Comments for Biocatalysis http://www.bio-catalyst.com Information and Commentary About Biofuels and Biotechnology Wed, 27 May 2009 08:26:09 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on The Problem of Extracting Oil from Algae by stafforddocwilliamson http://www.bio-catalyst.com/2009/05/01/the-problem-of-extracting-oil-from-algae/comment-page-1/#comment-4 stafforddocwilliamson Wed, 27 May 2009 08:26:09 +0000 http://www.bio-catalyst.com/2009/05/01/the-problem-of-extracting-oil-from-algae/#comment-4 As you probably already know from the video (time condensed) on OriginOil.com the process does work, although not exactly as you described here. The basis of the process is Ultrasonic cavitation disrupting the algae cell membranes. They describe (somewhere, though I don't remember exactly where) using a "low voltage" electrical charge that also helps separate oil and water and algae "husks" (as Sapphire CEO Cynthia Warner calls them). There process is "patent pending" I understand but the patent may never be granted since the basic technique of ultrasonic (or some kind of cavitation) to disrupt cells has been around for several years, pioneers in part by a Canadian company called BioCo and marketed by their equipment manufacturer (without BioCo's consent, I understand) Heilscher. The electric charge to separate has long been used in the waste water industry, although not "low voltage" as described by OriginOil's CEO Riggs Eckelberry (and old friend from when we both worked for the same software company in the early 1990's). That MAY have been a "typo" or a technology to English mistranslation when they meant "low power" and someone wrote "low voltage". They also mention a "catalyst" though they don't say what the catalyst is. However it looks like some kind of flocculant,which may be a "proprietary" blend of something like the name brand flocculant "Floccin" which itself comes in at least a dozen different formulae. The sewage treatment is done with HVLA (High Voltage, Low Amperage) current which is the process we use in our separation process design, along with cavitational cell disruption and flocculant. Nice website, David. Really well done. Sincerely Stafford "Doc" Williamson President DaoChi Energy of Arizona As you probably already know from the video (time condensed) on OriginOil.com the process does work, although not exactly as you described here. The basis of the process is Ultrasonic cavitation disrupting the algae cell membranes. They describe (somewhere, though I don’t remember exactly where) using a “low voltage” electrical charge that also helps separate oil and water and algae “husks” (as Sapphire CEO Cynthia Warner calls them).
There process is “patent pending” I understand but the patent may never be granted since the basic technique of ultrasonic (or some kind of cavitation) to disrupt cells has been around for several years, pioneers in part by a Canadian company called BioCo and marketed by their equipment manufacturer (without BioCo’s consent, I understand) Heilscher. The electric charge to separate has long been used in the waste water industry, although not “low voltage” as described by OriginOil’s CEO Riggs Eckelberry (and old friend from when we both worked for the same software company in the early 1990’s). That MAY have been a “typo” or a technology to English mistranslation when they meant “low power” and someone wrote “low voltage”.
They also mention a “catalyst” though they don’t say what the catalyst is. However it looks like some kind of flocculant,which may be a “proprietary” blend of something like the name brand flocculant “Floccin” which itself comes in at least a dozen different formulae.
The sewage treatment is done with HVLA (High Voltage, Low Amperage) current which is the process we use in our separation process design, along with cavitational cell disruption and flocculant.

Nice website, David. Really well done.

Sincerely
Stafford “Doc” Williamson
President
DaoChi Energy of Arizona

]]> Comment on Ethanol as a Biofuel: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly by Chet Geschickter http://www.bio-catalyst.com/2009/05/19/ethanol-as-a-biofuel-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Chet Geschickter Tue, 19 May 2009 20:57:45 +0000 http://www.bio-catalyst.com/?p=225#comment-3 Valid points regarding ethanol. We face major infrastructure upgrades in order to handle E85 fuel in an economical manner. Highlights include E85 pumps at gas stations (95% of which are independent, with average profits of $22,000 per year), dedicated ethanol pipelines, and specialized blending depots at gasoline distribution terminals. I agree with your points on butanol, etc. Unfortunately, we are rolling along with the ethanol status quo, and massive government subsidies will need to be added on top of already rich production subsidies. It's time to broaden the dialog beyond ethanol and include butanol, biodiesel, syngas and other forms of organically-derived fuel. Valid points regarding ethanol. We face major infrastructure upgrades in order to handle E85 fuel in an economical manner. Highlights include E85 pumps at gas stations (95% of which are independent, with average profits of $22,000 per year), dedicated ethanol pipelines, and specialized blending depots at gasoline distribution terminals.
I agree with your points on butanol, etc. Unfortunately, we are rolling along with the ethanol status quo, and massive government subsidies will need to be added on top of already rich production subsidies.
It’s time to broaden the dialog beyond ethanol and include butanol, biodiesel, syngas and other forms of organically-derived fuel.

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