Engineering Commons^™

Biodiesel Transesterification Of Spent Coffee Grounds Using Dbu As A Catalyst: Using Dbu To Make Biodiesel From Coffee Grounds, Christopher Stepherson, Pericles Karras, Amy Ha, Phuc Tan Nguyen, Abigail Pati, Jacob Hejazi, Soheil Hussain, Elizabeth De Young, Shuaicheng Fu

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Coffee is one of the most universally consumed beverages. The world produces 60 million tons of spent coffee grounds (SCGs) as waste per year. Biodiesel made from SCGs is an eco-friendly alternative fuel but proves difficult to produce. 1,8-Diazabicyclo[ 5.4.0]undec-7- ene (DBU) was used as both a solvent and a catalyst with methanol to determine the efficiency of biodiesel production from SCGs. The process was completed by extracting coffee oil from acid-washed spent coffee grounds (AWSCGs) using hexane. The two extraction methods that were explored were Soxhlet and agitation. DBU is an interesting choice as a solvent and a catalyst …

Novel Supercritical Biodiesel Plant Design & Process Scale-Up, Ghana Shyam Paudel

Doctoral Dissertations

"Current energy prices, national energy security, and global climate change fuel our momentum to find efficient advanced fuels choices. In this study, biodiesel processing, and a novel design for next generation biodiesel plants are explored. During a National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps project we identified three creative and profitable improvements to the process: 1. Incorporating Energy intensive separations and reactions 2. Utilizing Low commodity glycerol and 3. Applying process intensification principles.

Current biodiesel processes are catalyzed processes using continuous stir reactors with distillation systems to separate material constituents. We tested a lab-scale nocatalyst supercritical biodiesel process using waste cooking oil …

Multi-Criteria Decision Matrix Method In The Risk Analysis Of Biodiesel Production Processes, Kaylee Alles

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Theses and Student Research

Renewable fuel technologies aim to mitigate the non-renewability of fossil fuels, challenges with increased energy demand, and the climate impact of fossil fuel emissions. However, before investing in renewable technologies, there need to be decision strategies that assess and identify the best alternatives according to stakeholder priorities. There is also a concern about whether the technologies that are the “most sustainable” effectively meet the acceptable risk requirements of stakeholders. In response to this question, a risk-adapted multi-criteria decision model was developed and compared to a sustainability study that evaluated five renewable diesel technologies, including Green Diesel I, II, and III; …

Waste Cooking Oil Management In Egypt: Production Of Biodiesel-Development Of Rapid Test Method, Marwa Mohamed, Nourhan Sherif, Omar Aboelazayem, Hany A. Elazab, Mamdouh Gadalla, Basudeb Saha

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

According to the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) report in 2017, Egypt produced 500,000 tonnes of WCO from various resources including food industries, restaurants and hotels. Based on our previous funded project, we have reported unique properties for Egyptian WCO as it has very high range acidity (≈18 mg KOH/ g oil) due to the extensive usage of oil in the cooking process. Further, the repeated heating of cooking oil for long time produces carcinogenic compounds that have significant impact on people health. On the other hand, high acidity WCO could be valorised into soap, biodiesel and value …

Immobilized Lipase On Zif For Enhanced Biofuel Production, Reem Mohammed Al Mansouri

Theses

Enzymatic transesterification of triglycerides to produce biodiesel has been gaining increasing attention owing to its advantages over chemical processes. Being catalysts, enzymes are not consumed during the processes in which they are used. Therefore, a successful technique to allow their repeated use can significantly enhance the economic feasibility of the process. The most common approach to allow easy separation of the enzymes and to eliminate their wastage is immobilization on a support matrix. Recently, Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have been suggested as preferable support for enzyme immobilization, owing to their high-order structure and high porosity and specific surface area. This thesis …

Alternative Options To Diesel Fuel In Construction Equipment, Sheldon A. Maag

Construction Management

The construction industry is a major contributor to the environmental emissions due to the extensive use of construction equipment, which is responsible for greenhouse gas emissions and harmful substances such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions. The goal of this paper is to analyze the current equipment and fuel used and to compare to the new fuels that are said to be better for the environment. There have been studies in which companies have employed a portable emission measurement system (PEMS) for real time measurement of emissions from construction equipment including carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), …

