Production of Bio-Crude Oil by Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Sugarcane Bagasse

Abstract

This research was towards obtaining a bio-crude oil from a sugarcane bagasse feedstock by hydrothermal liquefaction, a hydrothermal processing method that utilises high temperature and high pressure conditions to turn biomass into a liquid mixture of organic compounds that have the same characteristics as crude oil, which is called bio-oil. The experiment was conducted in a 50 ml autoclave reactor, at 320° C for 60 minutes with maximum pressure of 300psi. The biomass was used in a slurry form with a biomass to water ratio of 1:15 w/w%. The product distribution in the phases obtained from the liquefaction process was represented as a yield on a biomass weight percentage. A total bio-crude yield of 19.3% (w%) was obtained and that was distributed in the aqueous, bio-crude and bio-char phases as 1.2%, 5.25% and 12.8% respectively.