Selection of the best macroalgae species from the Persian Gulf zone for the production of biofuel using hydrothermal liquefaction process

Global warming and environmental problems have drawn the attention of the international community to the use of renewable energy. One of these clean energies is biocrude produced from the hydrothermal liquefaction process, which is usually produced from algal biomass. Considering the potential of Iran, which has enormous sources of algae in the Persian Gulf, Oman, and the Caspian Sea. A study was conducted to select the best algae that can produce high quality biofuels that are available, abundant, and reasonably priced. The algae of choice in this study were the Persian Gulf Sargassum macroalgae. The biocrude yield is highly dependent on the operating temperature. Therefore, the effect of five temperatures of ۲۰۰, ۲۱۵, ۲۵۰, ۲۸۵, and ۳۰۰ °C was investigated. Increasing the temperature led to an increase in biocrude yield, and the maximum biocrude yield was ۱۵ wt.% which was produced at ۳۰۰ °C.

Keywords:

Biofuels , Hydrothermal liquefaction , Macroalgae , Temperature effect , Persian Gulf