Hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae to make crude bio-oils

Microalgae can be converted into a crude bio-oil via the combined action of thermal energy, pressure, and water molecules. This process is termed hydrothermal liquefaction. It is capable of handling wet algae, and therefore eliminates the need to dry the biomass feedstock, as is required for conventional algal biodiesel production. This presentation will describe recent results from our laboratory on the liquefaction of microalgae. We have explored the influence of important process variables (temperature, time) and the influence of different catalysts. Our experiments include work with microalgae and with simpler model compounds that provide insight into the governing hydrothermal chemistry. Results from both algae liquefaction and model compound studies will be presented. We will discuss the chemical reaction pathways, kinetics, and mechanisms that occur during microalgae liquefaction in water near its critical temperature.