Aquatic plants such as microalgae have attractive features as an alternative feedstock for liquid fuels. In this study slow and fast pyrolysis of microalgae was studied to generate a third-generation biofuel. The impacts of the relevant process variables on the pyrolysis of microalgae and duckweed process were studied in detail, including temperature, particle size, flow rate, and atmosphere (e.g. N2, H2O, CO2) were considered. The experiments were carried out in a fixed bed reactor in which the aquatic species were continuously supplied by an auger feeder into the hot reaction zone. The product vapors were condensed and collected for analysis by GC/MS. The yields and chemical species distribution were dependent on both the feedstock and the pyrolysis processing conditions. The pyrolytic liquid obtained had the drawback of containing highly-oxygenated compounds; therefore, an in-situ catalytic pyrolysis process was utilized to achieve a bio-oil with improved properties.

Pyrolysis of microalgae for the production of renewable fuels

241st National Meeting (2011)

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