Power generation from algae employing enhanced process integration technology

An integrated power-generation system with enhanced process integration (EPI), using macroalgae as a fuel source, is proposed. The integrated system includes a drying, conversion through gasification, and power generation in a combined cycle. An EPI that combines heat circulation and process integration was used to significantly reduce the exergy destruction in the integrated system. Brown seaweed Fucus sp. was selected as a representative macroalgae. The influence of fluidization velocities during drying and gasification on power generation efficiency was evaluated. The proposed integrated system showed an extremely high power generation efficiency of approximately 60%. No significant relationship was found between the fluidization velocities in drying and gasification to total power generation efficiency. The effect of the turbine inlet temperature (TIT) in the gas turbine was also evaluated. It showed that a higher TIT resulted in higher total power generation efficiency due to enhanced energy/heat recovery, especially from the steam turbine.