Systems and methods for extracting lipids from and dehydrating wet algal biomass

US8765983B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Aurora Algae, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Daniel Fleischer · Rheinau, DE
• Marko Jukic · Alameda, US
• Andrew Thompson · West Chester, US
• Guido Radaelli · Pleasant Hill, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 3, 2011
• Grant date: Jul 1, 2014
• Expiry date: Jul 25, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C11B1/106
• WIPO field: Basic materials chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Exemplary methods include centrifuging a wet algal biomass to increase a solid content of the wet algal biomass to between approximately 10% and 40% to result in a centrifuged algal biomass, mixing the centrifuged algal biomass with an amphiphilic solvent to result in a mixture, heating the mixture to result in a dehydrated, defatted algal biomass, separating the amphiphilic solvent from the dehydrated, defatted algal biomass to result in amphiphilic solvent, water and lipids, evaporating the amphiphilic solvent from the water and the lipids, and separating the water from the lipids. The amphiphilic solvent may be selected from a group consisting of acetone, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanone, dimethyl ether, and propionaldehyde. Other exemplary methods include filtering a wet algal biomass through a membrane to increase a solid content of the wet algal biomass to between approximately 10% and 40% to result in a filtered algal biomass.