Nano Biofuel Production Processes: Using Nantechnology to Enhance Produciton fo Biofuels

Abstract

Methods, systems, devices and materials for producing biofuels under nanoscale control (“nanobiofuels”) are provided. In one aspect, the invention provides method for producing a biofuel, including providing a hydrocarbon producing organism; exposing the biological hydrocarbon producing organism to conditions effective to cause substantial release of the hydrocarbon from the biological hydrocarbon producing organism; and isolating at least a portion of the hydrocarbon. At least one of the actions of providing, exposing, and isolating is performed using a corresponding nanoscale control.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for producing a biofuel, comprising:
 providing a hydrocarbon producing organism;   exposing said biological hydrocarbon producing organism to conditions effective to cause substantial release of said hydrocarbon from said biological hydrocarbon producing organism; and   isolating at least a portion of said hydrocarbon;   wherein at least one of said actions of providing, exposing, and isolating is performed using a nanoscale control corresponding to each of said at least one actions of providing, exposing, and isolating.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further including processing said isolated hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said processing includes exposing said hydrocarbon to a solid phase nanoscale controlled trasnesterification medium to produce a final biofuel product. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said final biofuel product is selected from the group consisting of biodiesel and ethanol. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , including using a nanoscale control to provide said biological hydrocarbon producing organism. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said nanoscale control to provide said biological hydrocarbon producing organism includes selecting said biological producing organism by genetic identification using a nanoscale detection process. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said providing includes growing said biological hydrocarbon producing organism under conditions controlled by at least one nanotechnological material or process. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said exposing includes exposing said biological hydrocarbon prodcing organism to at least one nanotechnological material. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said isolating includes exposing said biological hydrocarbon prodcing organism to at least one nanotechnological material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said biological hydrocarbon producing organism is an algae. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said nanoscale control to provide said biological hydrocarbon producing organism includes growing said algae under conditions controlled by at least one nanotechnological material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said nanoscale control to provide said biological hydrocarbon producing organism includes harvesting and drying said algae using at least one nanoatechnological material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said biological hydrocarbon producing organism is a bacteria. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said nanoscale control to provide said biological hydrocarbon producing organism includes growing said bacteria under conditions controlled by at least one nanotechnological material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said nanoscale control to provide said biological hydrocarbon producing organism includes extracting said hydrocarbon using at least one nanoatechnological material. 
     
     
         16 . A biorefinery, comprising:
 a biological hydrocarbon producing organism incubator;   a waste collector in fluid communication with said biological hydrocarbon producing organism incubator;   a bioreaction chamber in fluid communication with said biolgical hydrocarbon producing organism incubator;   a purification chamber in fluid communication with said bioreaction chamber;   wherein at least one of said incubator, bioreaction chamber, and purificaition chamber is under nanoscale control or includes at least one nanotechnological material.   
     
     
         17 . The biorefinery of  claim 16 , further including a second bioreaction chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The biorefinery of  claim 18 , further including a membrane separating said bioreaction chamber from said second bioreaction chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The biorefinery of  claim 16 , further incluing a refining chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The biorefinery of  claim 19 , further including a membrane separating said refining chamber from said bioreaction chamber.