Alternative Fuel Source Research Articles

Development of an Innovative Thermal Cracking of Mixed-Plastic Waste Without Catalyst as an Alternative Fuel Source

Development of an Innovative Thermal Cracking of Mixed-Plastic Waste Without Catalyst as an Alternative Fuel Source

Exploring alternative fuel solutions: lemon grass oil biodiesel blend with dibutyl ether additive for VCR diesel engines - an experimental analysis

There has been an intense surge in interest in the search for alternative sources of petroleum fuels in the modern world as a result of the inflation of fuel prices and the historic supply gap. When compared to petroleum fuels, biodiesel is becoming an increasingly valuable option due to the fact that it produces less emissions and provides the almost same amount of energy. In point of fact, the prime aim of this work is to explore the possibility of utilizing biodiesel derived from lemongrass oil and including dibutyl ether as an additive for the test diesel engine operating on varied compression ratios. The findings showed that the best operating settings are a 17.5 compression ratio with a blend of 30% biodiesel and 70% diesel fuel. At greater loads, brake thermal efficiency is lower than that of diesel engines. Lower loads result in lower specific fuel usage. Mechanical efficiency at higher loads is highest in the B30 blend, but emission metrics such as CO, CO2, HC, and NOx were reduced with the inclusion of an additive, though HC rose with higher loads of lemongrass oil biodiesel blends. When compared to the B30 biodiesel blend with various composition additives, the B30 + 4% additive has the highest efficiency at the fourth load in terms of both brake power and mechanical efficiency.

Investigating the Physicochemical Characteristics of Moringa oleifera Leaves: Revealing its Viability as an Alternative Fuel Source

This study explores the physicochemical properties inherent in Moringa oleifera leaves, aiming to uncover their potential as a promising alternative fuel source. The research involves a comprehensive investigation into the unique attributes of these leaves, shedding light on their suitability for serving as an eco-friendly and sustainable energy option. By examining key physicochemical characteristics, this study aims to contribute valuable insights to the ongoing discourse on diversifying fuel alternatives and promoting environmentally conscious energy solutions. The samples underwent proximate analysis to achieve this objective, revealing specific contents of volatile matter, fixed carbon, and ash at 76.23%, 12.76%, and 11.01% (wt%, dry basis), respectively. Additionally, the leaves exhibit a gross calorific value of 4702 kcal/kg (19.67 MJ/kg). The ultimate analysis further underscores the high fuel potential of the Moringa oleifera leaves, with a carbon content of 47.40% (wt%, dry basis). Notably, the leaves present low undesirable levels of nitrogen and sulfur, measuring at 3.68% and 0.67% (wt%, dry basis), respectively.

Co-pyrolysis of various plastic waste components as an environmentally sustainable source of alternative fuels

In this study, pyrolysis and co-pyrolysis of commonly used plastic materials (polyethylene terephthalate ? PET, high density polyethylene ? HDPE, and polystyrene ? PS) were conducted to analyse the chemical composition of the corresponding pyrolyzates. Different ratios of plastic materials were applied to obtain a composition of aliphatic and aromatic degradation products that closely resemble those of conventional fossil fuels. The systematic chemical variations can act as base for evaluating this approach as a sustainable source of alternative fuels. HDPE revealed an aliphatic composition of degradation products, while PS and PET produced only aromatic compounds. Quantitative analysis of the obtained pyrolyzates revealed a clear correlation of initial proportion with the resulting quantitative product composition. The generation of individual pyrolysis products gave a high reproducibility. However, it became evident that the decomposition products of PS consistently emerged as the most prominent among all tested HDPE/PS mixtures. The ratio of HDPE:PS = 1:3 showed 96 % of the aromatic compounds as PS decomposition products. PET revealed a oxygen containing structure of the products, contributing to 83 % of the HDPE:PET = 1:3 mixture. These results gain insights into the potential of plastic waste as a sustainable source for alternative fuels and valuable chemicals.

Biocatalyst enhanced biogas production from food and fruit waste through anaerobic digestion

In recent years, the world has faced the adverse effects of global warming and waste management issues. Food waste is one of the major constituents of solid waste. Currently, the world is in the throes of finding an alternative source of fossil fuels, which could lower the energy demand and bring about a pollution-free environment. The stability of anaerobic digestion is significantly influenced by trace elements (TE), which are micronutrients for microbes. Experimental measurements were made of the effects of trace metals (cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), magnetite (Fe2+Fe3+2O4) and biochar) on mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion of food waste. The study's major significance is identifying the potential catalyst for the anaerobic digestion system and achieving the best production efficiency. Adding micronutrients increased biogas generation, but it was hampered by the excessive addition of trace metalsthe excessive addition of trace metals hampered it. More biogas was produced when Co was added. We have achieved 42% of methane production with 28 days of hydraulic retention time. The findings can provide quantitative data on the replenishment of trace metals for efficient anaerobic digestion. This work presents novel information about the trace elements and their enhancement inside the biodigester for kitchen and fruit wastes.

