After the initial solvent screening, the composition of co-solvent and operating conditions were optimized according to lipid composition and extraction yield. The high shear-assisted extraction process was found to achieve 83% lipid extraction yield (94% for EPA) in 5 min and 95% yield (100% for EPA) in 30 min with minimal amounts of solvents (0.9 ml hexane, 0.39 ml ethanol, and 0.057 ml sulfuric acid for 1 g of wet cell) at 8000 rpm, 55 °C. In comparison with various two-step wet extraction methods, the HSM offers the most economical extraction in terms of specific energy consumption of 1.38 MJ/kg dry cell. Therefore, the HSM can be considered as an attractive alternative to conventional extraction methods, providing a new paradigm of wet extraction for microalgae.

Keywords: Nannochloropsis; EPA; High shear mixer; Wet microalgae; Solvent extraction; Process optimization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:149:y:2020:i:c:p:1395-1405

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2019.10.133

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