Pretreatment and Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Microalgae for Bio-oil Production and Characterisation

IMT Atlantique is a leading French engineering and research institution with strong expertise in science, technology, and innovation. The internship will be carried out within the DSEE, in a research environment dedicated to developing sustainable solutions for energy and environmental challenges.

The intern will join an ongoing research project focused on the conversion and valorisation of microalgal biomass and will work closely with researchers and other members of the research team. The project combines experimental laboratory work with analytical characterization and scientific interpretation, providing an opportunity to contribute to research on sustainable biomass conversion and renewable energy. 

Microalgae are a promising renewable biomass resource for the production of bio-based fuels, chemicals, and other value-added products. Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is particularly attractive for microalgae because it can convert wet biomass into a liquid product, commonly referred to as biocrude or bio-oil, without the need for energy-intensive drying. However, biomass characteristics and HTL operating conditions strongly influence the yield, composition, and quality of the resulting bio-oil.

At IMT Atlantique, the internship will focus on the pretreatment of microalgal biomass under optimized conditions, the performance of HTL experiments, the recovery and quantification of HTL products, and the characterization of the resulting bio-oil.

The intern will work closely with the research team and will carry out both experimental and analytical activities, including:

Pretreatment of microalgal biomass under optimized operating conditions;

Performing hydrothermal liquefaction experiments under controlled conditions;

Recovering and quantifying the main HTL products;

Characterizing the resulting bio-oil using analytical techniques available in the laboratory;

Processing, analysing, and interpreting experimental data;

Comparing the experimental results with relevant scientific literature;

Contributing to the preparation of a final internship report and presentation of the results.

This internship will provide hands-on experience in biomass conversion, hydrothermal processing, bio-oil characterization, laboratory experimentation, scientific data analysis, and sustainable biomass valorisation.

This internship is intended for a Master’s student in:

Chemical Engineering;

Process Engineering;

Energy Engineering;

Environmental Engineering;

Biotechnology;

or a related field.

The candidate should be:

Curious and genuinely interested in experimental research;

Motivated to work on sustainable energy and biomass valorisation;

Comfortable working in a laboratory environment;

Rigorous and attentive to experimental procedures and data quality;

Able to work independently while also collaborating effectively within a research team;

Willing to learn new experimental and analytical techniques;

Preferably speaking English.

Previous knowledge or experience in microalgae, hydrothermal liquefaction, thermochemical conversion, biomass processing, or bio-oil characterization is an advantage, but is not mandatory. Strong motivation, scientific curiosity, and willingness to learn are highly valued.