Chemical and Environmental Engineering Group

Contact
  1. Home
  2. Staff
  3. Gemma Vicente
  • Producción de bioaceite e hidrogeno a partir de microalgas mediante procesos de licuefacción hidrotérmica y reformado con vapor en reactores de membrana

    Funding : Ministerio de economía y competitividad (ENE2017-83696-R)
    Start / End Years : 2018 - 2020
    Principal Investigator : Calles Martín, José Antonio y Carrero Fernández, Alicia
    Research Team : - Alique Amor, David - Calles Martín, José Antonio - Carrero Fernández, Alicia - Martínez Díaz, David - Sanz Villanueva, Daniel - Vicente Crespo, Gemma - Vizcaíno Madridejos, Arturo J. 

      Show summary: The controversy generated by the use of agricultural edible crops for energetic applications has increased the interest of microalgae for biofuels production. Microalgae do not need large fields for its cultivation and can grow quickly. Microalgae are a renewable, sustainable and non-polluting feedstock that contribute to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions because they use CO2 in their growth. For these reasons, the overall aim of this project is the sustainable production of hydrogen and bio-oil from microalgae.
      The microalgae hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) requires lower temperatures than pyrolysis and high pressures to maintain liquid water. This is an advantage because a highly energy demand step like microalgae drying is not needed in liquefaction with the subsequent cost saving. Based on the previous results achieved by the research group (CTQ2013-44447-R project) the bio-oil obtained from one step HTL contains high oxygen (10-20 %) and nitrogen (1-8 %) amounts which are responsible of bio-oil low stability and also of the NOx emissions during bio-oil combustion. To solve these problems, a two-step HTL process is planned in this project. The first step is carried out at low temperature (T< 200 ºC) and provides an aqueous stream by decomposition of proteins and short chain carbohydrates. Next, the solid fraction undergoes a second stage of HTL at higher temperature (T = 250-350°C) with the aim of achieving a bio-oil with low content of nitrogen and oxygen. The second stage of liquefaction also produces a gas stream mainly containing carbon dioxide that may be recirculated to the cultivation of the microalgae.
      The aqueous fractions from both stages of liquefaction can be revalued through the production of high purity hydrogen by catalytic steam reforming in a membrane reactor. Hydrogen can be used as fuel using conventional technologies (combustion engines) or in development ones (fuel cells). Additionally in this project, oxidative steam reforming reactions will be done in order to reduce the energy needs of the process and to avoid catalysts deactivation by coke deposition.
      From the environmental point of view, the project will use tools like the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to assess the emissions and energy balances, checking that they conform to a model of sustainable development.






Biocrude from Nannochloropsis gaditana by hydrothermal liquefaction: An experimental design approach

Sánchez-Bayo, A.; Megía Hervás, I.; Rodríguez, R.; Morales, V.; Bautista, L. F.; Vicente, G.

Biodiesel and biogas production from Isochrysis galbana using dry and wet lipid extraction: A biorefinery approach

Sánchez-Bayo, A.; López-Chicarro, D.; Morales, V.; Espada, J. J. Puyol, D.; Martínez, F.; Astals, S.; Vicente, G.; Bautista, L. F.; Rodríguez, R.

Mild hydrothermal pretreatment of microalgae for the production of biocrude with a low N and O content

Montero-Hidalgo, M.; Espada, J. J.; Rodríguez, R.; Morales, V.; Bautista, L. F.; Vicente, G.

Environmental and techno-economic evaluation of B-carotene production from Dunaliella salina. A biorefinery approach

Espada, J. J.; Pérez-Antolín, D.; Vicente, G.; Bautista, L. F.; Morales, V.; Rodríguez, R.

Biodiesel production (FAEEs) by heterogeneous Combi-Lipase biocatalysts using wet extracted lipids from microalgae

Sánchez-Bayo, A.; Morales, V.; Rodríguez, R.; Vicente, G.; Bautista, L. F.

Heterogeneous-catalysed direct transformation of microalga biomass into Biodiesel-Grade FAMEs

Vicente, G., Carrero, A., Rodríguez, R., del Peso, G. L.

Efficient production of Triacetin from Glycerol over Arenesulfonic acid-modified SBA-15 catalyst

Morales, G.; Paniagua, M.; Melero, J. A.; Vicente, G.

Remarkable catalytic properties of hierarchica zeolite-Beta in the epoxide rearrangement reactions

García-Muñoz, R. A.; Serrano, D. P.; Vicente, G.; Linares, M.; Vitvorova, D.; Cejka, J.

Opportunities for Nannochloropsis gaditana biomass through the isolation of its components and biodiesel production

Mendoza, A.; Vicente, G.; Bautista, L. F.; Morales, V.

Enzymatic production of biodiesel from Nannochloropsis gaditana microalgae using immobilized lipases in mesoporous materials

Bautista, L. F.; Vicente, G.; Mendoza, A.; González, S.; Morales, V.

Synthesis of fatty acids methyl esters (FAMEs) from Nannochloropsis gaditana microalga using heterogeneous acid catalysts

Carrero, A.; Vicente, G.; Rodríguez, R.; del Peso, G. L.; Santos, C

Liquid-Liquid phase equilibria for Soybean Oil Methanololysis: Experimental, modeling, and data prediction

Casas, A.; Rodríguez, J. F.; del Peso, G. L.; Rodríguez, R.; Vicente, G.; Carrero, A.

