Fast pyrolysis of macroalga Saccharina japonica in a bubbling fluidized-bed reactor for bio-oil production

Abstract

Macroalgae have recently attracted attention as a possible feedstock for bio-fuels. Saccharina japonica, a kind of macroalgae, can be converted into bio-oil, gas, and char through pyrolysis. In this study, fast pyrolysis of Saccharina japonica was performed in a bubbling fluidized-bed reactor under various conditions. The effects of pyrolysis temperature and fluidization velocity on product yield and the quality of bio-oil were systematically investigated. When the pyrolysis temperature increased from 350 degrees C to 500 degrees C, the bin-oil yield steadily decreased from 44.99 wt% to 26.67 wt%. The major compounds in the bio-oil were di-anhydromannitol and 2-methyl furyl ketone, showing the highest selectivities of 24.08% and 17.18%, respectively. The C-13 NMR results showed that shorter aliphatic carbon and lower molecular weight compounds of alcohols, ketone, and their derivatives were generated during pyrolysis at higher temperatures due to secondary decomposition reactions. This research showed the feasibility of converting macroalgae biomass into bin-oil by fast pyrolysis. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.