Separation of switchgrass bio-oil by water/organic solvent addition and pH adjustment
- Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)
- Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). Institute of Agriculture
- Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Education; Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Applications of bio-oil are limited by its challenging properties including high moisture content, low pH, high viscosity, high oxygen content, and low heating value. Separation of switchgrass bio-oil components by adding water, organic solvents (hexadecane and octane), and sodium hydroxide may help to overcome these issues. Acetic acid and phenolic compounds were extracted in aqueous and organic phases, respectively. Polar chemicals, such as acetic acid, did not partition in the organic solvent phase. Acetic acid in the aqueous phase after extraction is beneficial for a microbial-electrolysis-cell application to produce hydrogen as an energy source for further hydrodeoxygenation of bio-oil. Organic solvents extracted more chemicals from bio-oil in combined than in sequential extraction; however, organic solvents partitioned into the aqueous phase in combined extraction. When sodium hydroxide was added to adjust the pH of aqueous bio-oil, organic-phase precipitation occurred. As the pH was increased, a biphasic aqueous/organic dispersion was formed, and phase separation was optimized at approximately pH 6. The neutralized organic bio-oil had approximately 37% less oxygen and 100% increased heating value than the initial centrifuged bio-oil. In conclusion, the less oxygen content and increased heating value indicated a significant improvement of the bio-oil quality through neutralization.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Bioenergy Technologies Office
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1240548
- Journal Information:
- Energy and Fuels, Vol. 30, Issue 3; ISSN 0887-0624
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
Recent advances in the catalytic hydrodeoxygenation of bio-oil
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journal | September 2016 |
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