Chapter 3
Process Integration Applied to Microalgal
Biofuels Production
Alcinda Patrícia de Carvalho Lopes,
Francisca Maria Loureiro Ferreira dos Santos,
Vítor Jorge Pais Vilar and José Carlos Magalhães Pires
Abstract The rapid development of modern society has resulted in an increased
demand for energy and, consequently, an increased use of fossil fuel reserves,
compromising the energy sector sustainability. Moreover, the use of this source of
energy led to the accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in atmosphere, which
are associated with climate change. In this context, European Union has established
new directives regarding GHG emissions and the renewable energy use. Microalgae
may have an important role in the achievement of these goals. These photosynthetic
microorganisms have a high growth rate, are able to capture CO 2 , the biomass can be
used to produce biofuels, constituting an undeniable economic potential. Microalgae
may also be a source of low carbon fuel, being one of the most studied biofuels
feedstock. They are considered a sustainable energy resource, able to reduce significantly the dependence on fossil fuel. They can grow on places that are unsuitable
for agriculture, not competing with land for food production. The use of wastewater
as microalgal culture medium will reduce the required amount of freshwater and
nutrients, achieving simultaneously an effluent with low nutrient concentrations. An
important step to increase the competitiveness (promoting simultaneously the
environmental sustainability) of microalgal biofuels regarding fossil fuels is the
optimization of culture parameters using wastewater as culture medium. Thus,
this chapter aims to present the recent studies regarding the integration of wastewater
treatment and microalgal cultivation for biomass/biofuel production.
Keywords Biofuel Á Microalgae Á Process integration Á Wastewater treatment
Sustainability
A. P. de Carvalho Lopes Á F. M. L. F. dos Santos Á J. C. M. Pires (&)
Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE),
Chemical Engineering Department, University of Porto - Faculty of Engineering,
Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
e-mail: jcpires@fe.up.pt
A. P. de Carvalho Lopes Á F. M. L. F. dos Santos Á V. J. P. Vilar
Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering – Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials
(LSRE-LCM), Chemical Engineering Department, University of Porto - Faculty of
Engineering, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
© Springer International Publishing AG 2018
E. Jacob-Lopes et al. (eds.), Energy from Microalgae, Green Energy
and Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69093-3_3
35
Process Integration Applied to Microalgal
Biofuels Production
Alcinda Patrícia de Carvalho Lopes,
Francisca Maria Loureiro Ferreira dos Santos,
Vítor Jorge Pais Vilar and José Carlos Magalhães Pires
Abstract The rapid development of modern society has resulted in an increased
demand for energy and, consequently, an increased use of fossil fuel reserves,
compromising the energy sector sustainability. Moreover, the use of this source of
energy led to the accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in atmosphere, which
are associated with climate change. In this context, European Union has established
new directives regarding GHG emissions and the renewable energy use. Microalgae
may have an important role in the achievement of these goals. These photosynthetic
microorganisms have a high growth rate, are able to capture CO 2 , the biomass can be
used to produce biofuels, constituting an undeniable economic potential. Microalgae
may also be a source of low carbon fuel, being one of the most studied biofuels
feedstock. They are considered a sustainable energy resource, able to reduce significantly the dependence on fossil fuel. They can grow on places that are unsuitable
for agriculture, not competing with land for food production. The use of wastewater
as microalgal culture medium will reduce the required amount of freshwater and
nutrients, achieving simultaneously an effluent with low nutrient concentrations. An
important step to increase the competitiveness (promoting simultaneously the
environmental sustainability) of microalgal biofuels regarding fossil fuels is the
optimization of culture parameters using wastewater as culture medium. Thus,
this chapter aims to present the recent studies regarding the integration of wastewater
treatment and microalgal cultivation for biomass/biofuel production.
Keywords Biofuel Á Microalgae Á Process integration Á Wastewater treatment
Sustainability
A. P. de Carvalho Lopes Á F. M. L. F. dos Santos Á J. C. M. Pires (&)
Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE),
Chemical Engineering Department, University of Porto - Faculty of Engineering,
Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
e-mail: jcpires@fe.up.pt
A. P. de Carvalho Lopes Á F. M. L. F. dos Santos Á V. J. P. Vilar
Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering – Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials
(LSRE-LCM), Chemical Engineering Department, University of Porto - Faculty of
Engineering, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
© Springer International Publishing AG 2018
E. Jacob-Lopes et al. (eds.), Energy from Microalgae, Green Energy
and Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69093-3_3
35