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    PowerStruggle: Algae blooms and biofuel

    One of the effects of global warming are algae blooms... how about we put them to work?

    Started by: Glee Raves:4 Badge Winner! Longbroading

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    As a result of the chemical change in the oceans from polluted runoff water, along with the temperature increases from global warming, the oceans have turned brackish and we've seen an increase in algae formation, which is choking out other life as it sucks the oxygen out of the water. Back in April 2008, the first Algae biodiesel plant went online, but there wasn't a whole lot of fanfare (http://gas2.org/2008/03/29/first-algae-biodiesel-plant-goes-online-april-1-2008/). I'd like to see us duplicate those efforts, and eliminate the need for petroleum altogether. We've got the resources covering 70 % of the planet to fuel us... why haven't we tapped into this en masse yet?

    Nice thought Glee! The problem though is how you capture the stuff when it's widely dispersed without using more energy in harnessing it than you get out in the end product. Like the idea of turning what's seen as a problem into a resource though - anyone got any brilliant thoughts to make it work?

    Maybe what we need is to build processing rigs along the same lines as we build oil rigs and have them float through the stuff.

    i think flow through setups, even on blue tarps could be fabricated quickly. Especially if you are already doing hydro electric in any way. There are points in hydro where you have control the flow of water somewhat and you could at that point run it through algae to catchment pollution especially nitrogen pollution.

    Not sure of this will work. I'm just kind of thinking out loud. Many algal blooms occur along coastal waters where the concentration of fertilizers being dumped from rivers hits the oceans. Some of these areas are also affected by high and low tides. What about some sort of filter setup, almost like a fine net to catch algae along the coasts. As waters rise, the algae becomes entangled in nets and remain as the tide recedes. The nets are then cleaned or perhaps, depending on the material, thrown in with the algae to be processed for biofuel.

    @ArchangelRob - sounds like the beginnings of a design brief. This is reminding me of robotic oil containment buoy systems. Any other ideas? Suggestions? If we could get enough *starter* information together, we might be able to get some student designers to generate some rough concepts.




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