article · Mikailalsys Journal of Advanced Engineering International
Hydrothermal liquefaction offers an effective method for converting wet organic waste into liquid fuel precursors without requiring energy-intensive pre-drying. This study examined the conversion of mango seed kernel waste into biocrude oil and hydrochar within a batch reactor operating at temperatures of 275, 300, and 325 °C and durations of 15, 30, and 45 minutes with a 1:7 biomass-to-water ratio. The raw mango seed kernel had a high volatile matter content and a higher heating value of 12.72 MJ/kg. The optimal condition was identified at 300 °C for 30 minutes, which yielded a maximum of 27.75 weight percent biocrude oil rich in carboxylic acids and esters. The solid hydrochar co-product contained between 75 and 81 weight percent carbon with oxygen functional groups and trace minerals, demonstrating suitability for biofuel and biochemical pathways.
Managing high-moisture food processing residues is a major environmental challenge because conventional conversion methods often require energy-intensive drying. Hydrothermal liquefaction provides a practical pathway to process wet agricultural waste directly into energy-dense bio-oils and solid carbon materials. Converting fruit waste into valuable precursors supports waste reduction and clean energy transitions without competing with conventional food or energy resources.
This work indicates potential applications for biofuel producers and chemical manufacturers seeking renewable feedstocks from agricultural processing waste. Because the experiments were conducted as small-scale batch tests, the technology remains at an early laboratory stage. Practical utilisation will require substantial development, including continuous processing trials, refinement of the biocrude, and further research to recover value from gaseous and aqueous organic by-product streams.
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As the global population grows and conventional resources are rapidly depleted, ensuring energy security and environmental sustainability requires the development of alternative energy sources. High-moisture food waste can be converted into valuable products through hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), which offers an alternative to traditional waste treatment methods by processing biomass with high moisture content without prior drying, operating at 250–400 °C and 7–10 MPa to produce an energy-dense liquid fuel precursor known as bio-crude oil. This study investigates the thermal decomposition behavior of mango seed kernel (MSK) under batch HTL conditions. The MSK feedstock is characterized by a volatile matter content of 68.71% w/w, fixed carbon of 23.64% w/w, oxygen of 46.13% w/w on a dry basis, and a higher heating value (HHV) of 12.72 MJ/kg. Experiments were conducted at different temperatures (275, 300, and 325 °C) and reaction times (15, 30, and 45 min) at a constant biomass-to-water ratio of 1:7. The maximum bio-oil yield of 27.75 wt% was obtained at 300 °C for 30 min, with carboxylic acids/esters identified as the main compounds in both the light and heavy biocrude oil fractions. The resulting hydrochar exhibited a high carbon content (75–81 wt%), moderate oxygen content (19–24 wt%), and trace amounts of K, Ca, Mg, and P, while FTIR analysis revealed a carbon-rich matrix with oxygenated functionalities (–OH, C=O, and C–O groups) together with aromatic C=C stretches. The study underscores the potential of MSK-derived bio-oil as a precursor for biofuels and biochemicals and highlights the need for further research on harnessing other HTL by-products, such as gases and aqueous organics, for biofuel, biochemical, and related applications.
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DOI: 10.58578/mjaei.v2i3.7671
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