Abstract
Increasing energy needs have led to soaring fossil fuel consumption, which has caused several environmental problems. These environmental aspects along with the energy demand have motivated the search for new energy systems. In this context, biofuels such as biodiesel have been developing into a substitute for conventional fuels. Microalgae are considered a promising option for biodiesel production due to their high lipid content. Therefore, it is important to analyze the technical aspects of the biodiesel production system. In this work, the inherent safety analysis of three emerging topologies for biodiesel production from microalgae was performed using the inherent safety index (ISI) methodology. Selected topologies include biodiesel production via lipid extraction and transesterification, in-situ transesterification, and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). The results revealed that the processes are inherently unsafe achieving total inherent safety index scores of 30, 29, and 36. The main risks in the cases were associated with the chemical safety index. Operating conditions represented no risk for topologies 1 and 2, while for topology 3 pressure and temperature were identified as critical variables. In general, topology 2 showed better performance from a safety perspective.
Highlights
Published: 23 March 2021Increased energy needs worldwide have soared the consumption of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas, leading to a series of environmental problems including atmospheric pollution and global warming [1]
The inherent safety analysis for the three microalgae-based biodiesel production topologies included the assumption of the worst-case scenario for the subindices assessment
For biodiesel production by conventional and in situ transesterification methods, the main reactions occur in the transesterification stage where triglycerides and fatty acids are converted into alkyl esters and glycerol [57]
Summary
Increased energy needs worldwide have soared the consumption of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas, leading to a series of environmental problems including atmospheric pollution and global warming [1]. Biodiesel is derived from lipid sources such as oil crops, waste oils, microalgae, and animal fats [7]. Oils used in biodiesel production are composed of triglycerides that can be converted into biofuels through three main methods: thermal cracking, microemulsion, and transesterification [8]. Microalgae are considered a promising option for biodiesel production due to their high lipid content [9], fast growth rate, and high oil production [10]. Other advantages of microalgae as the feedstock for third generation biofuel production include easy-to-operate cultivation conditions, worldwide distribution inhabiting freshwater and saltwater ecosystems, and the possibility of being harvested
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