In this study, conversion of seaweeds into hydrochars was investigated with the aim of obtaining a renewable energy feedstock. The seaweeds Fucus serratus and Alaria esculenta, and a mixture of seaweeds, mainly consisting of Cystoseria sp. and Laurencia sp., were subjected to hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) in subcritical water at three different temperatures: 200, 225, and 250 °C. Fuel characteristics and chemical properties of the derived hydrochars were determined using the standard fuel analysis and spectroscopic methods. The combustion behavior of seaweeds and hydrochars was examined via nonisothermal thermogravimetric analysis under air atmosphere. The seaweed-derived hydrochar yields were lower than those of the lignocellulosic-derived hydrochar yields in the literature. |
