How, after all, can one extract such a small quantity of oil from each microbial algae cell?
Global Companies like Neste Oil and UOP have the ability to process and convert the algal oil within the microalgae biomass to JP-8 and other high grade fuels. Traditional methods have been considered but these are neither efficient nor economic. These also seek to extract the oil by using external energy to break down the microbial cell walls. The amount of energy required to achieve this makes the whole process too costly. The solution appears to come from a biomass pre-treatment technology that is used to break down biomass feed stocks prior to anaerobic digestion. The microbes in anaerobic digesters break down organic material generating biogas. The smaller the particle sizes of the feedstocks entering the digester, the more efficient the digestion process. A UK company, Eco-Solids International Ltd, has been trialling a new proprietary patent pending process called Cellruptor with utility Yorkshire Water, to enhance biogas production at one of its wastewater treatment sites. Cellr
