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Microbubbles to Boost Biofuel Production. International Business Times. January 29, 2012. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/289216/20120129/microbubbles-give-boost-biofuel-production.htm “Researchers from the University of Sheffield in the UK have developed a new method, using microbubble technology, to double algae cultivation for biofuel. The technology allows algae particles to float on the surface of the water, making it easier to harvest them and in the process also saving time and money. Microbubbles use 1,000 times less energy, compared to existing flotation systems. In addition, the cost of installing the microbubble system is also expected to be smaller than existing systems. According to the researchers, it is difficult to cultivate algae for the purpose of producing biofuel because it is a time-consuming process. Furthermore, until now, there really was no cost-effective method of harvesting the algae and processing it effectively. This new development, however, could make such problems a thing of the past. The scientists collaborated with the Tata Group in India and are next planning to develop a pilot plant to test the system at an industrial scale. In fact, work is already under way, at Tata Steel's Scunthorpe site, using CO2 from their flue-gas stacks. Biofuel is produced from the oil that algae produce; it is, therefore, an environmentally friendly source of power, since it is made from plants, an important alternative to fossil fuels. Microbubbles, on the other hand, are bubbles smaller than one millimetre in diameter but larger than one micrometer. They have been previously used by water purification companies, who float impurities through them.” -- ********************************************************************** Dr. Ann C. Wilkie Tel: (352)392-8699 Soil and Water Science Department Fax: (352)392-7008 University of Florida-IFAS P.O. Box 110960 E-mail: [log in to unmask] Gainesville, FL 32611-0960 ______________________________________________________________________ Campus location: Environmental Microbiology Laboratory (Bldg. 246). http://campusmap.ufl.edu/ ______________________________________________________________________ BioEnergy and Sustainable Technology Society http://grove.ufl.edu/~bests/ **********************************************************************