Catalytic Conversion of Castor Oil into Biodiesel by Tri-organotin(IV) Catalysts: Chromatographic and Spectroscopic Characterization with Theoretical Support

Economic concern over fossil fuel reserves, extensive increase in CO2 emission, and change in the world climate due to the combustion of carbon sources have been driving the attention of both commercial and academic researchers towards new sustainable fuel routes to encounter rapidly growing worldwide population demands. In the present study, we have focused on catalytic transesterification towards the environmentally friendly biodiesel synthesis which is low cost, easily implemented and best alternative source of fossil fuels. Herein three triorganotin(IV) carboxylates derivatives namely trimethylstannyl cyclopentanecarboxylate, tributylstannyl cyclopentanecarboxylate and triphenylstannyl cyclopentanecarboxylate were resynthesized according to our reported procedure and theoretically investigated through DFT by applying LANL2DZ as functional with B3LYP basis set (level of theory) to calculate Molecular Electrostatic Potential (MEP) to determine electrophilic center of complexes and Lewis acidity. Owing to the Lewis acid character, the synthesized complexes were then used as catalysts in the transesterification reaction of castor oil. Different reaction parameters were also optimized to obtain maximum biodiesel yield. Synthesized castor oil biodiesel (COB) was characterized and confirmed by employing multitude spectroscopic techniques. The present study evaluated that these complexes can be potential candidates for biodiesel conversion from non-edible and cheap feedstock.

High quality products from microwave catalytic pyrolysis of heavy oil and polyethylene

Heavy hydrocarbon residue management has always been an environmental issue; thus, it is essential to find a method for upgrading heavy oils and plastic waste to high quality products as an alternative source of chemicals and fuels. In this study, the microwave catalytic pyrolysis (MCP) of heavy oil (HO) and LDPE (as plastic source) was proposed by employing a unique design of the catalyst, SiC foam@HZSM-5. This special catalyst design provided sufficient mass and heat transfer and enhanced the available catalyst surface area during the pyrolysis process. The effect of microwave power and the HO:LDPE ratio were investigated to optimize the product yield and quality. The results showed that the hazardous and unwanted elements of HO were eliminated by adding LDPE to the feedstock. More importantly, it was observed that the secondary and side reactions were accelerated due to a positive synergistic effect (ΔY), which occurred because of hydrogen donors from the LDPE degradation and the non-thermal effect of microwave heating. The HO:LDPE ratio of 1:1 with a microwave power of 800 W and 10 min heating time were the optimum conditions; the liquid yield was about 42 wt% with around 90% of aromatics (mono- and polycyclic) relative concentration. Furthermore, the proportion of BTX was about 82% of the liquid oil, while the concentration of oxygenated and nitrogenated compounds was less than 2%. Under the above conditions, the proportion of collected non-condensable gases was around 46 wt%, which comprised light olefins (C1-C6) at about 37%, and a considerable proportion of H2 as well. Additionally, adding more LDPE to the feedstock decreased solid residue by promoting the conversion of HO, which improved catalyst efficiency.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS OPTIMIZATION: A LITERATURE REVIEW AND PROSPECTS FOR SOPHISTICATION

In contemporary society, depletion of fossil fuels and their impact on environment have shed light on the importance of moving toward vehicles that run on alternative-fuel sources. Among those vehicles the most promising and cutting edge in terms of sustainability and technology respectively are electrical vehicles (EVs). The adoption of EVs is considered a key driver on the way to the reduction air pollutions from the transport sector and improving environment in general. Proper development and deployment of EV infrastructure in cities across the world is paramount of importance for successful penetration of EVs in the market. This challenge has led researches to investigate possible ways for optimal location of EV charging stations that play a crucial role in the success of EV infrastructure. The optimal location for EV charging stations depends on a number of factors that include not only costs associated with charging EVs but also psychological issues such as range anxiety of EV drivers. In the literature, a variety of approaches, stochastic and deterministic variables, constraints and objective functions have been used in formulation of mathematical models that tried to address factors affecting integrity of EV infrastructure. In this article a review on the models - formulated on the basis of EV user approach -for optimal locating charging stations are demonstrated. Moreover, we present current research gaps and discuss possibilities that can be leveraged in further researches with respect to location selection of charging stations. Lastly, we show variables that should be considered in the formulation of models that are vital for increasing penetration of EVs in the market.

