System and method for processing algae-based products using recovered flue gas heat

1. A method for processing algae, comprising:

receiving a heated flue gas in a first enclosure of a heat exchanger;

receiving an algal paste in a second enclosure of the heat exchanger;

introducing an organic solvent to the algal paste;

extracting an algal oil and a plurality of algal shells from the algal paste by dissipating heat from the first enclosure to the second enclosure; and

extracting the algal oil from the organic solvent and the algal shells;

wherein the flue gas is a gas rich in CO 2 .

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising producing the algal paste by de-watering a plurality of algae organisms harvested from an algae growing system using a de-watering process.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising harvesting the plurality of algae organisms by skimming a surface of a water in each processing cell of the algae growing system to collect algae present on the water.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the de-watering process comprising a thin film membrane, a flocculation, or a filter press.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising returning a supernatant byproduct of processing the algal paste in the second enclosure of the heat exchanger to the algae growing system.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the organic solvent and the algal shells in a third enclosure of the heat exchanger.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transesterifying the extracted algal oil by using a catalyst into a bio-oil product.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising extracting glycol from the bio-oil product.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the catalyst comprises methanol, ethanol, and/or other transesterification catalyst.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a computing device electronically coupled to a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable program code embodied thereon, the computer executable program code configured to cause a computing device to monitor the environmental sensors and adjust the pressure release valve according to a set of optimal environmental settings.

11. A method for processing algae, comprising:

harvesting a plurality of algae organisms by skimming a surface of a water in each processing cell of an algae growing system to collect algae present on the water surface;

producing an algal paste by de-watering the plurality of algae organisms;

receiving a heated flue gas in a first enclosure of a heat exchanger;

receiving the algal paste in a second enclosure of the heat exchanger;

introducing an organic solvent to the algal paste;

extracting an algal oil and a plurality of algal shells from the algal paste by dissipating heat from the first enclosure to the second enclosure;

returning a supernatant byproduct of extracting the algal oil from the algal paste to the algae growing system;

receiving the organic solvent and the algal shells in a third enclosure of the heat exchanger; and

extracting the algal oil from the organic solvent and the algal shells;

wherein the heated flue gas is a gas rich in CO 2 .

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising transesterifying the extracted algal oil by using a catalyst into a bio-oil product.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising extracting glycol from the bio-oil product.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the catalyst comprises methanol, ethanol, and/or other transesterification catalyst.