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Gasification of Microalgae Using Supercritical Water and the Potential of Effluent Recycling
Author(s) -
Elsayed Sherif,
Boukis Nikolaos,
Patzelt Dominik,
Hindersin Stefan,
Kerner Martin,
Sauer Jörg
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemical engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-4125
pISSN - 0930-7516
DOI - 10.1002/ceat.201500146
Subject(s) - supercritical fluid , effluent , chemistry , biomass (ecology) , pulp and paper industry , nutrient , carbon fibers , environmental chemistry , filtration (mathematics) , fraction (chemistry) , environmental science , environmental engineering , chromatography , agronomy , organic chemistry , materials science , statistics , mathematics , composite number , composite material , biology , engineering
The gasification of microalgae in supercritical water was investigated in this work. The product gas contained mainly H 2 , CO 2 , CH 4 , and C 2 H 6 . Operation at high temperatures and lower biomass concentrations resulted in the highest carbon gasification efficiency and the lowest total organic carbon levels in the residual water. Due to its content of inorganic nutrients, the residual water was applied as cultivation medium for microalgae. However, algal growth in the untreated residual water was inhibited by the existence of potentially toxic substances evolved from gasification. Upon treatment by activated carbon filtration and ultraviolet light degradation, these substances were eliminated and cultivation in the residual water was possible. The major fraction of inorganic residues from gasification was recovered by means of water purging, increasing the potential of nutrient recycling for cultivation.