/-/https/www.sciencebuddies.org/cdn/Files/21464/5/sb-logo.png){kind=logo}
/-/https/www.sciencebuddies.org/cdn/Files/21464/5/sb-logo.png){kind=logo}
i have a project on low cost algae biodiesel where i lowered the cost of algae biodiesel and increased its production ?
so what question could i ask regarding this project?
QUESTION for project?
Moderators: AmyCowen, kgudger, MadelineB, Moderators
-
PRAKASHKUMAR
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2011 3:17 am
- Occupation: student: 12thgrade
- Project Question: i want a project on future chemistry.
- Project Due Date: 1st june
- Project Status: I am just starting
-
SciB
- Expert
- Posts: 2071
- Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:00 am
- Occupation: Retired molecular biologist, university researcher and teacher
- Project Question: I wish to join Scibuddies to be able to help students achieve the best science project possible and to understand the science behind it.
- Project Due Date: n/a
- Project Status: Not applicable
Re: QUESTION for project?
Hi Prakash,
The development of algae as a source for biodiesel and ethanol is a really hot research area now, so you picked a good project--but I see you are stumped on exactly what questions to ask. As i understand it, the main goal of fuel research industries is to make algal fuel price-competitive with petroleum-based fuels. This could be the starting point for thinking about some experiments.
You did not give me much information on where you are in the project. Did you choose a particular species of algae? Do you have access to a lab for growing the algae or were you planning to grow it outdoors under sunlight? I'm not an algae expert but i know it requires some nutrients in the water as well as carbon dioxide from the air and sunlight to do photosynthesis. Here's the wikipedia entry on algae fuel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae_fuel
If you want to reduce the cost of producing the algae then you would need to find the cheapest source of nutrients to feed the algae, since the sunlight and CO2 are free. You will have to do some reading of the scientific literature to find out what species of freshwater algae require which nutrients and how much. Also, you need a way to measure algal fuel production. Some species of algae produce oil that can be used for biodiesel manufacture. You could vary the nutrient levels and then measure the amount of algae produced over a specific period of time--light, temperature and size of growth container have to all be kept constant.
There is another question you could ask and that is how much algae could be produced per square foot of space. One of the costs involved in algal fuel production is the amount of space required to produce so many units of fuel. The more algae that could be grown per square foot the cheaper the cost. My idea would be to go vertical and use a growth container like a pipe, except it has to be clear so the algae can receive sunlight. You could build vertical growth chambers out of plexiglas plastic but that is pretty expensive. Two-liter soda bottles might work. You could compare the yield of the same volume of algae grown in a soda bottle compared to grown in a horizontal tray and see if there's a difference.
I hope I have given you some ideas for a question to ask in your algae project. Post another note to scibuddies letting me know what you want to do and I will try to help further.
Good luck!
SciB
The development of algae as a source for biodiesel and ethanol is a really hot research area now, so you picked a good project--but I see you are stumped on exactly what questions to ask. As i understand it, the main goal of fuel research industries is to make algal fuel price-competitive with petroleum-based fuels. This could be the starting point for thinking about some experiments.
You did not give me much information on where you are in the project. Did you choose a particular species of algae? Do you have access to a lab for growing the algae or were you planning to grow it outdoors under sunlight? I'm not an algae expert but i know it requires some nutrients in the water as well as carbon dioxide from the air and sunlight to do photosynthesis. Here's the wikipedia entry on algae fuel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae_fuel
If you want to reduce the cost of producing the algae then you would need to find the cheapest source of nutrients to feed the algae, since the sunlight and CO2 are free. You will have to do some reading of the scientific literature to find out what species of freshwater algae require which nutrients and how much. Also, you need a way to measure algal fuel production. Some species of algae produce oil that can be used for biodiesel manufacture. You could vary the nutrient levels and then measure the amount of algae produced over a specific period of time--light, temperature and size of growth container have to all be kept constant.
There is another question you could ask and that is how much algae could be produced per square foot of space. One of the costs involved in algal fuel production is the amount of space required to produce so many units of fuel. The more algae that could be grown per square foot the cheaper the cost. My idea would be to go vertical and use a growth container like a pipe, except it has to be clear so the algae can receive sunlight. You could build vertical growth chambers out of plexiglas plastic but that is pretty expensive. Two-liter soda bottles might work. You could compare the yield of the same volume of algae grown in a soda bottle compared to grown in a horizontal tray and see if there's a difference.
I hope I have given you some ideas for a question to ask in your algae project. Post another note to scibuddies letting me know what you want to do and I will try to help further.
Good luck!
SciB