Exploration Of The Sludge Biodiesel Pathway, Zachary Christman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Wastewater sludge is an overlooked source of fat, oil, and grease (FOG) that could be converted into biodiesel. The United States produces about 8 million tons of sludge per year. The disposal cost for this amount of sludge is about 2 billion dollars. The widespread availability and low cost of sludge compared to other biodiesel raw materials make it an economical choice for a renewable fuel. Using sludge as a raw material can produce 25 to 30 mg per gram of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME); the main component of biodiesel. Sludge biodiesel has the potential of transforming a portion …

Laboratory-Scale Research Of Non-Catalyzed Supercritical Alcohol Process For Continuous Biodiesel Production, Aso A. Hassan, Joseph D. Smith

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This work investigates the non-catalyzed supercritical methanol (SCM) process for continuous biodiesel production. The lab-scale setup was designed and used for biodiesel production in the temperature range of 520–650 K and 83–380 bar with an oil-to-methanol molar ratio ranging from 1:5 to 1:45. The experiments were performed in the coiled plug flow tubular reactor. The volumetric flow rate of the methanol/oil ranged from 0.1-10 mL/min. This work examines a new reactor technology involving preheating and pre-mixing of the methanol/oil mixture to reduce setup cost and increase biodiesel yield under the same reaction conditions. Work performed showed that FAME’s yield increased …

The Effects Of Oxidized Biodiesel Fuel On Fatty Acid Methyl Ester Composition And Particulate Matter Emissions From A Light-Duty Diesel Engine, Jack Elliot Reed

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Diesel particulate matter (PM) is classified by the EPA as carcinogenic, with the transportation sector largely responsible these emissions within the United States. Biodiesel (B100) is derived from renewable sources, providing similar chemical composition to diesel fuel and is in the current diesel supply up to 5% across the nation. However, biodiesel has an inherent oxidation issue due to the unique mixture of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) molecules present in the biodiesel that are not in diesel. Biodiesel oxidation can only be delayed, and the inevitable process results in changes to the original fuel composition that may alter emissions …

Effect Of Surfactant Addition On The Dispersion And Antioxidant Performance Of Pyrogallol In Biodiesel, Silvya Yusri, Mohammad Nasikin, Hery Sutanto

Makara Journal of Science

Biodiesel is one of the most feasible energy sources that can be used as a replacement for fossil fuel. Biodiesel has several advantages over conventional fuels because of its availability, renewability, and high combustion efficiency. However, biodiesel that contains unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters is prone to oxidation during the blending process and storage period. The complete oxidation reaction of biodiesel produces insoluble gums that could potentially plug the fuel engines. This reaction has become the main barrier for biodiesel to compete with other biofuels. Among several methods, the addition of antioxidants is the most cost-effective method to prevent the …

Potential Of Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.) For Paired Phytoremediation And Bioenergy Production, Hanah T. Rheay, Emmanuel C. Omondi, Catherine E. Brewer

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a multi-use crop that has been investigated for its potential use in phytoremediation of heavy metals, radionuclides, and organic contaminants, and as a feedstock for bioenergy production. A review of research literature indicates that hemp is a suitable crop for phytoremediation, and a competitive option for bioenergy. Coupling phytoremediation and bioenergy production from a single hemp crop is a potential solution to overcoming the economic constraints of phytoremediation projects. The current challenge is ensuring that the extracted contaminants are not introduced into the consumer marketplace. After several decades of limited research on hemp in the …

Growth Of Microalgae For Simultaneous Treatment Of Industrial Wastewater And Biodiesel Production, Mohammed Ahmad Abujayya

Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Theses

The treatment of industrial wastewater contaminated with phenols is among the main challenges in the chemical, and particularly the petrochemical industry. Phenols, which present in considerable amounts in industrial wastewater, are toxic even at low concentrations. Therefore, it is essential to reduce their concentrations in water to harmless levels before being discharged. On the other hand, the dependence on the conventional fossil sources of energy, which is non-renewable, is not sustainable and can cause harmful environmental impacts. Therefore, in this work, the dual utilization of microalgae as a cheap and efficient means to remove phenolic compounds commonly found in refinery …

The Production Of Biodiesel Using Waste Cooking Oil In Kosovo, Laura Nushi, Sami Makolli, Agron Millaku

