SBIR Phase II: Magnetic technologies for improved microalgal biofuels production

这个小企业创新研究第二阶段项目开发了分离和浓缩固有磁性敏感藻类的新技术，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试验证明的可行性基础上。在第二阶段，将利用用于生产可再生生物燃料原料的藻类菌株。新的转化载体和工具开发的生产菌株，原壳拟小球藻，将用于使藻类磁敏感。这些性状为模型菌株在低铁培养基中的生长提供了相对于野生型菌株的优势。第二阶段将在实验室和亚中试规模测试改性藻类菌株，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，还将检测菌株的磁性分离或收获能力。将对这种分离进行建模，以确定初级或二级脱水的成本效益。还将评价与异养生物反应器中下游使用相关的分离特异性。俄勒冈州立大学的合作允许在新型稀土磁选机中使用这些菌株。终点将是新技术，以改善藻类衍生生物燃料和生物化学品生产的整体成本结构。该第二阶段研究项目的更广泛影响/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主要问题之一，即具有成本效益的脱水。它还通过提高其在开放环境（例如开放的跑道或光生物反应器）中竞争铁的能力来提供修饰菌株的潜在选择性优势。该国迫切需要改善其能源安全，减少对化石燃料的依赖。这项研究将有助于满足这两种需求。该研究项目的总体目的是与商业相关，重点是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中的高成本部分，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导致学生在这一领域的培训。该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。

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.