Digital Commons Network^™

Investigation Of Electrolytic Flocculation For Microalga Scenedesmus Sp Using Aluminum And Graphite Electrodes, Shihong Liu, Husam A. Abu Hajar, Guy Riefler, Ben J. Stuart

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Electrolytic flocculation using non-sacrificial electrodes with flocculants added was studied on harvesting Scenedesmus sp. In order to optimize the operating conditions of the electrolytic flocculation process and to quantify the amount of flocculants added, aluminum electrodes were first used in the process. It was found that under optimal conditions, the microalgae removal efficiency using aluminum electrodes could reach 98.5%, while 34.2 mg L^-1 of aluminum ions were released during the process. Different metal electrodes were also studied, but high microalgae removal efficiency was witnessed only using aluminum electrodes, indicating the influence of the aluminum ion in flocculation. When non-sacrificial …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Biodiesel Fuels From Furfuryl Alcohol And Spent Coffee Grounds, Amanda Raley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Biodiesel can be synthesized using several different triacylglycerides, alcohols, and catalysts. In this study, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) were produced from their respective alcohols and coffee oil, using either a basic (K₂CO₃) catalyst or an acidic catalyst (H₂SO₄). Fatty acid furfuryl esters (FAFurEs) were produced using commercially-purchased cooking oils (canola, olive, corn, sunflower, and peanut) with furfuryl alcohol, a basic (K₂CO₃) catalyst, a co-solvent (THF), and an ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate). All samples were produced using either conventional heating methods …

Experiential Learning Activity: Biodiesel Inquiry Project, Ji Kim

Open Educational Resources

The activity described herein can be implemented in introductory chemistry and high school chemistry courses. The main goal of the project is to integrate a ubiquitous biodiesel production with experiential learning by providing a community-based project. The students work in groups, research the benefits of using biodiesel over petroleum-based diesel, collect waste cooking oil from home or restaurants, develop simple and cost-effective methods to produce biodiesel.