Is any of this even cost effective yet? - Page 25

 
Oh, Ok.

For the oil-rich algae, just test testing for percentage of oil:

Just took a batch of algae, slowly drained though a nylon cloth (parka
material) into a pale, then scraped the algae off the nylon cloth into
a cooking bowl for 3 minutes in the microwave to (theoretically) burst
cells, the onto a cookie sheet and into the oven @ 225°F for 2 hours
to dry it.

Next I weighed the dried algae on one of those cheapo digital scales
that are popular with the drug crowd into 50g piles to press each pile
in a DIY screw press, just a scrap-yard cylinder with two fine
threaded bolts, a few small oil drain-holes were drilled where the two
bolts met.

The oil was weighed from each pile, then averaged for each batch.

Any tricks to help me???

Curbie

 
Seems like you have it down pretty well. I'd extract the pressed
residue with starting or lighter fluid and weigh it again to see how
much oil was left after pressing, then grind it up and repeat to check
if microwaving burst all the cells.

jsw

 
We put samples to be dried and weighed in aluminum foil cups or left
them on the filter paper so we could handle them without loss. First
weigh the cup or paper and write the weight and a reference number on
it, unless there's only one. Check the sample weight every so often
while drying it. It's done when the weight stops decreasing.

jsw

 
Both good tips, I was never able to get anywhere the oil percentage
the culture was supposed to have and never was certain whether it was
due to improper growth or pressing, the thing that I was never able to
figure out (which made the oil percentage question moot) was how to
scale-up the 2 liter-soda bottle PBR to a home-scale inexpensively.

I never was able to work out how to move the algae through a column of
bottles either up by air-lift or down by suction only by modifying the
caps, both methods where subject to pressure leaks and for me, what
the biggest problem for the soda bottle PBR was, what money was saved
by using 2 liter-soda bottles (Free) was would be eaten-up by the
fluid linkage connecting them.

The changes in the state of play that has me looking at this again is
the heat-sealed bag PBR concept, basically a roll of poly bag material
2' wide, cut to 8' lengths, with serpentine channels heat-sealed into
them, and only two fluid connections an input at the top and an output
at the bottom.

Also, doing some reading on the "theoretical limitation of
photosynthesis" has me wondering if ethanol (C2H5OH) producing plants,
which bind 3 hydrogen per sequestered carbon might be a better
feedstock for fuel than oil plants (CH3(CH2)16COOH canola) which bind
~2 hydrogen per sequestered carbon. When looking at terrestrial
feedstock like sunflower or canola  vs. sorghum or Jerusalem Artichoke
on a BTU/acre basis, there an advantage for ethanol there too, which
MAY have some to do with that "theoretical limitation of
photosynthesis".

The EPA seem to be restricting the import of a diesels so I've been
more focused on ethanol lately, but like everything else having to
with alternative-energies, ethanol has it's own mathematical mouse
maze.

Curbie

 

Well, at least a got first billing on your hate list. :)

I'm not trying to provoke into an emotional response, which the
definition of troll(ing):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_%28Internet%29

By definition, this quote from just one of your post is trolling:
"Just take a moment and realize just how foolish most of you waste
your
hard earned money. Your greed created the Madovs of this country...and
it doesn't just end there...every aspect of your life has been
controlled by those who dictate what you should pay for everyday
items.

Curbie would argue that it's all Obama's fault..."

I'm just debunking a scam, but like I told Richardson, another scammer
we had here, I'd rather have a scammer trolling me, than scamming
others.

Well, homework is up to you, but whether its homework, a CAT scan, or
whatever, you'd think that you want to say something that was true,
but then again, why start now.

Curbie