Fucus vesiculosus algae oil deoxygenation and cracking: Reaction parameter optimization using response surface methodology

This rise in demand for fossil fuels and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions and global warming has become an interesting research topic that has led to the search for renewable sources for the production of biofuels. In this paper, biofuels were produced by a catalytic deoxygenation reaction in a high pressure reactor using algae oil Fucus vesiculosus as the bio-oil. Extracting oil from algae is a complex process that includes biomass harvesting and drying, and extraction of fats using organic solvents. Methanol was used to extract algae oil in the Soxhlet. The oxygen removal process was performed with the presence of heterogeneous catalysts prepared from natural sources. Biofuel production depends on reaction parameters represented by the ratio of catalyst to bio-oil, reaction temperature, mixing, reaction time, and nitrogen pressure. The reaction achieved the highest biofuel yield under optimum conditions: temperature (300°C), catalyst ratio to oil ratio (10), mixing (600 rpm), reaction time (2 hours) and nitrogen pressure (10bar), where the productivity reached the biofuel reached from algal oil Fucus vesiculosus (78%). Response surface methodology was used for the optimization of reaction parameters. The general aim of the research is to research the details of the feasibility of producing biofuels from algae oil by removing oxygen using waste as raw materials and synthesize the heterogeneous catalyst.