Drying and Moisture Management of Microalgae Biomass

This SBIR Phase 1 project will research a method for the drying and moisture management of microalgae biomass after harvesting. The development of algae-based technologies is currently burdened by the inefficiency and high cost of processing the biomass. The proposed research will develop a method for reducing the cost of algae biomass processing by recycling waste energy and water resources currently lost in the production process. The proposed research will develop a process for utilizing waste heat energy for the efficient removal of water from biomass to produce a dry and stable product. The proposed research will also develop a method to reclaim the water lost in the drying process for recycling back into the growth system. Commercial Application and Other Benefits: Microalgae have the potential to be used to produce raw materials for a wide variety of products, such as chemicals, nutritional supplements, and biofuels. Microalgae are the only renewable energy product capable of completely replacing our dependency on fossil based petroleum products. Phase I will addressed the commercial technical and commercial feasibility of the proposed concept. Phase II will reduce or eliminate technical and product risks associated with the commercialization of an initial device capable of drying 1 ton of biomass per day, allowing the project to move into full commercialization of such a device in Phase III.