UBT International Conference

The need for energy, fossil fuels and the emissions generated from these fuels are increasing daily. In recent years, biodiesel has attracted significant attention from worldwide researchers, governments, and industries as a renewable, biodegradable, and non-toxic fuel. Its production from waste cooking oil (WCO) provides an alternative energy means of producing liquid fuels from biomass for transport uses. Biodiesel production by recycling WCO and methanol in the presence of kaliumhydroxide (KOH), offers several benefits such as economic, environmental and waste management. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the pre-treatment and the usage of WCO for the production of biodiesel …

Effects Of Temperature And Antioxidants On The Oxidation Of Biodiesel Derived From Waste Vegetable Oil, Randy L. Maglinao, Torrey J. Wagner, Keegan Duff

Faculty Publications

Biodiesel offers several environmental benefits and improvements to some fuel performance properties, but its poor oxidative stability has been a major concern. Currently, the accepted practice to improve biodiesel oxidative stability is the addition of antioxidants; numerous antioxidants have been studied but their effectiveness in inhibiting biodiesel oxidation is difficult to predict due to variation with resonance stability, solubility, reactivity, and volatility. To improve prediction efforts, this study explored the Rapid Small-Scale Oxidation Test (RSSOT) as a means to investigate how biodiesel oxidation is affected by antioxidant concentration and temperature, and compared its results with the oxidative stability index test. …

The State Of Technologies And Research For Energy Recovery From Municipal Wastewater Sludge And Biosolids, Zhongzhe Liu, Brooke Mayer, Kaushik Venkiteshwaran, Saba Seyedi, Arun S.K. Raju, Daniel Zitomer, Patrick J. Mcnamara

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Wastewater resource recovery facilities produce wastewater solids that offer potential for energy recovery. This opinion article provides a perspective on state-of-the-art technologies to recover energy from sludge (unstabilized wastewater residual solids) and biosolids (stabilized wastewater solids meeting criteria for application on land). The production of biodiesel fuel is an emerging technology for energy recovery from sludge, whereas advancements in pretreatment technologies have improved energy recovery from anaerobic digestion of sludge. Incineration is an established technology to recover energy from sludge or biosolids. Gasification, and to a greater extent, pyrolysis are emerging technologies well-suited for energy recovery from biosolids. While gasification …

Biodiesel Production From Chicken Feather Meal And Its Performance Analysis On Diesel Engine, Venkateswarulu Tc, Indira Mikkili, Krupanidhi Srirama, Nazneen Bobby Md., John Babu Dulla, Venkata Narayana Alugunulla, Vivekananda S, Abraham Peele, Bangaraiah P

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Biodiesel has intrinsic lubricating properties due to the presence of long chain fatty acids, which significantly help to reduce engine wear and tear. Poultry waste as an alternative energy source could aid in reducing greenhouse gases. Biodiesel acknowledges environmental issues as it is less toxic than diesel and is biodegradable too. It is much safer to handle due to its high flash point and consequently, air quality improves dramatically. From the energy point of view, as a renewable source of energy, it helps in energy conservation and ensures regular availability for production of fuel. The chicken feather meal with moderate …

Efficient Catalytic Production Of Biodiesel Using Nano-Sized Sugar Beet Agro-Industrial Waste, Hosam H. Abdelhady, Hany A. Elazab, Emad M. Ewais, Mohamed Saber, Mohamed S. El-Deab

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper addresses the use of agro-industrial residue as a promising heterogeneous catalyst for the efficient production of biodiesel. That is, CaO-rich Sugarbeet agro-industrial waste (smashed down to nano-size) shows superb catalytic activity for biodiesel production via transesterification process employing sunflower oil and methanol. Physicochemical properties of the proposed catalyst are probed by TGA–DTG, XRF, XRD, FT-IR, SEM, BET, and CO2-TPD techniques. Biodiesel conversion (%) of Ca. 93% is achieved under the optimal conditions (catalyst loading of 1 wt%, methanol/oil molar ratio of 4.5:1, refluxed at 75 °C for 60 min). The relatively short reaction time indicates the enhanced kinetics …

Development Of A Method Of Oriented Immobilization Of Lipases On A Solid Carrier, Ziyavitdinov Jamolitdin Fazlitdinovich, Inogamov Utkir Kudratillayevich, Berdiev Nodir Sharifovich, Ishimov Uchkun Jomuradovich

