Interaction Effects between the Main Components of Protein-Rich Biomass during Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis
Cheng Hou, Chenxi Zhou, Nan Li, Yuanbo Song, Xiaogang You, Jiang Zhao, Xuefei Zhou, Zheng Shen, Yalei Zhang
Abstract
The interaction effects between the main components (proteins (P), carbohydrates (C), and lipids (L)) of protein-rich biomass during microwave-assisted pyrolysis were investigated in depth with an exploration of individual pyrolysis and copyrolysis (PC, PL, and CL) of model compounds. The average heating rate of P was higher than those of C and L, and the interactions in all copyrolysis groups reduced the max instant heating rate. The synergistic extent ( S ) of PC and PL for bio-oil yield was 16.78 and 18.24%, respectively, indicating that the interactions promoted the production of bio-oil. Besides, all of the copyrolysis groups exhibited a synergistic effect on biochar production ( S = 19.43–28.24%), while inhibiting the gas generation, with S ranging from −20.17 to −6.09%. Regarding the gaseous products, apart from H 2, P, C, and L primarily generated CO 2, CO, and CH 4, respectively. Regarding bio-oil composition, the interactions occurring within PC, PL, and CL exhibited a significantly synergistic effect ( S = 47.81–412.96%) on the formation of N -heterocyclics/amides, amides/nitriles, and acids/esters, respectively. Finally, the favorable applicability of the proposed interaction effects was verified with microalgae. This study offers valuable insights for understanding the microwave-assisted pyrolysis of protein-rich biomass, laying the groundwork for further research and process optimization.