A state-of-the-art review on dual purpose seaweeds utilization for wastewater treatment and crude bio-oil production

A state-of-the-art review on dual purpose seaweeds utilization for wastewater treatment and crude bio-oil production

Bioremediation

Petroleum industry

Pyrolysis

Biofuels

Sulfur compounds

Wastewater treatment

Dewatering

Fossil fuels

Drying

Seaweed

Due to the negative environmental impacts of fossil fuels and the increasing global energy demands, biofuels are receiving increasing attention as the best short-term substitute for petroleum. Recently, thermochemical conversion of seaweeds is in industrial focus to obtain high-value products with more potential applications than the conventional raw material. Beside biofuel production and due to their autotrophic growth, seaweeds are receiving a great attention in the field of bioremediation. Thus, pyrolysis of seaweeds is a promising approach for renewable bio-oil production with positive environmental impacts. However, a pretreatment drying step is required to improve the conversion process of the biomass. Application of electro-osmotic dewatering as well as on-site mechanical dewatering methods prior to the drying process were reported as useful techniques to reduce the energy requirements. On the other hand, the bio-oil produced from pyrolysis of seaweeds usually has high contents of oxygen-, nitrogen- and sulphur-containing compounds, which should be as minimum as possible to enhance the bio-oil stability and reduce NOx and SOx emissions. The present review introduces a suggested route combining a number of technologies that create an economically-feasible process for conversion of seaweeds to high-grade crude bio-oil through pyrolysis. In addition, the paper sheds light on the environmental impacts and economic feasibility of the crude bio-oil production from seaweeds. The current status and challenges related to pyrolysis, as well as future perspectives for enhanced conversion and upgraded bio-oil production, are discussed. 2020 Elsevier Ltd

222

Energy Conversion and Management

2020

Wang, Shuang

Zhao, Shuang

Uzoejinwa, Benjamin Bernard

Zheng, Anqing

Wang, Qingyuan

Huang, Jin

Abomohra, Abd El-Fatah

journalArticle

1968904

10.1016/j.enconman.2020.113253