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The methods of oriented immobilization of lipases on a solid carrier - Silochrome C-80 have been developed. The resulting sorbents were tested in the process of obtaining biodiesel from cotton oil. It was shown that immobilized lipase on Silochrome C-80 with NH2 group has the highest transetrification ability and stability, while in sorbents with the enzyme immobilized with -COOH and -SH groups this value was 87 and 53%, respectively. Biocatalysis using an affinity sorbent of immobilized lipase with the –NH2 group has a high operational stability, which, after 240 hours of operation, retains more than 50%, and after 480 hours, …

Development Of A Method Of Oriented Immobilization Of Lipases On A Solid Carrier, Ziyavitdinov Jamolitdin Fazlitdinovich, Inogamov Utkir Kudratillayevich, Berdiev Nodir Sharifovich, Ishimov Uchkun Jomuradovich

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The methods of oriented immobilization of lipases on a solid carrier - Silochrome C-80 have been developed. The resulting sorbents were tested in the process of obtaining biodiesel from cotton oil. It was shown that immobilized lipase on Silochrome C-80 with NH2 group has the highest transetrification ability and stability, while in sorbents with the enzyme immobilized with -COOH and -SH groups this value was 87 and 53%, respectively. Biocatalysis using an affinity sorbent of immobilized lipase with the –NH2 group has a high operational stability, which, after 240 hours of operation, retains more than 50%, and after 480 hours, …

Wastewater Treatment Fatty Acids For Biodiesel Production, Zachary Christman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Wastewater scum is the thick oily substance that floats on top of the primary and secondary tanks within a wastewater treatment plant. Scum has a 30% to 60% lipid content making it an excellent resource for the biodiesel industry. Also the use of scum would reduce the cost of current management practices such as landfill disposal or incineration. In this article there is an overview of lipid byproducts currently being produced at wastewater treatment plants today. This is followed by a presentation showing a full length process for turning wastewater scum into biodiesel raw material.

Effects Of Temperature And Nitrogen Depletion On Biodiesel Production Under Saline Conditions By A Mixed Algal Community, Sarah J. Kintner

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

The overall objective addressed in this research was to gain a better understanding of how native mixed cultures of phototrophic microorganisms from a saline system may be used for biodiesel production. Laboratory batch reactors were grown under variable temperatures and nitrogen concentrations with original inoculum from a hypersaline pond in central New Mexico. Growth at 40 C° led to lower lipid production, lower nitrate consumption, and less diverse communities than growth at 20° C. All communities were dominated by the cyanobacteria Plectonema except the in second experiment, where they were only 30% of the culture. In a second experiment with …

Thermoresponsive Switchable Solvents For Enhanced, Simultaneous Microalgae Oil Extraction Reaction For Biodiesel Production, Mukhtar Ahmed Ismail

Mechanical Engineering Theses

In this study, a thermo-responsive switchable solvent (TSS), with a tunable hydrophobicity by simply changing the temperature (between 25 to 45oC) was used for simultaneous lipids extraction from wet microalgae and biodiesel production. By manipulating the hydrophobicity of the solvent, the cell wall disruption, lipid extraction and transesterification, and product separation steps were all carried out in a single pot, while eliminating the need for the energy intensive and time-consuming drying step. To overcome the problems currently encountered by using conventional alkaline catalysts in the transesterification of lipids, immobilized enzyme has been used. The proposed TSS consisted of an ionic …

Development Of A Method Of Oriented Immobilization Of Lipases On A Solid Carrier, Ziyavitdinov Jamolitdin Fazlitdinovich, Inogamov Utkir Kudratillayevich, Berdiev Nodir Sharifovich, Ishimov Uchkun Jomuradovich

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The methods of oriented immobilization of lipases on a solid carrier - Silochrome C-80 have been developed. The resulting sorbents were tested in the process of obtaining biodiesel from cotton oil. It was shown that immobilized lipase on Silochrome C-80 with NH2 group has the highest transetrification ability and stability, while in sorbents with the enzyme immobilized with -COOH and -SH groups this value was 87 and 53%, respectively. Biocatalysis using an affinity sorbent of immobilized lipase with the –NH2 group has a high operational stability, which, after 240 hours of operation, retains more than 50%, and after 480 hours, …

