If renewable energy and biofuels are to attain success in the market place, each step of their production and the system as a whole must be optimized to increase material and energy efficiency, reduce production cost and create a competitive alternative to fossil fuels. Systems optimization techniques may be applied to product selection, process design and integration, feedstock procurement and supply chain management to improve performance. This work addresses two problems facing a biorefinery: technology selection and feedstock scheduling in the face of varying feedstock supply and cost. Also addressed is the optimization of a biorefinery supply chain with respect to distributed processing of biomass to bio-products via preprocessing hubs versus centralized processing and facility location selection. Two formulations are proposed that present a systematic approach to address each problem. Case studies are included to demonstrate model capabilities for both formulations. The scheduling model results display model sensitivity to feedstock price and transport distance penalized through carbon dioxide emissions. The distributed model shows that hubs may be used to extend the operating radius of a biorefinery and thereby increase profits.

This thesis describes the characteristics, treatment and processing of biomass into a form shaped solid biofuels. It contains an overview of the requirements for pellets quality, possible means of improving the quality of pellets and methods of processing materials in order to achieve the desired quality of pellets. This thesis has shaped economic production of biofuels and shaped the recommendations for the design of pelletizing production line alternative pellets.

Microalgae are a diverse group of oxygenic photosynthetic microorganisms which show great promise as a source of biofuel. However, significant challenges still remain before microalgae can be considered a viable source of biofuel. The main current challenges are nutrient sourcing and recycling as well as downstream processing. The algal cell wall and especially the presence of an algaenan cell wall in some Chlorophyte algae could be an important variable in determining downstream processing costs but not much comparative research has been done to elucidate this. The first part of the present study focuses on the recently isolated alga Pseudochoricystis ellipsoidea (Trebouxiophyceae) and its improvement and assessment for biofuel production. Random mutagenesis and FACS screening protocols were developed for the isolation of pigment and cell wall mutants but despite considerable efforts no suitable mutants could be identified in the first half of this project. Two 500 L raceway ponds as well as an algal growth room and bubble column bioreactors were set up to facilitate algal research at the University of Bath and assess the performance of P. ellipsoidea in realistic culture conditions. P. ellipsoidea showed a maximum growth of 1.53 divisions day-1 in semi-open raceway ponds, resistance to contamination and a 30% lipid content, making it particularly suitable for raceway pond cultures. In the second part of this project six species of Chlorophyte (“green”) algae, three of which produced algaenan, were compared for suitability to growth in anaerobic digestate and municipal wastewater as well as cell wall strength, permeability and suitability to hydrothermal liquefaction. We found that anaerobic digestate was a good medium for the growth of all species independently of autoclaving and that non-autoclaved wastewater was a very challenging medium. Algaenan production did not affect cell disruption by ultrasonication but growth stage and cell wall thickness did. Lipid extraction kinetics by chloroform/methanol were greatly affected by algaenan, meaning that this material is relatively impermeable to organic solvents. Cell wall thickness, cell volume and lipid content also had an effect on lipid extraction kinetics but this was only measurable after 180 minutes of extraction. 8 Hydrothermal liquefaction showed high solid and low oil yields, very low sulphur (≤0.1 %) as well as a 1.1 % -1.8 % nitrogen content which is significantly lower than most algal HTL studies to date. This suggests that stationary stage algae are more difficult to process but give a cleaner biocrude and reduce the loss of nitrogen through incorporation in the oil. Significant opportunities for optimisation still exist in the HTL process.

