Effect of Geographical Location on the Variation in Products Formed from the Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Ulva intestinalis

Sofia Raikova, Joakim Olsson, Joshua Mayers, Göran Nylund, Eva Albers, Christopher Chuck

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Abstract

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of macroalgae offers a promising route to advanced biofuel production, although the distinct biochemical compositions of different macroalgae species can lead to widely different product yields and compositions. On the basis of this, there is an implicit assumption that there exists a universal optimal feedstock species for a bioenergy-based biorefinery, which could be exploited across a wide region. However, no studies to date have examined the effect of this large geographical variation on a single macroalgae species for biofuel production. In this study, 24 samples of Ulva intestinalis were collected along 1200 km of Swedish coastline and assessed as a feedstock for HTL. Significant variation incomposition was observed between samples from Baltic and Atlantic regions, but substantial variation also existed between sites within close proximity. This was reflected in the HTL biocrude oil yields, which varied between 9 and 20% (14−28% dry and ash-free basis) across the sample set. In a number of cases, greater variation was seen for adjacent sites than for sites at oppositeends of the sampling spectrum. Biocrude oil yields in this study also differed substantially from those previously obtained for U.intestinalis from the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Localized environmental conditions affected the HTL product composition significantly, in particular, the elemental distribution within the sample set. The variability observed in this study suggests that no single species will be dominant within a macroalgal biorefinery concept, but rather a species would need to be selected tomatch the needs of the exact local environment
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)368-378
Number of pages11
JournalEnergy & Fuels
Volume34
Issue number1
Early online date27 Aug 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 Jan 2020

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Chemical Engineering(all)
  • Fuel Technology
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology

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