Optimization of Process Parameters on Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Sambucus Ebulus for Bio-oil Production

Nowadays, the production of bio-oil and chemical intermediates from renewable energy sources is very  important  because  of  growing  concerns  about  climate  and  environmental  changes.  In  this work, the thermal liquefaction of Sambucus ebulus (Danewort plant) is studied with a focus on the yield  and composition  of the produced bio-oil.  The produced bio-oil was characterized by  FTIR, GC, and GC-MS analyses, and more than 35 different chemical components were identified in it. About  60  w%  of  the  produced  bio-oil  is  composed  of  five  chemical  components  of acetic  acid (21.29%), pentanoic acid (19%), acetone (10.64%), neophytadiene (5%), and α-pinene (4.4%). The effects of various process parameters of reaction temperature, time, and concentration of solution media on the yield and composition of products were studied. The maximum yield of the produced bio-oil is about 42% in a temperature of 160°C, a reaction time of 2 h, and 0.75 V% of ethyl acetate in the solution media.