EUBCE 2024 - Asier PANADERO - Microalgae Cultivation for Biocrude Production Through HTL in the Canary Islands: A Novel Sustainable Concept for Water Management and Petroleum Substitution

Microalgae Cultivation for Biocrude Production Through HTL in the Canary Islands: A Novel Sustainable Concept for Water Management and Petroleum Substitution

Short Introductive summary

The aims of this study were to test and optimize: i) the cultivation process of two Canarian microalgae strains using residual water sources, to produce biomass for biocrude generation through hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), and ii) the HTL process yield and parameters using the produced biomass as feed product in the reaction. To reach this objectives, two chlorophytes (a freshwater and a marine strain) were cultivated in an outdoor pilot plant in an operational environment. Microalgae were grown with or without CO2 supply in cultures set up with conventional water sources and in cultures set up with residual water sources. Physicochemical and microbiological parameters of the effluents from the cultivation process after biomass harvesting were characterized, in order to assess microalgae nutrient efficiency removal and the feasibility to dispose the effluents without any further treatment in compliance with local and EU community regulations for wastewater management. The produced biomass in form of algal paste underwent to an HTL reactor, operated in batch mode for a systematic study of HTL reaction performances under different temperature and residence time conditions.

A. Panadero, CEPSA, Alcalá de Henares, SPAIN
C. Prieto, CEPSA, Alcalá de Henares, SPAIN
F. Guidi, Instituto Tecnológico De Canarias, Pozo Izquierdo, SPAIN
R. Rios, Instituto Tecnológico De Canarias, Pozo Izquierdo, SPAIN
M. Venuleo, Instituto Tecnológico De Canarias, Pozo Izquierdo, SPAIN
E. Portillo, Instituto Tecnológico De Canarias, Pozo Izquierdo, SPAIN