Abstract The rapid increase of energy demand for transportation generates a rise of environmental pollution, stimulating the development of alternative sources of energy. Biomass is considered as the main organic carbon source of energy to substitute petroleum permitting sustainable production of chemicals and transportation fuels. Biowastes, residues and non-edible feedstock possess high potential resources avoiding food competition. This research aims to convert starch-based industrial waste, potato peels, into reducing sugars and platform molecules, such as glucose. These high added-value chemicals can further be transformed into chemicals and fuels. Catalytic conversion of starch, the main constituent of potato peels, was activated with non-conventional technologies to enhance the depolymerisation rate and to reduce energy consumption according to the principles of green chemistry. Depolymerisation of starch was first performed in acidic water as reaction medium assisted with ultrasonic and/or microwave irradiation. Ultrasonic irradiation enhanced mass transfer of heterogeneous system, whereas the use of microwaves improved heat transfer in the reaction medium. The frequency applied leads to different effects on heterogeneous systems: low frequencies irradiation (below 100 kHz) generates turbulences resulting in enhanced transport properties, whereas higher frequencies produce chemical effects. Catalytic conversion of starch into reducing sugars required more energy than individual irradiation could provide. Simultaneous irradiation, combining ultrasound and microwave or several ultrasonic frequencies, on potato peels led to 50% yield of sugars without former separation processes, at moderate temperature. A weak synergetic effect was only observed with potato peels. The second part of this research is dedicated to study the effect of catalytic reaction medium (acids, ionic liquids). More appropriate systems possess the ability to dissolve and hydrolyse carbohydrates: specific ionic liquids. A room-temperature ionic liquid and a task-specific ionic liquid were selected for their solvability properties to dissolve and depolymerise starch present in potato peels. The depolymerisation of starch in the task-specific ionic liquid generated a yield of 43% of sugars, without former separation process. / Tiivistelmä Liikenteen energiantarpeen nopea kasvu on johtanut päästöjen sekä ympäristösaasteiden lisääntymiseen. Biomassa on merkittävä raaka-ainevaihtoehto fossiiliselle hiilelle energian, kemikaalien ja liikenteen polttonesteiden tuotannossa. Erityisesti jätebiomassoilla on suuri merkitys biomassaraaka-aineena, koska ne eivät kilpaile ruoantuotannon kanssa. Väitöskirjatutkimuksen tavoitteena on tärkkelyspohjaisen teollisen jätteen, perunan kuorilietteen, katalyyttinen muuttaminen pelkistäviksi sokereiksi ja ns. platform-kemikaaleiksi, kuten glukoosiksi. Näistä korkean lisäarvon omaavista välituotteista voidaan edelleen valmistaa uusia biomassapohjaisia kemikaaleja ja polttoaineita. Tärkkelyksen, perunankuoren keskeisimmän aineosan, muuttaminen tehtiin tässä työssä mm. ultraääni- ja mikroaaltoavusteisella hajotuksella. Tavoitteena oli parantaa perunan kuorilietteen liukenemis- ja hajoamisnopeutta, lisätä saantoa sekä vähentää energian kulutusta vihreän kemian periaatteiden mukaisesti. Tärkkelyksen depolymerointi tehtiin ensin happokatalysoidussa liuoksessa ultraäänen ja/tai mikroaaltojen avulla. Ultraäänihajotus lisäsi aineensiirtoa heterogeenisessä reaktioväliaineessa, kun taas mikroaallot lisäsivät lämmönsiirtoa reaktioseoksessa. Eri ultraäänitaajuuksilla havaittiin olevan erilaisia vaikutuksia reaktioseokseen: alhaisilla taajuuksilla (alle 100 kHz) muodostuneet pyörteiset virtaukset edistivät aineensiirtoa ja korkeammat taajuudet kemiallisia ilmiöitä. Tärkkelyksen katalyyttinen depolymerointi vaatii enemmän energiaa kuin perinteisillä menetelmillä, kuten lämmittämällä, voidaan tuottaa. Yhdistämällä ultraäänen ja mikroaaltojen säteilytystä tai eri taajuuden omaavia ultraääniä, yli 50% perunajätteen tärkkelyksestä saadaan hajotettua pelkistyneiksi sokereiksi alhaisissa lämpötiloissa. Sen sijaan, ainoastaan perunankuorijätteellä havaittiin heikko synenerginen efekti mitä ei havaittu vertailunäytteellä (perunajauho). Toisena tavoitteena oli tutkia katalyyttisen reaktioseoksen (hapot, ioniset liuottimet) vaikutusta perunan kuorijätteen ja sen sisältämän tärkkelyksen liuottamiseen ja hajottamiseen. Erityisesti keskityttiin uusiin, spesifisiin ionisiin liuottimiin, jotka kykenevät samanaikaisesti sekä liuottamaan että hydrolysoimaan hiilihydraatteja. Huoneenlämpötilassa toimiva spesifinen ioninen liuotin valittiin sen katalyyttisten ominaisuuksien vuoksi. Tässä liuottimessa kuorilietteen sisältämästä tärkkelyksestä pelkistyneiden sokerien saanto oli 43%. / Résumé La forte demande en énergie, la conscience sociale sur les changements climatiques mondiaux et l'épuisement à moyen terme des réserves d’énergies fossiles stimulent le développement de ressources alternatives. Considérée comme la principale source de carbone organique renouvelable, la biomasse peut être utilisée pour remplacer les carburants d’origine fossile tout en étant plus respectueuse de l’environnement. Des déchets biosourcés ainsi que des végétaux d’origine agricole ou forestière, appelés biomasse végétale, possèdent de fort potentiels évitant la concurrence alimentaire. Cette recherche a pour objectif de convertir un déchet industriel amidonné, des pelures de pommes de terre, en sucres réducteurs et molécules plateformes, tels que le glucose, qui par la suite peuvent être transformées en carburants de transport. L’utilisation des ultrasons ainsi que des micro-ondes, méthodes non-conventionnelles, en milieu acide ont permis d’améliorer le rendement ainsi que de réduire la consommation énergétique en accord avec les principes de la chimie verte. L’irradiation ultrasonore améliore le transfert de masse de systèmes hétérogènes, alors que les micro-ondes renforcent le transfert de chaleur dans le milieu réactionnel. De plus, la fréquence ultrasonore appliquée induit différents effets sur le système : les ultrasons de basse fréquence (en dessous de 100 kHz) génèrent des turbulences améliorant les propriétés de transport de la matière, alors que les ultrasons de plus haute fréquence produisent des effets chimiques, tels que la formation de radicaux libres. L’apport énergétique fourni par les ultrasons et micro-ondes seuls étant insuffisant, l’utilisation d’irradiations simultanées et combinées a conduit à un rendement de 50% de sucres depuis l’amidon, ne nécessitant aucun procédé de séparation pré-réactionnel. Un faible effet synergique a pu être observé sur la dépolymérisation de la pelure de pommes de terre. L’étude d’un milieu réactionnel permettant simultanément la dissolution ainsi que l’hydrolyse des glucides présents dans la matière première est développée dans la seconde partie de ce mémoire. Certains liquides ioniques possèdent les propriétés recherchées. La dépolymérisation de l'amidon dans un liquide ionique à tâches spécifiques a permis d’obtenir un rendement de 43% de sucres, sans aucun procédé de séparation pré-réactionnel.