James Deskins > Projects & Ideas > Valley Algae Farms
In 2011 I dug a 127,00 liter Algaculture pond.
This project was intended to serve as a testing ground for experimental farming practices. I hoped to prove a model that could provide financial stabilization for agrarian businesses.
The goal was to provide farm scale and industrial algae cultivation services resulting in four (4) high value products.
Microalgae are small, unicellular plants that range in size from 1 to 200 microns. Using the resources of sunlight, water, nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon dioxide microalgae will produce proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. In the process, they can double their biomass one to two times a day.
Algae release more oxygen during the day than they use, and absorb more carbon dioxide than they release, in contrast to animal and other non-photosynthetic organisms that release carbon dioxide and absorb oxygen from their environment. Algae species usually react in an opposite manner during the night. Decaying organic material tends to accumulate due to the accelerated life cycle of the plant that adds Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) load on the water body.
The system was designed for simplicity with two stages: a growing pond, and harvesting a pond. Note an inoculum pond is the source of culture for the larger growth pond, it is especially necessary and required to monitor for strain mutations when growing algae for oil or for human consumption, otherwise the growth pond can double as an inoculm pond. The algae cultures spend most of their time in the growth pond. During this stage the algae laced water is continually mixed with a small concentration of poultry litter or similar livestock waste product (rich in nitrogen and phosphorus). The mixture is then moved with paddle wheels to maximize growth and allow for further penetration of sunlight. Power is provided on site via solar photovoltaic panels eliminating the requirement of local proximity to the electrical grid and allowing for maximum land use efficiency. Carbonation is achieved by a natural process or aided by the use of sump pumps.
The most critical step in the process is harvesting. Once the algae have reached the growth pond’s carrying capacity a weir gate will allow for controlled transfer into the harvesting area. Typically a low tech series of mesh screen filters are employed to separate the microalgae from the growth medium (water).
Harvesting ponds are designed to allow for ease of plant mass extraction and maximum water reclamation. Once separated from the growth medium the algae remain on the surface and become sun dried to approximately 18% moisture content. Afterwards the farmer may gather up the dried product with a small tractor with a front end loader. The product is now ready to be stored for feeding applications or applied on fields as necessary
This project was intended to serve as a testing ground for experimental farming practices. I hoped to prove a model that could provide financial stabilization for agrarian businesses.
The goal was to provide farm scale and industrial algae cultivation services resulting in four (4) high value products.
- Organic fertilizer
- Protein supplement for livestock feed
- Combustion material
- Bio diesel
Microalgae are small, unicellular plants that range in size from 1 to 200 microns. Using the resources of sunlight, water, nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon dioxide microalgae will produce proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. In the process, they can double their biomass one to two times a day.
Algae release more oxygen during the day than they use, and absorb more carbon dioxide than they release, in contrast to animal and other non-photosynthetic organisms that release carbon dioxide and absorb oxygen from their environment. Algae species usually react in an opposite manner during the night. Decaying organic material tends to accumulate due to the accelerated life cycle of the plant that adds Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) load on the water body.
The system was designed for simplicity with two stages: a growing pond, and harvesting a pond. Note an inoculum pond is the source of culture for the larger growth pond, it is especially necessary and required to monitor for strain mutations when growing algae for oil or for human consumption, otherwise the growth pond can double as an inoculm pond. The algae cultures spend most of their time in the growth pond. During this stage the algae laced water is continually mixed with a small concentration of poultry litter or similar livestock waste product (rich in nitrogen and phosphorus). The mixture is then moved with paddle wheels to maximize growth and allow for further penetration of sunlight. Power is provided on site via solar photovoltaic panels eliminating the requirement of local proximity to the electrical grid and allowing for maximum land use efficiency. Carbonation is achieved by a natural process or aided by the use of sump pumps.
The most critical step in the process is harvesting. Once the algae have reached the growth pond’s carrying capacity a weir gate will allow for controlled transfer into the harvesting area. Typically a low tech series of mesh screen filters are employed to separate the microalgae from the growth medium (water).
Harvesting ponds are designed to allow for ease of plant mass extraction and maximum water reclamation. Once separated from the growth medium the algae remain on the surface and become sun dried to approximately 18% moisture content. Afterwards the farmer may gather up the dried product with a small tractor with a front end loader. The product is now ready to be stored for feeding applications or applied on fields as necessary
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As business units these systems were intended to operate like a supply cooperative with distributed generation.
Livestock wastes generated in agrarian economic regions place an excess burden on local water systems. Tons of liquid effluents from large confined operations are released every day. This is a serious pollution problem with respect to our aquatic environment. The contamination of local water sources from agricultural wastes has had suspected impact towards massive aquatic species devastation in many of the nation's historically productive estuaries. By utilizing a waste stream created on site the farmer will be increasing his operation’s efficiency and strengthening his profits. The end product of the system is bio-mass with the capacity for four (4) unique high value products: Bio-fertilizer, Protein supplement for feed, combustion material, and Bio-diesel. |
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By being more complete a Bio-fertilizer has a distinct advantage over urea fertilizers. Because it contains Phosphorus and trace elements which are bound in the organism’s proteins and nucleic acids, losses by runoff will be minimized when applied on land. The Bio-fertilizer may be applied liberally to contribute to accumulation of beneficial soil organic matter resulting in retention of nutrients and moisture.
A common denominator among farms is the use of fossil fuels, mainly diesel. A review of the economic analysis performed by the U.S Department of Energy Aquatic Species Program through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) from the mid 1970’s through the mid 1990’s concluded that growing algae for oil extraction became feasible at 100 acre algae farms. These farms were built for slightly of less than $1 million, and yielded annual nets of $200,000. The analysis identified key cost and price variables which are likely to have the biggest impact on the economic performance of the algae farms, including those for petroleum crude, algal oil and meal, carbon from carbon dioxide capture, and commercial fertilizer.
A common denominator among farms is the use of fossil fuels, mainly diesel. A review of the economic analysis performed by the U.S Department of Energy Aquatic Species Program through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) from the mid 1970’s through the mid 1990’s concluded that growing algae for oil extraction became feasible at 100 acre algae farms. These farms were built for slightly of less than $1 million, and yielded annual nets of $200,000. The analysis identified key cost and price variables which are likely to have the biggest impact on the economic performance of the algae farms, including those for petroleum crude, algal oil and meal, carbon from carbon dioxide capture, and commercial fertilizer.