Distillation of Biocrude Oil Converted from Biowaste via Hydrothermal Liquefaction

Modern dependence on petroleum-based fuels contributes to the production of greenhouse gases and is not sustainable in the long run. One way to combat this issue is to develop alternative fuel sources such as biofuels derived from algae and food waste. Our study of biofuel converted from wet biowaste such as food waste and algae focused on the possibility of biofuel replacing commercial fuels. To create the biofuel products, a plug-flow reactor was used to convert wet biowaste at a temperature of 260'C for 20 minutes via hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). The HTL process transformed the food processing waste (e.g. salad dressing waste) into biocrude oil that was then distilled. Distillation separates the biocrude oil into various fractions of biofuels with different boiling points and other characteristics. The fractional distillation process involved heating the biocrude oil to temperatures between 250'C and 300'C for one distillation cycle of 8 to 9 hours. When the heat was applied, the liquid biocrude oil was vaporized, and then the vapor was condensed slowly by cooling water. The newly formed condensate consisted of various fractions of biofuel separated by density and boiling point. Analyzing the distillates with Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) provided the chemical functionalities of the biofuel products. This study indicates biofuels distilled from wet biowaste can be used in place of current commercial fuel products. More study is suggested to improve the distillation efficiency.Ope