Japan Researchers Use Liquefied DME to Extract Oil from Algae at Room Temperature at High Yield

Researchers at Japan’s Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), in a project funded by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), have successfully developed a method to extract oil from algae using liquefied dimethyl ether (DME) at room temperature in high yield.

Because this method utilizes the unique nature of liquefied DME—its ability to mix easily with water and oil—and can dewater and extract oils from algae at room temperature concurrently, it can not only reduce the amount of energy required for dewatering and drying to a significant extent compared to conventional methods but also eliminate the organic solvents required for oil extraction.

The process was presented during the 90^th Springtime Annual Meeting of The Chemical Society of Japan (CSJ), 26-29 March, 2010.

Liquefied DME (CH₃OCH₃) is the simplest form of ether. Unlike other ethers, DME does not form peroxides, is non-toxic, has no effect on global warming nor ozone depletion and can be considered an environmentally friendly solvent. Both DME synthesized gas and liquid from coal are being utilized more frequently as inexpensive fuels in the People’s Republic of China. In Japan, DME is used as a propellant for aerosol spray cans. The standard boiling point of DME is minus 25°C. CRIEPI used liquefied DME under 20 °C·0.5 MPa in this study.