Systems and methods for extracting non-polar lipids from an aqueous algae slurry and lipids produced therefrom

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for extracting non-polar lipids from microalgae are achieved using a lipid extraction device having an anode and a cathode that forms a channel and defines a fluid flow path through which an aqueous slurry is passed. An electromotive force is applied across the channel at a gap distance in a range from 0 5 mm to 200 mm to cause the non-polar lipids to be released from the algae cells. The non-polar lipids can be extracted at a high throughput rate and with low concentrations of polar lipids such as phospholipids and chlorophyll.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method for extracting non-polar lipids from microalgae in a flowing aqueous slurry, comprising:
 providing an aqueous slurry comprising microalgae;   providing a lipid extraction apparatus having a body including a channel that defines a fluid flow path, wherein a cathode and an anode form at least a portion of the channel that defines the fluid flow path, the cathode and the anode being spaced apart to form a gap with a distance in a range from one of 0.5 mm to 200 mm, or 1 mm to 50 mm within the channel;   flowing the aqueous slurry through the channel and applying an electromotive force across the gap that compromises the microalgae cells and releases a lipid fraction; and   recovering at least a portion of the nonpolar lipid fraction.   
     
     
         12 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein flowing the aqueous slurry through the channel and applying an electromotive force across the gap that compromises the microalgae cells releases a lipid fraction having greater than 80 wt % non-polar lipids and less than 20 wt % polar lipids, having greater than 90% wt % non-polar lipids and less than 10 wt % polar lipids, having greater than 95% wt % non-polar lipids and less than 5 wt % polar lipids, or having greater than 99 wt % non-polar lipids and less than 1 wt % polar lipids. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the aqueous slurry is caused to flow through the gap at a rate in a range from at least 0.1 ml per second per ml of gap volume to at least 1.0 ml per second per ml of gap volume. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the volume of the fluid flow path within the gap is in a range selected from a list consisting of at least 50 ml, at least 200 ml, or at least 500 ml, or at least 1 liter. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least 70 wt % of microorganism within the aqueous slurry are microalgae. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the electromotive force is pulsed at a frequency selected from a list consisting of at least 500 Hz, at least 1 kHz, at least 2 kHz, and at least 30 kHz. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the amperage used to create the electromotive force is selected from a list consisting of at least 1 amp, at least 5 amps, at least 10 amps, at least 50 amps, and at least 100 amps. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the voltage is in a range selected from a list consisting of at least 1V, at least 10 V, at least 100 V, at least 1 kV, and at least 20 kV. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least 90 wt % of microorganism within the aqueous slurry are microalgae. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the temperature of the aqueous slurry during extraction is selected from a list consisting of at least 40° F., at least 65° F., at least 80° F., at least 100° F., and at least 120° F. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pH of aqueous slurry is in a range selected from a list consisting of from 6.6-9.0, 6.8-8.6, and 7.0-8.5. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pH of aqueous slurry is alkaline. 
     
     
         31 . A lipid extraction apparatus for extracting non-polar lipids from microalgae, comprising:
 a body including a channel that defines a fluid flow path from a first opening to a second opening, the first opening providing an inlet for an aqueous algae slurry and the second opening providing an outlet for the aqueous algae slurry; and   a cathode, an anode, and an insulator forming at least a portion of the channel that defines the fluid flow path, the cathode and the anode being spaced apart to form a gap with a distance in a range selected from 0.5 mm to 200 mm.   
     
     
         32 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , wherein flowing the aqueous slurry through the channel and applying an electromotive force across the gap that compromises the microalgae cells releases a lipid fraction having greater than 80 wt % non-polar lipids and less than 20 wt % polar lipids, having greater than 95% wt % non-polar lipids and less than 5 wt % polar lipids, having greater than 90% wt % non-polar lipids and less than 10 wt % polar lipids, or having greater than 99 wt % non-polar lipids and less than 1 wt % polar lipids. 
     
     
         33 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , wherein the volume of the fluid flow path within the gap is at least 200 ml. 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , wherein a surface area of the channel formed by the cathode and the anode is in a range from at least 500 cm 2  to at least 2000 cm 2 . 
     
     
         35 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , wherein the body comprises a first conductive tube within a second conductive tube and the insulator provides separation between the first and second conductive tubes, the channel being formed from spacing between the first and second conductive tubes. 
     
     
         36 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , wherein the gap volume is selected from one of at least 50 ml, at least 200 ml or at least 500 ml, or at least 1 liter. 
     
     
         37 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , wherein the surface area of the anode and cathode exposed to the fluid flow is selected from one of at least 500 cm 2 , at least 1000 cm 2  or at least 2000 cm 2 . 
     
     
         38 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , further comprising a power supply configured to supply amperage selected from a list consisting of at least 1 amp, at least 5 amps, at least 10 amps, at least 50 amps, and at least 100 amps. 
     
     
         39 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , further comprising: a computer controlled lipid extraction apparatus that utilizes HPLC data to select the parameters that minimize polar lipids in the released lipid from, wherein the parameters are selected from a list consisting of flow rate, amperage, voltage and gap distance. 
     
     
         40 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , wherein the flow rate through the gap volume is selected from a list consisting of 0.1 ml/second per ml of gap volume, at least 0.5 ml/second per ml of gap volume, at least 1.0 ml/second per ml of gap volume and at least 1.5 ml/second per ml of gap volume. 
     
     
         41 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , wherein the voltage is selected from a list consisting of at least 1V, at least 10 V, at least 100 V, at least 1 kV, and at least 20 kV. 
     
     
         42 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , wherein the frequency of the emf pulses is at least 500 Hz, 1 kHz, at least 2 kHz, and at least 30 kHz. 
     
     
         43 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , wherein the temperature of the aqueous slurry during extraction is selected from a list consisting of at least 40° F., at least 65° F., at least 80° F., at least 100° F., and at least 120° F. 
     
     
         44 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , wherein the pH of aqueous slurry is in a range selected from a list consisting of from 6.6-9.0, 6.8-8.6, and 7.0-8.5. 
     
     
         45 . An apparatus as in  claim 31 , wherein the pH of aqueous slurry is alkaline.