Bio-oil production from biogenic wastes, the hydrothermal conversion step.

Food wastes are an abundant resource that can be effectively valorised by hydrothermal liquefaction to produce bio-fuels. The objective of the European project WASTE2ROAD is to demonstrate the complete value chain from waste collection to engine tests. The principle of hydrothermal liquefaction is well known but there are still many factors that make the science very empirical.

Thermal decomposition of lignocellulosic biomass in the presence of acid catalysts.

Transformation of lignocellulosic biomass to biofuels involves multiple processes, in which thermal decomposition, hydrotreatment are the most central steps. Current work focuses on the impact of several solid acids and Keggin-type heteropolyacids on the decomposition temperature (Td) of pine wood and the characterization of the resulted products. It has been observed that a mechanical mixture of solid acids with pine wood has no influence on Td, while the use of heteropolyacids lower the Td by 100°C.