Bundled competencies for Biomass

Microalgae are considered one of the most important raw materials of the future. Cultivating these fast-growing organisms makes it possible to generate enormous quantities of biomass, without competing for agricultural space. All the microscopic organisms need to grow is sunlight, carbon dioxide and a little water. As a high-quality protein source for food and animal feed, they also contain active ingredients for pharmaceuticals and the chemical industry. Algae biomass can also be used to generate energy or raw materials for producing bioplastics.

To grow microalgae on a large scale, the company Algoliner has developed a technology in which transparent tubes made of PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds are extruded in a mobile factory on a truck and then assembled directly into an algae reactor. The tubes made of PLEXIGLAS® have unparalleled transparency of up to 92 percent,” says Senior Business Manager Heinz. “And thanks to its excellent UV and weather resistance, it retains its transparency even outdoors, without yellowing.” This provides the ideal conditions for the light-hungry algae, allowing a very long useful life for the reactors at the same time.

As a company, Algoliner sets itself the standard of reducing the environmental footprint of biophotoreactors with low energy and material consumption and environmentally friendly, recyclable materials. With all components of the algae reactor made from PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds, they could all be ground down together at the end of the system’s life cycle. This ground material can then be fully reused, either by being broken down into its original chemical constituents or directly in thermoplastic processes. “T "In the Algoliner concept, everything fits together perfectly: a well thought-out product design and the selection of durable PLEXIGLAS® materials! All together, this results in a sustainable and optimally recyclable end product," says Heinz.

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Twice as sustainable: Algoliner has developed a pioneering technology for algae reactors. Microalgae can be cultivated in a resource-saving way in photobioreactors made from PLEXIGLAS® molding compounds – a long-lasting and recyclable material. Photo: © Algoliner

The maximum transparency, excellent UV and weather resistance and long lifespan of PLEXIGLAS® make it the ideal choice of material for photobioreactors. Photo: © Algoliner

In the “smartPBR” research project, Algoliner and the Technical University of Darmstadt are working together to develop an AI-based lighting concept for photobioreactors. The extraordinary transparency of the PLEXIGLAS® tubes guarantees the lighting’s efficiency – and thus a high microalgae yield. Photo: © Algoliner

Algoliner test reactor made from PLEXIGLAS® tubes with integrated LED lighting. Photo: © Algoliner

A mobile extrusion plant mounted on a truck allows Algoliner to install photobioreactors for microalgae quickly and cost-effectively, while also saving resources. Tubes in the required length are extruded from PLEXIGLAS® 7H. With its excellent melt viscosity and heat deflection temperature, this molding compound from Röhm offers a balanced profile of properties for the extrusion of tubes and technical profiles. Photo: © Algoliner

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) products from Röhm are sold on the European, Asian, African and Australian continent under the registered trademarks PLEXIGLAS® and PLEXIMID®, in the Americas under the registered trademarks ACRYLITE® and ACRYMID®.

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