Production of algal oil depends on biomass properties and production conditions
Algal biomass is a source of biofuel that has the potential to replace fossil fuels. There are various ways of producing bio-oil; one of the most commonly implemented thermochemical processes for producing bio-oil is pyrolysis. Bio-oil produced through pyrolysis has several similarities to that of conventional fuels. However, the economic acceptability of the bio-oil depends on the quantity and quality of the bio-oil produced. The bio-oil yield and its calorific value (represented by higher heating value) are observed to be influenced by the biomass properties and the pyrolysis process conditions. Thus, this study collected data from published articles and attempted to analyze the impact of various algal biomass characteristics and experimental pyrolysis conditions on the yield and quality of the bio-oil. It was observed that apart from the lipid content of algae, the bio-oil yield was mainly influenced by its ash and hydrogen content and the pyrolysis residence time. The higher heating value of the bio-oil primarily depends on the algae's carbohydrate, protein, and lipid content. Moreover, the yield and its higher heating value also depend on the type of algae and its growing habitat. The provided evidence from this study could help maximize the quantity and quality of the bio-oil produced from the algal biomass.
About the Author
Abhijeet Pathy is a graduate student working at Forest Soils Research Lab. Abhijeet has a bachelor's degree in biotechnology from the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India. After completing his bachelor's, he started his master's in land reclamation and remediation. In his undergraduate period, he worked in the bioenergy and environmental lab for three and a half years. During this brief research period, he authored nine peer-reviewed articles.
Abhijeet has a keen interest in the remediation and reclamation of polluted environments. He has primarily worked on pyrolysis modelling and utilized biochar to remediate various organic and inorganic contaminants. Currently, he is researching biochar systems, focusing on increasing biochar applications' sustainability and economic viability to make them adaptable at an industrial scale.