Highlights Hydrothermal liquefaction conditions were optimised for bio-crude production and nutrient recovery using the macroalga A. nodosum. Using the optimised conditions (345 °C; 30 °C min -1), liquefaction of 13 South West UK macroalgae species were carried out. Bio-crude yields of up to 29.9 % were obtained for HTL of U. lactuca. Phosphate levels of up to 236 ppm were detected in the aqueous phase products for HTL of S. chordalis.  Biochemical compositions were not a clear predictor of product distribution. Varying particle size (between <125 μm and 1700 μm) did not have a strong effect on bio-crude recovery.

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a b s t r a c tA char was obtained from a commercial pilot-scale gasifier, which had been operating with a refuse derived fuel (RDF). Using this char, steam gasification experiments were then performed in a 15.6 mm i.d. packed bed tubular reactor. The effect of reaction temperature was studied (800 • C to 900 • C), and also the partial pressure of steam were in the range 33.3 kPa to 66.7 kPa. With the aid of the Shrinking-Core and the Uniform-Reaction models, kinetic parameters were estimated (apparent activation energy varied from 96 kJ mol −1 to 162 kJ mol −1 ). It was also found that at lower carbon conversions (e.g. 10% to 60%) the RDF-derived char appeared to be more reactive than other bio-chars reported in the literature. However, at higher conversions (>60%), its apparent reactivity decreased with carbon conversion, thereby behaving in a similar manner to chars derived from coal.