Investigation of aqueous phase recycling for improving bio-crude oil yield in hydrothermal liquefaction of algae. (September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hu, Yulin; Feng, Shanghuan; Yuan, Zhongshun; Xu, Chunbao (Charles); Bassi, Amarjeet
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 239(2017)
• Page Start: 151
• Page End: 159
• Publication Date: 2017-09
• Subjects: Hydrothermal liquefaction -- Algae -- Catalyst -- Aqueous phase recycling -- Bio-crude oil; Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.05.033
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: Aqueous phase from algal liquefaction was recycled as a reaction medium for HTL. The oil yield increased significantly when recycling the aqueous phase. Recycling of aqueous phase led to marked increases in oil yield from catalytic HTL. The oil quality from aqueous phase recycling was not scarified for improving yield. Abstract: In this study, the aqueous phase obtained from catalytic/non-catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of Chlorella vulgaris was recycled as the reaction medium with an aim to reduce water consumption and increase bio-crude oil yield. Although both Na2 CO3 and HCOOH catalysts have been proven to be effective for promoting biomass conversion, the bio-crude oil yield obtained from HTL with Na2 CO3 (11.5 wt%) was lower than that obtained from the non-catalytic HTL in pure water at 275 °C for 50 min. While, the HCOOH led to almost the same bio-crude yield from HTL (29.4 wt%). Interestingly, bio-crude oil yield obtained from non-catalytic or catalytic HTL in recycled aqueous phase was much higher than that obtained from HTL in pure water. Recycling aqueous phase obtained from catalytic HTL experiments resulted in a sharp increase in the bio-crude oil yield by 32.6 wt% (Na2 CO3 -HTL) and 16.1 wt% (HCOOH-HTL), respectively.