Production of biodiesel from microalgae biomass

28 Мая 2024
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Microalgae of the genus Chlorella are unicellular photosynthetic microorganisms. Due to the ability of chlorella to grow quickly and to be unpretentious to cultivation conditions, it is used as a source of food, feed, pharmaceuticals and biofuel. It is also capable of absorbing various pollutants from the environment, including organic and inorganic pollutants. Wastewater treatment using microalgae has a number of advantages, such as the generation of biomass suitable for conversion into biofuel.

The staff of the scientific laboratory "Interdisciplinary Research and Education on Technical and Economic Problems of Energy Transition" are implementing work on the mega-grant "Technological Challenges and Socioeconomic Transformation in the Context of Energy Transitions" (Agreement No. 075-15-2022-1136 dated 01.07.2022). In the course of the work, a patent was developed and registered with the "Federal Institute of Industrial Property (FIPS), No. 2819912 C1 Russian Federation, IPC C10L 1/08. Method for the production of biodiesel fuel from microalgae Chlorella Kessleri: No. 2023115627: declared. 15.06.2023: publ. 05.28.2024 / N. A. Politaeva, N. V. Zibarev, I. V. Ilyin.

The results of the laboratory staff's work fully combine and reflect the concept of developing a closed-loop technology for the use of microalgae. The method for producing biodiesel fuel from Chlorella kessleri microalgae is devoted to obtaining third-generation biofuels from microalgae biomass. This method allows obtaining biomass with a high content of fatty acids, performing additional wastewater treatment, and reducing the number of stages of biodiesel production due to the direct transesterification method. It is important to note the active role in this development of a member of the laboratory's scientific team, Nikita Vasilyevich Zibarev. He has been involved in the project from the very beginning. And at the very end of the megagrant - in December 2024 - he plans to defend his dissertation for the degree of candidate of technical sciences. The patented development is directly related to his dissertation research and is a serious scientific result. Let's wish the young scientist success in his defense and new achievements!