Influence of waste plastic on pyrolysis of low-lipid microalgae: A study on thermokinetics, behaviors, evolved gas characteristics, and products distribution

Akash Kumar, Beibei Yan, Junyu Tao, Jian Li, Lata Kumari, Belay Tafa Oba, Moses Akintayo Aborisade and Guanyi Chen

Renewable Energy, 2022, vol. 185, issue C, 416-430

Abstract: In this study, co-pyrolysis of low-lipid Nannochloropsis sp. (NS) and waste polystyrene (PS) was deeply investigated using TG-MS-FTIR and Fixed bed reactor to characterize their thermal behaviors, kinetics, evolved gases, and products distribution. The (D)TG investigation of the co-pyrolysis process revealed two distinct stages of thermal decomposition: the first stage (150–420 °C) was mostly caused by NS decomposition, whereas the second stage (420–550 °C) was attributed to NS-PS decomposition. The difference between experimental and theoretical mass loss (ΔW) was lower than zero when the proportion of NS was 75% and 65%. In addition, the average activation energy of the blends containing 75% and 65% of NS was less than sole NS. Thus, based on thermal behaviors and activation energies, the blends with an NS content of 75% and 65% exhibited the strongest synergistic effect. The results of TG-MS, TG-FTIR, and GC-MS analyses revealed that the co-pyrolysis considerably boosted the production of hydrocarbons, notably aromatic hydrocarbons, while concurrently restricting the production of nitrogenous and oxygenous compounds. This study will contribute to a better understanding of the utilization of low-lipid microalgae.

Keywords: Low-lipid microalgae; Waste plastic; Co-pyrolysis; Kinetic analysis; Volatile species; Synergistic effect (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:185:y:2022:i:c:p:416-430

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2021.12.087

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