Papers by Keyword: Biodiesel

Abstract: Air pollution, occasioned by the combustion of fossil fuels, is a major precursor to many health challenges. Extensive release of poisonous gaseous pollutants has continued to hamper life expectancy and wellbeing, leading to respiratory diseases, health complications and death of people that particularly live in areas which suffer high concentrations of these pollutants in the air. A proven reference to this is captured as a link to the recent Covid-19 pandemic which has claimed thousands of life since it began spreading around the global community. However, the recent global obligatory lockdown measures enforced to combat the spread of Covid-19 pandemic has shown that there was reduction in pollutant emissions released from industrial and transportation activities. This reduction was found to play a significant role in alleviating the Covid-19 complications in areas which have high levels of air pollution, which is linked to symptoms complications and high level of fatality. As a present and future remedy, the combustion of renewable biodiesel as a replacement for fossil fuels has been recognized to play a significant role in achieving increased contribution of sustainable energy as well as reducing pollutant emissions via its combustion in vehicular engines. In light of this, there is a significant need to develop quality biodiesel that can support global energy security and also ensure environmental sustainability through the reduction of pollutant emissions. More scientific methods are needed to drive biodiesel production technologies toward the development of quality fuels from novel feedstock. This study has, however, been able to highlight the connection between air pollution, Covid-19 fatality, effect of lockdown measures, and biodiesel sustainability in reduction of poisonous gaseous emissions.

Abstract: Biodiesel fuel is biodegradable, Sulphur free, non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Current research focuses on coconut biodiesel production using crude coconut oil. Both one and two step transesterification methods were utilized to analyze the effect of free fatty acid on the transesterification process while the two-step transesterification reported highest yield biodiesel percentage of 84% compared to the one step i.e. 72%. The fuel properties found compatible with standards. The biodiesel blends fueled diesel engine performance tests were performed on diesel engine Water-cooled, four stroke, single cylinder, Direct Injection System (Kubota - RK95-1-NB-RDK). The biofuel blend with 10% of coconut biodiesel and 90% Petro-diesel shown the highest brake horsepower of 8.809KW, engine power of 1.685KW and mechanical efficiency of 15.24%. While in exhaust gas emission analysis, the hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide decrease with the increasing biodiesel blend whereas the nitrogen oxides increased.

Abstract: Carbide lime is a result of acetylene production. Carbide lime made out of calcium hydroxide with minor amount of calcium carbonate. In this study, carbide lime was used as the raw material to synthesize a new base catalyst with high base strength. A strong base catalyst was prepared through calcination and impregnation with potassium fluoride. The structure and morphology of catalyst were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) The base strength was determined by Hammett Indicator test, temperature-programmed desorption of carbon dioxide (TPD-CO₂). The surface area of the catalyst was determined by Brunauer-Emmet-Teller isotherm (BET). The catalytic performance was examined through transesterification reaction. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) was successfully synthesized with the presence of carbide lime derived catalyst. The highest biodiesel conversion rate for sunflower oil was 95.83% with 6 wt% of catalyst loading while palm oil was 88.07% with 3 wt% of catalyst loading. The presence of the ester functional group was determined by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis.

Abstract: Biodiesel production waste cooking oil is usually limited by its high free fatty acid and moisture content. The synergetic effect of both base and acid source from biomass was employed to proffer way out to this challenge. This study shows the coupled development of sulfonated carbonized corn cob (S-CCC) and calcined cow-bone (C-CB) catalysts for transesterification of waste cooking oil. The catalyst was prepared by physically mixing several mass percentages of S-CCC and C-CB (fluorapatite) in strategic proportions. The maximum biodiesel yield of 96.2 % was attained for catalyst mixture of 60 wt% and 40 wt%. The developed catalyst mixture was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Ray (FTIR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Brunauer–Emmett-Teller (BET). The surface area (472.3 m²/g), pore size (2.4330 nm) and volume (0.1380 cc/g) were obtained for the catalyst. The XRD shows that the crystallized structure of the bifunctional catalyst was formed majorly between 2 theta 10 and 65.Also the SEM shows a well dispersive pattern of the particles of the catalyst. The developed catalyst was employed for biodiesel optimization studies by varying factors such as time, temperature, catalyst loading and methanol: oil using optimal design under the response surface methodology. Maximum yield of 98.98 % was attained at time 6 h, temperature 65 °C, catalyst loading 6 %wt/ wt of oil and methanol to oil ratio of 11.75:1. It was observed that time and temperature had notable effect on the biodiesel yield.

Abstract: Fatty acids composition in used cooking oil vary that need to analyze before making biodiesel to meet the requirement of a diesel engine. The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize fatty acid ethyl ethers in used cooking oil refined using various acids after a one-stage transesterification process using a heterogeneous CaO catalyst to produce biodiesel. The analytical method applied was spectroscopic technique by using Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) instruments. The results showed that the characteristics of fatty acid ethyl esters from used cooking oil that refined using phosphoric acid were superior to than sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid. Six peaks with m/z 88 fragments as markers of fatty acid ethyl esters and two peaks identified as ethyl linoleate and ethyl oleate as unsaturated fatty acids characterize by GC-MS. FTIR showed an increase of intensity at wavenumber of 2500-1500 cm^-1 which was a weak bond. A similar functional group identified by FTIR in biodiesel from refining used cooking oil obtained lower intensity than commercial diesel fuel.

