Thermochemical Conversion of Macroalgae to Green Fuel Production: An Emerging Technology Process

Co-pyrolysis of brown algae (Padina sp.) is one of the most promising ways of producing bio-oil. In this study, co-pyrolysis of Padina sp. was performed in a batch vessel over zeolites as a catalyst. The reaction temperature ranged from 400 to 600 °C, and the catalyst loading was 1%, 2%, and 3%. At 500 °C, bio-oil yields reached a high of 25.5 wt%. Also, the result of catalyst loading affected improving bio-oil production. The maximum percentage of bio-oil for non-catalyst was 20 wt%. The bio-oil generated increased to 25.5 wt% when 1 wt% of zeolite catalyst was added at 500 °C. To make high-quality bio-oil, catalytic pyrolysis has been making progress despite some technical problems. Lastly, some challenges and possible ways to improve bio-oil quality through catalytic co-pyrolysis are presented, which will be an important area of future studies.