consider it or not , one daytime algae may provide at least one part of the result to our dependance on fossil fuels . But using alga as a biofuel is n’t quite as dewy-eyed as cream off the immature stuff from the aerofoil of a pond and pumping it into our gas tanks . Scientists have to use various mechanically skillful and chemical method ( or compounding of the two ) to pull out oil from algae and convert it to fuel that is really workable . The good news is research on the green poppycock has the weightiness of the United States government behind it . In mid-2010 , the U.S. Department of Energy pledged to invest up to $ 24 million in three inquiry groups look at ways to market algae - based biofuels [ rootage : U.S. Department of Energy ] .

One affair that scientists are n’t questioning is how to extract the oil from algae . One vernacular form of mechanically skillful extraction isexpression , in which the rock oil is literally pressed out of the alga ( think of how olives are pressed to extract olive fossil oil ) . There are several types of presses , including fucking , expeller and piston configurations , and the type of military press that is used depends on the alga strain , since each strain has unlike forcible holding . Once the crude oil is removed from alga through reflection , a chemical method can be used to further remain the extraction process . Using the expression method acting only , researchers have been able to pull up to 80 percent of the alga ’s crude oil [ reservoir : Virtuoso Biofuels ] .

A second type of mechanically skillful extraction is theultrasonic method , which is a faster process than pressing . This method acting uses ultrasonic waves to create bubbles in a solvent ( a liquid used to fade out another substance ) . When the bubbles break open near the cell wall of the algae , they cause the cell walls to break down and issue the oil into the resolution .

While mechanical methods have proven successful , they are n’t the only techniques being utilized by scientists;chemical solventsare also commonly used to extract petroleum from algae . These solvents are effective , but can often be dangerous to work with . Benzene , for example , is an cheap solvent , but it is classified as carcinogenic , and other chemic solvents may also flummox danger of explosion [ source : Oilgae ] .

Hexaneis another chemical answer that can be used on its own , or in combination with the press method acting , to split up the oil colour from the algae . When used together , the pressing and hexane methods can draw out nearly 95 percent of algae ’s petroleum content [ root : Oilgae ] . But hexane does n’t finish there : It can also be mixed with the pulp magazine that remains after expression to evoke extra oil . Other chemical methods includesoxhlet extraction , in which an organic answer is used to off the oil from the alga through repeated lavation , andsupercritical fluid extraction , in which liquid C dioxide is heat up and used as a solvent for extracting the crude .

The oil extracted through these method acting is come to to as " green crude " and it ’s not quick to be used as fuel until it undergoes another process calledtransesterification . This stair adds more substances to the mix , include alcohol and a chemical accelerator that causes the alcohol to react with the crude oil . This reaction make a mix of biodiesel and glycerol . The final step in processing fall apart the glycerine from the commixture and leaves a biodiesel that ’s ready to be used as fuel . Maybe one Clarence Day it really will be easy being green .

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