Abstract: Used cooking oil is potential as raw material to produce biodiesel. We discovered fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) and methyl esters (FAMEs) as biodiesel content indicator from esterification and trans-esterification reactions of used cooking oil with sulphuric acid and toluene sulphuric acid as catalysts. The purpose of this study was to examine some characteristics of FAEE and FAME synthesis from used cooking oil. The FAEEs and FAMEs were detected by separation in thin layer chromatography (TLC) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and compared to laurate standar. The used cooking oil was produced after frying of meat chicken for seven hours in a household. The Retardation Factor (R_f) of TLC of FAME of methyl laurate was 0.36 and FAEE of ethyl laurate was 0.23. The wavenumber indicating specific functional group of =CH was 3392 cm^-1, while of alcohol as ester compound was 1739.79 cm^-1. The wavenumber of C-C and CO groups were 1635.64 cm^-1 and 1165 cm^-1, respectively. These indicate the ester group in used cooking oil, which reflects the formation of bio-diesel.

Abstract: Ethyl acetate as acyl accepter have been used for sewage sludge biodiesel production in micro packed bed reactor. Lipase acrylic resin enzyme activity was investigated in the interesterification reaction of converting the sewage sludge into a biodiesel product. The main parameters affecting the process was adjusted via the design of Box-Behnken and approach of response surface then the optimum conditions were as follow (reaction time=15 h, ethyl acetate/oil ratio=24:1, temperature=40 °C and enzyme quantity=18 wt%) providing 95.78 % biodiesel yield. The lipase acrylic resin was examined under the optimum conditions for the reusability. the flow effect and the heating process of the micro packed bed reactor was investigated. The product biodiesel physicochemical properties were evaluated according to the ASTM D-6751-2 and found acceptable comparable to the mineral diesel properties.

Abstract: This research aims to study the preparation and characterization of La₂O₃ supported coal fly ash catalyst. Studied La₂O₃ and coal fly ash (CFA) were obtained from Thai monazite ore processing and local supplier, respectively. The catalyst was prepared by wet impregnation method. The influences of La₂O₃ loading and impregnation temperature on the chemical composition, crystalline phase and surface morphology of the catalyst were examined by varying the amount of La₂O₃ (5, 10 and 20 wt%) and the impregnation temperature (room temperature, 100, 150 and 200 °C). Characterizations such as WDXRF, XRD and SEM were carried out. The XRD results demonstrated that the La₂O₃ was highly dispersed on the CFA support. A high La₂O₃ loading resulted in an increase free CaO dissolvation during the impregnation which inhibited the interaction between SiO₂ and La₂O₃. The impregnation temperature had no significant effect on the chemical and physical properties of the catalyst. The coexist of Fe₃O₄ in the CFA support might impact to hinder the incorporation of La₂O₃ into SiO₂ matrix.

Abstract: Aviation industry is considered one of the contributors to atmospheric CO₂emissions. It is forced to cut off carbon dioxide emission starting 2020. Current trends in bio-jet production involve mega projects with million dollars of investments. In this study, bio-jet fuel production by blending bio-diesel with traditional jet fuel at different concentrations of bio-diesel (5, 10, 15, 20 vol. %) was investigated. This blending technique will reduce bio-jet production cost compared to other bio-jet techniques. Bio-diesel was originally produced by the transesterification of non-edible vegetable oil (renewable sources), so, its blend with jet fuel will has a reduced carbon foot print. The blend was tested to ensure that the end product will meet the ASTM D1655 international specifications for Jet A-1 and Jet A and can be used in aircrafts.Available data on biodiesel blending with jet fuel in the literature is not consistent, there are many contradictory results. Hence, more investigations are required using locally available feedstocks. The main physicochemical properties for Jet A-1 and Jet A according to ASTM D1655 were tested to check if the blend will be compatible with existing turbojet engine systems. Different tests were conducted; vacuum distillation, smoke point, kinematic viscosity, density, flash point, total acidity and freezing point. In addition, heating value of the blend was calculated. The result was then compared with calculated value using blending indices available in the literature. Blending indices were able to predict the laboratory measured specifications for the studied blends.It was found that only 5% bio-diesel- 95% jet fuel blend (B5) meets ASTM standard for Jet A. Hence, biodiesel can be safely used as a blend with fossil-based jet for a concentration of up to 5% without any change in the ASTM specifications. Freezing point is the most important constrain for this blending technique. Higher blends of biodiesel will cause the bio-jet blend to fail ASTM specifications. In general, blending technique will reduce the cost impact that may have been incurred due to change in infrastructure when using other production techniques.

Abstract: The blends of varying proportions of biodiesel fuel containing fatty acid methyl esters and triacetin (FAME*), synthesised accordingly to Latvian patent LV 15 373 and summer diesel were prepared, analysed and compared with diesel fuel. The selected fuel properties (viscosity, density, carbon residue and cold flow properties) tested accordingly to standard LVS-EN 14214 have indicated a good potential of FAME*, obtained by synthesis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) by simultaneous conversion of glycerol to triacetin as a renewable diesel engine fuel. The results showed that blends containing 5 to 25% of FAME* in summer diesel yielded the properties closely matching that of diesel.Introduction