(560x) Effect of Process Parameters and Heterogeneous Catalysts on the Upgrading of Micro-Algal Bio-Crude Oil

Hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae has been proven to be a viable technique to produce biofuels. In spite of the high oil yields and conversion efficiencies, algae biocrude oil have high heteroatom, Total Acid Number (TAN) content which makes it unsuitable for the current petrochemical industry. This was addressed by upgrading the biocrude oil (microalgae micractinium sp.) using three different heterogeneous catalysts (MO₂C, HZSM-5, and Pt/C) and various process parameters. The upgraded biocrude yields were higher at 350 °C compared to 400 °C. All the upgraded biocrudes have higher carbon and hydrogen content values relative to the original biocrude. The heteroatoms (N, S, O) were considerably reduced with the use of the catalysts mentioned earlier. Among the catalysts under study, HZSM-5 catalyst was effective in removing the oxygen the best. The TAN values decreased considerably compared to the original biocrude owing to the removal of acidic constituents and the HHV have been improved significantly suggesting energy densification.