Progress on Conventional and Advanced Techniques of In Situ Transesterification of Microalgae Lipids for Biodiesel Production

Global warming and the depletion of fossil fuels have spurred many efforts in the quest for finding renewable, alternative sources of fuels, such as biodiesel. Due to its auxiliary functions in areas such as carbon dioxide sequestration and wastewater treatment, the potential of microalgae as a feedstock for biodiesel production has attracted a lot of attention from researchers all over the world. Major improvements have been made from the upstream to the downstream aspects related to microalgae processing. One of the main concerns is the high cost associated with the production of biodiesel from microalgae, which includes drying of the biomass and the subsequent lipid extraction. These two processes can be circumvented by applying direct or in situ transesterification of the wet microalgae biomass, hence substantially reducing the cost. In situ transesterification is considered as a significant improvement to commercially produce biodiesel from microalgae. This review covers the methods used to extract lipids from microalgae and various in situ transesterification methods, focusing on recent developments related to the process. Nevertheless, more studies need to be conducted to further enhance the discussed in situ transesterification methods before implementing them on a commercial scale.

Machine learning-based ethylene concentration estimation, real-time optimization and feedback control of an experimental electrochemical reactor

With the increase in electricity supply from clean energy sources, electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) has received increasing attention as an alternative source of carbon-based fuels. As CO2 reduction is becoming a stronger alternative for the clean production of chemicals, the need to model, optimize and control the electrochemical reduction of the CO2 process becomes inevitable. However, on one hand, a first-principles model to represent the electrochemical CO2 reduction has not been fully developed yet because of the complexity of its reaction mechanism, which makes it challenging to define a precise state-space model for the control system. On the other hand, the unavailability of efficient concentration measurement sensors continues to challenge our ability to develop feedback control systems. Gas chromatography (GC) is the most common equipment for monitoring the gas product composition, but it requires a period of time to analyze the sample, which means that GC can provide only delayed measurements during the operation. Moreover, the electrochemical CO2 reduction process is catalyzed by a fast-deactivating copper catalyst and undergoes a selectivity shift from the product-of-interest at the later stages of experiments, which can pose a challenge for conventional control methods. To this end, machine learning (ML) techniques provide a potential approach to overcome those difficulties due to their demonstrated ability to capture the dynamic behavior of a chemical process from data. Motivated by the above considerations, we propose a machine learning-based modeling methodology that integrates support vector regression and first-principles modeling to capture the dynamic behavior of an experimental electrochemical reactor; this model, together with limited gas chromatography measurements, is employed to predict the evolution of gas-phase ethylene concentration. The model prediction is directly used in a proportional-integral (PI) controller that manipulates the applied potential to regulate the gas-phase ethylene concentration at energy-optimal set-point values computed by a real-time process optimizer (RTO). Specifically, the RTO calculates the operation set-point by solving an optimization problem to maximize the economic benefit of the reactor. Lastly, suitable compensation methods are introduced to further account for the experimental uncertainties and handle catalyst deactivation. The proposed modeling, optimization, and control approaches are the first demonstration of active control for a CO2 electrolyzer and contribute to the automation and scale-up efforts for electrified manufacturing of fuels and chemicals starting from CO2.

Composition of heavy paraffinic oil from the Rechitsa field and pyrolysis oil obtained from rubber waste

The problem of alternative sources of hydrocarbon fuels is currently of great importance. The constant growth of organopolymer waste, in particular, automobile tires, has stimulated the search for ways to recycle them. It was found that a promising method of their processing is pyrolysis in various modes [1]. A comprehensive study of the composition and properties of the resulting pyrolysis oils obtained from used tires will make it possible to find out the possibility of their use as a secondary raw material for the production of hydrocarbon fuels. In this work, the component composition of heavy paraffinic oil from the Rechitsa field and pyrolysis oil obtained during the thermal treatment of rubber products in a nitrogen atmosphere, by methods of IR spectroscopy, elemental and GC-MS analysis, has been investigated. In addition, their fractional composition, density of fractions, as well as iodine number have been determined. Based on the results obtained, conclusions were drawn about the similarities and differences between pyrolysis oil and petroleum. It has been suggested that liquid pyrolysis products, after appropriate treatment, can be used as additives to petroleum products, which contributes not only to solving the problems of both the disposal of used tires, but also the depletion of readily available oil reserves.

Synthesis of Xylitol from bio-renewables using chemo-catalytic routes: Review

Xylitol is one of the important platform chemicals and with no petroleum alternative. Chemically, it is very well known sugar alcohol–polyol which is commercially produced by a multistep process in chemical industries. The conversion of xylan to xylitol takes place through breaking of glycosidic bonds amid xylose monomer and its corresponding units. It is highly significant platform chemical to produce polyethylene glycol and ethylene glycol. The present paper focuses on the current research progress on various types of substrates available for the synthesis of xylitol. The reaction mechanism for the transformation of xylose to xylitol through catalytic route and eventually, the effect of various operating parameters is also discussed for chemical conversion of xylose to xylitol.

