Algae Car

[matattack2000]

Yes, that's true. I tried this quite a few times beforehand with no success because the gas wasn't pure enough. The H2 gas concentration changes over time through the experiment (about 5-7 days). We measure gas purity constantly with a GC and at one point during one of the experiments I was running I measured the concentration to reach about 95% so I tried again and it worked - then I got out the camera! It really depends on the fuel cell you use I guess but most are sensitive to contaminants.

[matattack2000]

Following from last comment - Generally with C. reinhardtii, the peak purity will reach between 85% - 92% I found but this can vary a lot of a whole variety of culture conditions and it's very hard to reproduce exactly each time. The peak purity comes at about 48 - 72 hours after sulphur deprivation (achieved by spinning and washing cells a few times in sulphur deplete media) in anaerobic conditions in the light. You'll have to look into other ways to purify the hydrogen.

[matattack2000]

Have a look at how industry performs the hydrogen purification. Molsieve columns, membranes etc. I'm not up to date with these procedures. It is a point though, from biological systems of hydrogen production there will be a need to purify the gas at a later point if using in fuel cells. I believe there are well established systems in place but they will likely only ever be feasible if working on a really large scale.

Matt

[Alacraneando]

@matattack2000 Hi, great video and congratulations for the results, but I have a question: I understand that the hydrogen gas that is introduced into the fuel cell of the car must have a certain purity level. How did you purified the hydrogen produced by C. reinhardtii? I ask you this because I have a project in which I'm trying to transform a bacteria (Rhizobium etli) in order to make it produce hydrogen, but I haven't found an easy way to purify it. Thanks.

Aarón UNAM-LCG Mexico iGEM team.

[Deltaglider777]

WERE DID YOU GET YOUR LAB COAT?!?!?

[HelenBakerInBenidorm]

I have designed a Bio-reactor that can produce Hydrogen cost effectively

[mrnash75]

Can you tell what type of alge you are using please

[matattack2000]

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is the best so far. We published some stuff recently searching for better Australian strains but didn't find any. Can read it by google searching "Phylogenetic and molecular analysis of hydrogen-producing green algae"

[melrobRTF]

@matattack2000 Hi awesome vid. What is that apparatus called you use to culture the algae in? the Erlenmeyer glass air tube combi?

[matattack2000]

Hi, it's just a typical lab style bottle that's been blown by the glass blower to have a few ports for sampling etc. The tubes are also just a basic design and made by the University of Queensland glass blowers. The have a thin tube on the inside for the gas to go up and this collects at the top and displaces water so that volume can be measured.

Cheers

[creten69]

do you have to have certain strands?I wanna grow it and just put it in my car and help others do it.I cant fit into that little car.I need gas and i need it now daddy!

[gpotteiger]

In fact even liquid hydrogen is only one third as energy dense as gasoline.

[creten69]

im scared now the big oil companies have so many people to silence,i mean bush and blackwater and illuminatii guys.

[RepairBucket]

Awesome! AlgaePetro dot comm and others are trying to spread the word. Also Motor Trend's July 2008 issue discusses Algae as the potential biofuel savior at the end of a huge article and I just stumble on an article that talks about Michigan kicking in $7 million to fun an Algae production facility just minutes from my home.

Maybe people are finally starting to see the practical application of this fuel source.

I'm excited!

[fifthandpinned]

well done. It's incredible that algae fuel is so practical and we've had this technology as long as we have yet most people have never heard of it yet. Sites like algaepetro dot comm are trying to bring public awarness. Maybe it has to do with Bush's personal investment in corn based ethanol.

[Coraxuss]

Hmm, so what would be the harvest rate of hydrogen extracted from algae?

As far as algae for fuel is concerned, there is a company called Valcent that has devised the most efficient way of producing large quantities of biofuel from algae. The harvest rate is a continual process.

[killmaster]

valcent is focused more on the oil side of algae, using algae to make hydrogen is a different process that requires different algae types and a special process the kinda "tricks" the algae to make hydrogen. rly it would be cool to see both processes funded.

[SacrificialMullet]

I've read a lot about the theory of producing energy from algae but incredibly, this is the first practical demonstration I've seen.

Well done guys. I'd love to see a similar demonstration of biodiesel exctraction. As gpotteiger says, the infrastructure etc. is already in place. Plus it is an easier concept for the masses to grasp.

I think the most exciting prospect of your demonstration is the fact you can make fuel at home, empowering the individual.

Phuck Big Oil.

[Ronaldoo91]

and by the way if we r trying to stop global warming :( its too late, we can slow it but its just too late

[eugene430]

hi-tech syringe!

algae diesel is better =P

[simmonkey3]

Sorry, Your full of it!

Hydrogen is the future. The conversion of hydrogen to electricity is 4x more efficient that than the best combustion engine (80% for Hydrogen vs. 20% for combustion engines.) Thi is a real advantage!

[gpotteiger]

Hate to tell you but as of this point you're full of it. There is no infrastructure for hydrogen not only that but there are storage problems and the fact that the fuel cells at this point are 50-100 times more expensive than an internal combustion engine. And in the end what this all revolves around is money if it is too expensive it won't be invested in.

[bbkingdom]

Well, your telling just an attitude you have over some facts. Let me tell you my attitude over the same facts:

- No infrastructure: Norways is building the HyNor, which has unmanned filling stations that are hooked up to the water supply and have arrays of solar pannels for electrolysis.

Expensive fuel cell: You can combust hydrogen in combustion engines.

Storing problems: probably you need to spend a little bit more on your hydrogen tank, but maybe you also get more milage

[gpotteiger]

True you can burn hydrogen in a gasoline engine but you somehow must figure out a way to make a significant amount of hydrogen quickly and easily I think you know as well as i do that solar power at the station is nothing more than a gimmick. You need an awful lot of energy to compress hydrogen to the very high pressures needed to make it as energy dense as gasoline. Also electrolysis as well as solar cells are pretty inefficient.

[bbkingdom]

Well, people are trying to figure out a way to do electrolysis with pulses of electricity at a specific frequency suited for water. Maybe it is bogus but lets wait and see what happens. It would create an on demand system for hydrogen generation in your car, so you just fill her up with water. Also using aluminium as a catalyist and create hydrogen chemically is an option, again what you will tank is water... Don't know though if this is all sustainable and real world applicable.

[catchcain]

Hehe, the conversion of hydrogen to electricity is by combustion :)

Unfortunately creating hydrogen (other than by algae) requires electricity which is mostly generated by fossil fuels, so therefore it isn't a true fuel. If you can create electriciy or hydrogen for low cost and pollution then you've got a solution, otherwise you're just covering one problem with another.

[Ronaldoo91]

wrong , u c when u use elect to produce H it will lower the risks of having global warmign however it produces  Co2 which can cause global warming :)

[roidroid]

So, this happens when the algae is starved of oxygen correct? It produces Hydrogen gas.

It's very interesting.

Do you have a website, where is your lab? are you at CSIRO?

[matattack2000]

That's right, the culture has to be anaerobic for the algae to produce hydrogen, usually done by re-suspending the culture in a medium lacking sulfur. After about a day hydrogen starts bubbling off and will continue for about 5 more days. Sorry don't have a website but there's lots of literature on the subject if you're interested. A quick search and you'll find a lot. Thanks for your interest.

[PlasmaP]

Dude, that's awesome!!!! I'm totally glad that I searched for algae!