SBIR Phase II: Magnetic technologies for improved microalgal biofuels production

SBIR 第二阶段：用于改进微藻生物燃料生产的磁性技术

• 批准号: 1152497
• 负责人: Christopher Lane
• 金额: $ 49.58万
• 依托单位: Phycal LLC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-04-15 至 2014-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1152497&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; II; Magnetic; technologies

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project develops novel technologies for separation and concentration of intrinsically magnetically susceptible algae for production of biofuels and biochemicals. Phase II builds on the feasibility demonstrated in Phase I using a model alga. During Phase II, an algal strain used for production of renewable biofuel feedstock will be utilized. Novel transformation vectors and tools developed for a production strain, Auxenochlorella protothecoides, will be used to make the algae magnetically susceptible. These traits provided an advantage vs. wild-type strains in growth in low iron medium for the model alga. Phase II will test modified algal strains at lab- and subpilot-scale to determine their performance in growth, and competition with wild-type and weedy algal strains. Additionally, strains will be tested for their ability to be separated or harvested magnetically. This separation will be modeled to determine cost efficacy for primary or secondary dewatering. The specificity of this separation will also be evaluated in relation to downstream use in a heterotrophic bioreactor. The OSU collaboration allows use of these strains in novel rare earth magnetic separators. The endpoint will be novel technologies to improve the overall cost structure for the production of algae-derived biofuels and biochemicals.The broader impact/commercial potential of this Phase 2 research project will be to provide improvements in the economics of producing renewable biofuels using algae as the production system. It directly addresses one of the major issues with algal biofuels, cost effective dewatering. It also provides a potential selective advantage of the modified strains by improving its ability to compete for iron in an open environment (such as open raceways or photobioreactors). The nation has a critical need to improve its energy security and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. This research will help address both of these needs. The overall purpose of this research project is business related and focused on commercialization of this technology through integration in a biofuel production process. This research project focuses on a high cost portion of the production process, dewatering, as well as a critical unit process, the heterotrophic bioreactor. The collaboration with OSU and the Cleveland Clinic will result in training of students in this area. The company plans to publish the results of this project once proper control of the intellectual property generated is accomplished.

这个小型企业创新研究第二阶段项目开发了分离和浓缩天然磁敏感藻类的新技术，用于生产生物燃料和生物化学品。第二阶段建立在第一阶段使用模型藻类演示的可行性基础上。在第二阶段，将利用一种用于生产可再生生物燃料原料的藻类菌株。为生产菌株原coides Auxenochlorella开发的新型转化载体和工具将用于使藻类对磁敏感。这些特性为模式藻在低铁培养基中的生长提供了与野生型菌株相比的优势。第二阶段将在实验室和次中试规模测试改良的藻类菌株，以确定它们的生长性能，以及与野生型和杂草藻类菌株的竞争。此外，还将测试菌株的分离或磁性收获能力。将对这种分离进行建模，以确定一次或二次脱水的成本效益。这种分离的特异性也将在异养生物反应器的下游使用中进行评估。俄勒冈州立大学的合作允许在新型稀土磁分离器中使用这些菌株。最终目标将是开发新技术，以改善藻类生物燃料和生化产品生产的总体成本结构。这个第二阶段研究项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是提高使用藻类作为生产系统生产可再生生物燃料的经济性。它直接解决了藻类生物燃料的一个主要问题，即成本有效的脱水。它还通过提高其在开放环境（如开放跑道或光生物反应器）中竞争铁的能力，提供了修饰菌株的潜在选择优势。美国迫切需要提高能源安全，减少对化石燃料的依赖。这项研究将有助于解决这两个需求。该研究项目的总体目的是与商业相关，并通过整合生物燃料生产过程将该技术商业化。本研究项目的重点是生产过程的高成本部分，脱水，以及一个关键的单元过程，异养生物反应器。与俄勒冈州立大学和克利夫兰诊所的合作将在这一领域培养学生。公司计划一旦完成对所产生的知识产权的适当控制，就公布该项目的结果。