PJB-2020-54
EUGLENA GRACILIS POTENT UNICELLULAR MICROALGA: A SUSTAINABLE AND RENEWABLE SOURCE OF BIOFUEL IN PAKISTAN
Nazim Hussain
Abstract
Algae based biofuel has attained lot of attention of the researchers to cope up the depleting reserves of fossils fuels and environmental problems. Algae are sustainable energy resources that clean waterbodies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by the conventional fossil fuel. Every non-sustainable energy source found in nature like oil and coal, on biogenic theory are precepted through thermal break down of biomass under immense temperature and pressure conditions. Hydrothermal liquefaction has been verified a method of biomass in a high temperature with high pressure by which long chain of hydrocarbons cracked into shorter hydrocarbon chain structures, for instance, gas or oil. HTL proved to be best in terms of production of gas from wet biomass of microalgae, with straight change of solid biomass into oils. Formation of gas from biomass made a mix of H2 and CO2, later converted into liquid oil with increase in pressure. Thermally under high temperature dried biomass modified into gas and biooils. The thermally breakdown of biomass in presence of water, catalyst, that converted biomass into liquid algoil, under temperature lower than 400°C. The HTL technique showed the best results in terms of algoil production from wet biomass of Euglena gracilis. The biodiesel produced gave best suited results in terms of physicochemical parameters that were matchable with standards of petrodiesel and biodiesel as well. The overall carbon to hydrogen ratio had been improved when produced from Hydrothermal liquefaction technique. Ultimately High Heat Value, Cetane Number, Water vapors, density and viscosity of the oil was improved as compared to conventional extraction methods. Certain blends of algodiesel and commercial diesel were made to make quality of the algaodiesel very much close to the standards. B5 among all showed best results in terms of feasibility, physical and chemical criteria. In light of broaden spectrum, HTL has greater impacts over quality of algodiesel under high temperature and immense pressure that converts biomass with heterogeneous chemicals into homogenous high energy chemicals like oils.
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