Conventional and microwave pyrolysis of a macroalgae waste from the Agar-Agar industry. Prospects for bio-fuel production.
A comparative study of the pyrolysis of a macroalgae industrial solid waste (algae meal) in an electrical conventional furnace and in a microwave furnace has been carried out. It was found that the chars obtained from both pyrolyses are similar and show good properties for performing as a solid bio-fuel and as a precursor of activated carbon. Bio-oils from conventional pyrolysis have a greater number of phenolic, pyrrole and alkane compounds whereas benzene and pyridine compounds are more predominant in microwave pyrolysis with a major presence of light compounds. The bio-gas fraction from microwave pyrolysis presents a much higher syngas content (H2+CO), and a lower CO2 and CH4 proportion than that obtained by conventional pyrolysis. Yields are similar for both treatments with a slightly higher gas yield in the case of microwave pyrolysis due to the fact that microwave heating favors heterogeneous reactions between the gases and the char.
Instituto Nacional del Carbón (CSIC), P.O. Box 73, 33080 Oviedo, Spain.
N
N
Ferrera-Lorenzo
E
E
Fuente
J M
JM
Bermúdez
I
I
Suárez-Ruiz
B
B
Ruiz
D000362:Agar / Q000737:chemistry*; D056804:Biofuels / Q000032:analysis*; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D008872:Microwaves; D009821:Oils / Q000032:analysis; D012624:Seaweed / Q000737:chemistry*
D056804:Biofuels; D007220:Industrial Waste; D009821:Oils; C540010:biochar; D002606:Charcoal; D000362:Agar
Algae meal; Bio-fuels; Conventional electrical furnace; Microwave furnace; Pyrolysis