Thermo-catalytic reforming pyrolysis of ensiled Saccharina latissima dominated macroalgal pellets for bioenergy production
Kirby, M.E., Toop, T.A., Ouadi, M., McEvoy, L., Rolin, C., Inkster, R., Dyer, P.W. and Theodorou, M.K. (2024) Thermo-catalytic reforming pyrolysis of ensiled Saccharina latissima dominated macroalgal pellets for bioenergy production. Energy Conversion and Management: X, 24. ISSN 25901745
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Abstract
Marine macroalgae is a biomass resource for the manufacture of fuels and chemicals, which can be sustainably harvested from seaweed farms or from man-made structures where it accumulates as a biofouling organism. However, in temperate regions farmed macroalgae can only be harvested between late Spring and early Summer, limiting year-round availability. Here we show that a conventional grass ensilage procedure preserves Saccharina latissima dominated biomass on the tonne scale for 30 months, enabling year-round use of this biomass. Following processing, the resulting dried and pelletised ensiled macroalgae material was subject to Thermo-Catalytic Reforming™, comprising sequential pyrolysis (450 °C) and either dry or steam catalytic reforming (700 °C) processes. Both processing methods produced a mixture of bio-oil (1.6–1.9 wt%) and hydrogen-rich permanent gases (30.9–31.1 wt%) with higher heating values of 34.8–35.4 MJ/kg and 18.0–24.2 MJ/m3, respectively, together with char (45.5–48.5 % wt). The permanent gases can be used directly for heat generation, while hydro-treatment of the bio-oil would afford a material that can be blended with traditional transport fuels. This work demonstrates that if operated at scale, the combined harvesting, ensilaging and Thermo-Catalytic Reforming™ of preserved macroalgal biomass offers a year-round decentralised energy resource.
| Item Type: | Article |
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| Keywords: | Macroalgae, Pyrolysis, Thermo-Catalytic, Reforming, Ensiling, Silage, Energy conversion |
| Divisions: | Agriculture and Environment (from 1.08.20) |
| Depositing User: | Mrs Rachael Giles |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Nov 2024 13:14 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Nov 2024 13:14 |
| URI: | https://hau.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/18136 |
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