Sulfonic Acid-Functionalized Catalysts for the Valorization of Glycerol via Transesterification with Methyl Acetate

Morales, G.; Paniagua, M.; Melero, J. A.; Vicente, G.; Ochoa, C.

Acidic and catalytic properties of hierarchical zeolites and hybrid ordered mesoporous materials assembled from MFI protozeolitic units

Serrano, D. P.; García, R. A.; Vicente, G.; Linares, M.; Procházková, D.; Cejka, J.

Hierarchical zeolites as catalysts for biodiesel production from Nannochloropsis microalga oil

Carrero, A.; Vicente, G.; Rodríguez, R.; Linares, M.; del Peso, G. L.

Etherification of biodiesel-derived glycerol with ethanol for fuel formulation over sulfonic modified catalysts

Melero, J. A.; Vicente, G.; Paniagua, M.; Morales, G.; Muñoz, P.

The conversion of low grade tallow into biodiesel-grade methyl ester

Fröhlich, A.; Rice, B.; Vicente, G.

Direct transformation of fungal biomass from submerged cultures into biodiesel

Vicente, G.; Bautista; L.F.; Gutiérrez, F. J.; Rodríguez, R.; Martínez, V.; Rodríguez-Frómeta, R. A.; Ruiz-Vazquez, R. M.; Torres-Martínez, S.; Garre, V.

Oxygenated compounds derived from glycerol for biodiesel formulation: Influence on EN 14214 quality parameters

Melero, J. A.; Vicente G.; Morales, G.; Paniagua, M.; Bustamante, J.

Acetalisation of bio-glycerol with acetone to produce solketal over sulfonic mesostructured silicas

Vicente, G.; Melero, J. A.; Morales, G.; Paniagua, M.; Martín E.

Biodiesel production from biomass of an oleaginous fungus

Vicente, G.; Bautista, L. F.; Rodríguez, R.; Gutiérrez, J.; Sádaba, I.; Ruiz-Vázquez, R. M.; Torres-Martínez, S.; Garre V.

HDPE chemical recycling promoted by phenol solvent

Vicente, G.; Aguado, J.; Serrano, D. P.; Sánchez, N.

Optimisation of FAME production from waste cooking oil for biodiesel use

Bautista, L. F.; Vicente, G.; Rodríguez, R.; Pacheco, M.

Catalytic activity of the beta zeolite with enhanced textural properties in the Friedel-Crafts acylation of aromatic compounds

García, R. A.; Serrano, D. P.; Vicente, G.; Otero, D.; Linares, M

Acid-catalyzed etherification of bio-glycerol and isobutylene over sulfonic mesostructured silicas

Melero, J. A.; Vicente, G.; Morales, G.; Paniagua, M.; Moreno, J. M.; Roldán, R.; Ezquerro, A.; Pérez, C.

Effect of hydrogen-donating solvents on the thermal degradation of HDPE

Aguado, J.; Serrano, D. P.; Vicente G.; Sánchez, N.

  • Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 78 (1), 194-199 (2007)
Enhanced Production of alpha-Olefins by Thermal Degradation of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) in Decalin Solvent: Effect of the Reaction Time and Temperature

Aguado, J.; Serrano, D.P.; Vicente, G.; Sánchez, N.

  • Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 46 (11), 3497-3504 (2007)
Optimisation of integrated biodiesel production. Part I. A study of the biodiesel purity and yield

Vicente, G.; Martínez, M.; Aracil, J.

Optimisation of integrated biodiesel production. Part II: A study of the material balance

Vicente, G.; Martínez, M.; Aracil, J.

A comparative study of vegetable oils for biodiesel production in Spain

Vicente, G.; Martínez, M.; Aracil, J.

  • Energy & Fuels, 20 (1), 394-398 (2006)
Kinetics of Brassica carinata oil methanolysis

Vicente, G.; Martínez, M.; Aracil, J.

  • Energy & Fuels, 20 (4), 1722-1726 (2006)
Effect of Decalin Solvent on the Thermal Degradation of HDPE

Aguado, J.; Serrano, D. P.; Vicente, T.; Sánchez, N.

  • Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 14 (4), 375-384 (2006)
Optimization of Brassica carinata oil methanolysis for biodiesel production

Vicente, G.; Martínez, M.; Aracil, J.

  • Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society, 82(12), 899-904 (2005)
Kinetics of sunflower oil methanolysis

Vicente, G.; Martínez, M.; Aracil, J.; Esteban, A.

  • Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 44, 5447-5454 (2005)
Integrated biodiesel production: a comparison of different homogeneous catalysts systems

Vicente, G.; Martínez, M.; Aracil, J.

Biodiesel: Una alternativa al gasóleo mineral

Vicente, G.; Martínez, M.; Aracil, J.

  • Ingeniera Qumica, 377(3),135-145 (2001)
The conversion of waste tallow into biodiesel grade methyl ester

Fröhlich, A.; Rice, B.; Vicente, G.

  • 1st World Conference on Biomass for Energy and Industry. Proceedings of the Conference held in Sevilla, Spain (2000)
Application of the factorial design of experiments and response surface methodology to optimize biodiesel production

Vicente, G.; Coterón, A.; Martínez, M.; Aracil, J.

  • Industrial Crops and Products, 8(1), 29-35 (1998)
Biodiesel Production from Vegetable Oils. Influence of Catalysts and Operating Conditions

Coterón, A.; Vicente, G.; Martínez, M.; Aracil, J.

  • Recent Res. Developments in Oil Chemistry, 1, 109-114, Ed. S.G. Pandalai, Transworld Research Network (India) (1997)
Up