Synergistic effect of hydrothermal Co-liquefaction of Spirulina platensis and Lignin: Optimization of operating parameters by response surface methodology

Zhixia He, Bin Wang, Bo Zhang, Huan Feng, Sabariswaran Kandasamy and Haitao Chen

Energy, 2020, vol. 201, issue C

Abstract: Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of biomass is an effective technology to transform and utilize wet biomass feedstocks. Significant synergistic effects were found during HTL of two species of wet biomass-Spirulina platensis and Spartina alterniflora. In this study, the lignin, a main compound of Spartina alterniflora and much other terrestrial biomass were chosen for hydrothermal co-liquefaction with Spirulina platensis. The effect of HTL Spirulina platensis, lignin, and the blend was optimized through response surface methodology. The results explicitly showed that the highest bio-oil yield was 33.1 wt% at 340 °C, 40 min with the Spirulina platensis -lignin blending mass ratio of 2:1, which is much higher than that of lignin (22 wt%) and a bit lower than that of Spirulina platensis (36 wt%) under the same reaction conditions. The synergistic enhance effects on the bio-oil yield were observed at relatively severe reaction conditions (higher temperatures, longer residence times, and larger Spirulina platensis to lignin mass ratios). The co-liquefaction process has upgraded the quality of bio-oil, as confirmed by GCMS analysis. By which, the content of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds in bio-oil was significantly decreased, whereas the content of fatty acid compounds such as hexadecanoic acid was significantly increased. Such an improvement would greatly reduce the energy consumption required for post-treatment.

Keywords: Co-liquefaction; Microalgae; Lignin; Synergistic effect; Upgrading (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:201:y:2020:i:c:s0360544220306575

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2020.117550

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