The direct pyrolysis and catalytic pyrolysis of Nannochloropsis sp. residue for renewable bio-oils

Nannochloropsis sp. (a kind of green microalga) residue was pyrolyzed without catalyst or with different amount of HZSM-5 catalyst in a fixed bed reactor in nitrogen flow. The effects of pyrolysis parameters such as temperature and catalyst-to-material ratio on product yields were studied. The bio-oils obtained were analyzed by elemental, GC–MS and FTIR analysis. The results indicated that the bio-oils from catalytic pyrolysis of Nannochloropsis sp. residue (BOCP) had lower oxygen content (19.5 wt.%) and higher heating-value (32.7 MJ kg−1) than those obtained from direct pyrolysis (BODP) which had an oxygen content of 30.1 wt.% and heating-value of 24.6 MJ kg−1. The BODP mainly consisted of long carbon chain compounds with various terminal groups (LCTG), while the BOCP mainly consisted of aromatic hydrocarbons. These properties of bio-oils demonstrated that the Nannochloropsis sp. residue can be used as a renewable energy resource and chemical feedstock.