The Transcriptional Response Of Phanerochaete Chrysosporium And Trametes Versicolor To Growth On Stems Of Helianthus Argophyllus (Silverleaf Sunflower), Nadh Hamoud Alsubaie

Masters Theses

Traditional physicochemical and physicomechanical pretreatment technologies have improved the deconstruction of lignocellulose, but often require high energy inputs and added chemical reagents. Recent studies have demonstrated the use of white-rot fungi as alternative biological pretreatment agents that can mitigate these concerns. Although, white-rot fungi have been shown to grow on a variety of non-woody substrates, they have not been explored with respect to sunflower, which has the potential to provide raw materials for both biodiesel and bioethanol. In the present study, Silverleaf sunflower stems (Helianthus argophyllus) were used as substrates for the white-rot fungi Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Trametes …

Reducing Energy Use In Excavators With Biodiesel, Omeed Abolfathi

Construction Management

In assessing the life-cycle cost of a building, the operation energy and construction energy are considered. The operation energy constitutes 90 to 95 percent of the lifetime energy use of a building. Concern over reducing operation energy has led to advancements where many buildings can now be considered net zero. While considerable advancements were made in achieving net zero in the operation, construction energy use has largely remained the same. To achieve net zero for the entire life-cycle of the building, construction energy consumption needs to be reduced. Excavators are one of the most popular pieces of construction equipment. They …

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 …

Sound And Vibration Analysis Of A Marine Diesel Engine Via Reverse Engineering, Jinsiang Shaw, Yun-Hong Wang, Cherng-Yuan Lin

Journal of Marine Science and Technology

In this study, a sound and vibration analysis of a marine diesel engine was conducted. The vibration and sound signals of the engine under various operating conditions were measured and analyzed by applying a spectrum analysis and an ordertracking analysis. In addition, a finite-element model of the engine was constructed via reverse engineering from a 3D scan. The main causes of engine vibration and noise were clarified and identified individually through the experiments and the engine model. Finally, the biodiesel-blended diesel fuel was used for the engine for comparing sound and vibration performance with the ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD). In …

Using Switchable Solvents For Simultaneous Microalgae Lipids’ Extraction And Biodiesel Production, Mariam Sultan Saeed Alamer

Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Theses

Biodiesel produced from microalgae biomass has been pursued as a possible replacement to petroleum diesel. Among the main steps in microalgae biodiesel production are the drying and cell walls disruption, which are energy intensive and/or time consuming, and oil extraction, which is conventionally done using toxic organic solvents that contaminate the left over biomass and require additional solvent recovery. Therefore, these steps are considered the major obstacles facing the commercialization of microalgae biodiesel.

In this work, switchable solvents (SSs), which can reversibly alter their hydrophobicities, have been tested for oil extraction and biodiesel production. Three switchable solvents, namely N, N-dimethylcyclohexylamine …

Developing Pennycress ( Thlaspi Arvense ) As A Biodiesel Feedstock Crop And Plant Model System, Michaela Mcginn

Theses and Dissertations

Thlapsi arvense L. (pennycress) is currently being developed as a profitable oilseed-producing winter annual cover crop with extreme cold tolerance and a rapid life cycle that can be grown on fallow farmland throughout the U.S. Midwest Corn Belt, controlling soil erosion and nutrient runoff while serving as an additional source of income for the American farmer without displacing food crops. The research comprising this dissertation demonstrates that pennycress can serve as a user-friendly model system highly similar to Arabidopsis thaliana, and is well-suited for both laboratory and field experimentation, being readily employable in existing growth facilities. After 10 generations of …

Determination Of Growth Kinetics, Yield Coefficients And Biodiesel Properties For The Green Microalgae Scenedesmus Dimorphus In Freshwater And Saline Medias, Morgan L. Cohara

ETD Archive

Of the many alternative resources capable of generating biofuel, microalgal oil serves as a promising feedstock. Unfortunately, biodiesel production from microalgae is currently hindered by high operational costs. One primary causes for these high costs is the large quantity of freshwater required for cultivation. This experiment was designed to assess the feasibility of growing the green, freshwater microalgae Scenedesmus dimorphus in an increasingly saline environment. Both average yield coefficients and growth rates were monitored with increasing salt concentration. Determination of average yield coefficients allows for process scale-up and the optimization of production costs by minimizing raw material waste. Salinity was …