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Renewable Bio-Oil from Pyrolysis of Synechocystis and Scenedesmus Wild-Type Microalgae Biomass

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Abstract

In this study, biomasses of microalgae Scenedesmus and Synechocystis species were thermochemically converted to biofuel in a fast pyrolysis process. The effect of pyrolysis temperature on the products yield was investigated. The optimal pyrolysis temperature for Scenedesmus and Synechocystis biomass was 500 °C and 600 °C, respectively, resulting in higher bio-oil yield of 35.3 wt% and 21.1 wt%. The produced bio-oil had higher high heating value (HHV) (35–40 MJ/kg) than that of beech wood source bio-oil (23–35 MJ/kg). The obtained biochar had low surface area but with considerable nitrogen, phosphorus, and other mineral content was suggested as fertilizer. It was concluded that the microalgae type and its cultivation and harvesting method affects the characteristics of the products and final energy efficiency as well. Energy efficiency assessment showed that the technology needs to be improved substantially to reduce the energy demand in cultivation, harvest, and pyrolysis step to be energy efficient.

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All of the obtained data are provided in the manuscript.

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Acknowledgments

We thank “Plants, Drugs and Scientific Research Center of Anadolu university” (Anadolu Üniversitesi Bitki, İlaç ve Bilimsel Araştırmalar Merkezi, AÜBİBAM) for their support regarding analyses.

Funding

This project was funded by the Anadolu University through research project no. 1702F050.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Engineering Faculty, Life Science and Biomedical Engineering Application and Research Center, Istanbul Gelisim University, 34310, Istanbul, Turkey

    Masoud Derakhshandeh

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Eskişehir Technical University, 26555, Eskisehir, Turkey

    Funda Ateş

  3. Department of Environmental Engineering, Eskişehir Technical University, 26555, Eskisehir, Turkey

    Umran Tezcan Un

Authors
  1. Masoud Derakhshandeh
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  2. Funda Ateş
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  3. Umran Tezcan Un
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Correspondence to Masoud Derakhshandeh.

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Derakhshandeh, M., Ateş, F. & Tezcan Un, U. Renewable Bio-Oil from Pyrolysis of Synechocystis and Scenedesmus Wild-Type Microalgae Biomass. Bioenerg. Res. 14, 991–1001 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-020-10200-0

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