54 P- M. COOK 



ess, and, in the event that the results were promising, to make 

 recommendations concerning the additional work necessary to 

 pursue the problem intelligendy. 



Stanford Research Institute Survey 

 The basic problem was to discover whether it might be feasi- 

 ble as well as practical to grow large quantities of algae in a con- 

 trolled system. This broad problem requires detailed answers to 

 several specific questions: i) Is it technically possible to grow algae 

 in large quantities in any controlled system ? 2) If so, what type 

 of system should be used ? 3) What are the optimum conditions 

 for maximum growth? 4) How valuable is the material pro- 

 duced? 5) What is the cost of producing large amounts of 

 Chlorella? 



During the suvey it became apparent that by using a simple 

 continuous system, the mass growth of Chlorella might be not 

 only feasible but actually practical today. With a few exceptions, 

 however, all data were based on cultures in a batch system in 

 small vessels wherein several important conditions were allowed 

 to vary. Because of the conditions under which the experiments 

 were made, it was difficult to translate the data to a continuous 

 large-scale basis. In spite of this, upon analysis of the data, the 

 large-scale culture of Chlorella appeared promising. Many inter- 

 pretations needed carefully controlled experiments to prove their 

 validity, however, and further data had to be obtained for more 

 accurate engineering studies. 



The value and possible use of the final product also was un- 

 known, but an organism with a protein content of over 50% or 

 with lipid content as high as 85% would certainly have some 

 nutritive or chemical value as a raw material. No price could be 

 put on its actual value at first. The high price and relative short- 

 age of protein in the world, in addition to the fact that high- 

 protein Chlorella grows more rapidly than high-fat Chlorella, 

 threw a particularly favorable light on the outlook for growing 

 this plant as a source of protein. 



Certain raw materials are essential for growth. Carbon dioxide 

 supplies the carbon and is readily available in large quantities 



