EXTRACTION OF LIPID

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HOW TO EXTRACT OIL FROM MICROALGAE

 

Microalgae are potential source of alternative fuel. The oil obtain from microalgae is used as fuel after transesterification reaction. As a consequence of transesterification glycerine and biodiesel produce. This biodiesel is used as a fuel.

 Here some picture of microalgae cultures

Above figure shows the microalgae culture in closed photo bioreactor.

Above picture shows the microalgae culture in open pond.

Here some more pictures of open pond laboratory scale reactors.

Now the question is how to separate the oil/lipids of microalgae.

For this purpose soxhlet apparatus is used in laboratory.

It consists of following main parts.

  • BOILING FLASK
  • ISOMANTLE/HEATING UNIT
  • SEAPARTING UNIT/EXTRACTION BODY
  • CONDENSOR

BOILING FLASK:

In which solvent was added and heated to move into the extraction unit.

ISOMANTLE/HEATING UNIT:

Which is use to heat the solvent in boiling flask so evaporate it.

EXTRACTION UNIT:

Solvent after evaporation comes to the condenser then comes into the extraction unit where it extracts the oil from the body of microalgae.

CONDENSOR:

Here the vapor of solvent condensed back into the liquid form and fell into the extraction body of soxhlet apparatus.

This is the small introduction to the soxhlet apparatus for lipid extraction.

 

 


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