Journal of Fundamentals of Renewable Energy and Applications
Open Access
ISSN: 2090-4541
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2090-4541
+44 1300 500008
Andrea Kruse
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Fundam Renewable Energy Appl
Hydrothermal biomass conversion processes provide the opportunity to use feedstocks with high water content for the
formation of energy carriers, materials or platform chemicals. The water plays an active role in the processes as solvent,
reactant and catalyst or catalyst precursor. This paper focuses on the hydrothermal liquefaction of algae to produce fuel. Instead
of lipids, here carbohydrates in algae are the resource to produce oil. A special process is the conversion of carbohydrates in
plants to 2-hydroxymethylfurfural, which is an important platform application and e.g. basis of polymers. This process is now
applied by the company AVA-Biochem. The hydrothermal carbonization is a process leading to a dark polymer with a heating
value of coal. It is a fuel but also other applications like to improve soils are discussed. These processes are enabled by the special
properties of liquid water at high temperatures. The influence of water will be discussed and how the change of water properties
enables the different products. The water is necessary, on the other hand beside the wanted product a water phase with organic
contaminates is formed in the hydrothermal processes. This water phase may be treated by chemical or biological gasification;
results will be presented. Other, new applications are introduced as well.