Biodiesel production from spent coffee grounds utilizing pomegranate/orange peel biochar as a green and renewable nanocatalyst: Compression ignition engine performance and emission

Abstract

In this research, a novel pomegranate/orange peel-derived activated carbon (POPAC) green heterogeneous nanocatalyst was developed for the conversion of spent coffee grounds oil (SCGO) into biodiesel by ultrasonication and its application in diesel engine characteristics. The surface and texture attributes of the POPAC green nanocatalyst were scrutinized employing SEM, EDX, CO2-TPD, XRD, TEM, FTIR, Raman, and BET. Based on the response surface methodology (RSM) outcomes, the highest biodiesel efficiency employing POPAC green nanocatalysts was 95.24 %, which was attained at optimal conditions (i.e., molar proportion of 11.02, nanocatalyst content of 2.56 wt%, ultrasonic time of 30.77 min, and temperature of 60 0C). Moreover, the stability assessment demonstrated the high reusability of POPAC green nanocatalysts, with biodiesel efficiency remaining at 87.43 % even after the 7th round. Further, the kinetic survey exhibited that the biodiesel synthesis is endothermic and the conversion rate is enhanced by boosting the temperature. Besides, the impact of merging biodiesel with the diesel/biodiesel combination at diverse torques was scrutinized on the emission of exhaust output (e.g., UHC, NOx, CO, and CO2) and engine crucial characteristics (i.e., BP, EGT, BTE, and BSFC), and encouraging results were acquired. Briefly, due to special attributes including high catalytic performance, substantial recyclability, and eco-friendliness, POPAC green nanocatalyst are highly suggested for biodiesel generation.