Levulinic Acid Production from Macroalgae: Production and Promising Potential in Industry

The development of macroalgal biorefinery products as an alternative source of renewable fuels is an opportunity to solve the dependence on fossil fuels. Macroalgae is a potential biomass that can be developed as a raw material for producing platform chemicals such as levulinic acid (LA). In the industrial sector, LA is among the top 12 biomass-derived feedstocks designated by the U.S. Department of Energy as a high-value chemical. Several studies have been conducted on the production of LA from terrestrial-based biomass, however, there is still limited information on its production from macroalgae. The advantages of macroalgae over terrestrial and other biomasses include high carbohydrate and biomass production, less cultivation cost, and low lignin content. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the potential and challenge of producing LA from macroalgae in the industrial sector and determine its advantages and disadvantages compared with terrestrial biomass in LA production. In this study, various literature sources were examined using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) method to identify, screen, and analyze the data of the published paper. Despite its advantages, there are some challenges in making the production of levulinic acid from macroalgae feasible for development at the industrial scale. Some challenges such as sustainability of macroalgae, the efficiency of pretreatment, and hydrolysis technology are often encountered during the production of levulinic acid from macroalgae on an industrial scale.

Microalgal fuels: Promising energy reserves for the future

Traditional methods of fuel production and consumption result in the emission of huge quantities of CO2, leading to a rise in the Earth’s surface temperature. This has driven the scientific community to look for alternate sources of fuels that could fulfil the current energy demands, while reducing CO2 emissions. Microalgae have garnered substantial interest as an excellent biological resource for biorefineries, given their abilities to accumulate diverse CO2-derived bioproducts, such as various forms of fuels, chemical building blocks, and pharmaceuticals; this could be interpreted as an efficient method for storing solar energy by biological means. Microalgal biomass is free from ethical debates because it does not compete with food production for fertile arable lands and clean water for their cultivation, which makes the entire process highly sustainable. Microalgal biomass-derived fuels for each end-use can be obtained via several processes, including drying, chemical, and physical lipid-extraction methods, anaerobic digestion, and thermochemical treatments (e.g., pyrolysis, torrefaction, hydrothermal carbonization, liquefaction, and gasification). This review aims to critically explore the process layouts, their operation conditions (including catalysts), and expected outputs related to fuel production. It also provides a comprehensive overview of the most notable and promising strategies for the producing energy resources from various species of microalgae. Pretreatment of microalgal biomass, followed by bioconversion strategies, such as hydrothermal carbonization and photo-fermentation, along with genomics-based approaches, can lead to higher yields of microalga-derived solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels.

Multivariate analysis to identify groups of biodiesels in the operation of an agricultural engine

The increase in the use of diesel engines in the transport sector and in agriculture has led researchers to study new alternative sources of fuels. The objective was to identify the agglomerates existing in a set of biodiesels through multivariate exploratory analysis and determine the variables that most influenced the division of agglomerates to assist in the understanding of the functioning of the engines with these biodiesels. The present work was carried out in two tests: test I - tractor performance test and test II - exhaust smoke opacity. The tractors used in the experiment were the so-called traction tractor (tractor 1), the Valtra brand, model BM100, 4X2 with auxiliary front-wheel drive, 74 kW (100 hp) at 2,300 rpm on the engine and braking tractor (Tractor 2), the Valtra brand, model BH140, 4X2 with auxiliary front-wheel drive, 103 kW (140 hp) at 2,400 rpm on the engine. The hierarchical, non-hierarchical analysis and the main component analysis grouping allowed the ordering of the biodiesels into three groups. The variables that most influenced the division of the groups were volumetric hourly consumption, hourly weight consumption, and specific consumption. The biodiesels that are part of group one have greater calorific power resulting in less consumption of biodiesel in agricultural operations.

Research status and future development of biomass liquid fuels

Due to the combined pressures of energy shortage and environmental degradation, bio-liquid fuels have been widely studied as a green, environmentally friendly, renewable petroleum alternative. This article summarizes the various technologies of three generations of biomass feedstocks (especially the second-generation, biomass lignin, and the third-generation, algae raw materials) used to convert liquid fuels (bioethanol, biodiesel, and bio-jet fuel) and analyzes their advantages and disadvantages. In addition, this article details the latest research progress in biomass liquid fuel production, summarizes the list of raw materials, products and conversion processes, and provides personal opinions on its future development. The aim is to provide a theoretical basis and reference for the optimization of existing technology and future research and development of biomass liquid fuels.

The effect of palm biodiesel composition on the physical properties of Calophylluminophyllum-palm biodiesel mixture

The increasing energy consumption and depletion of fossil fuels require the need for alternative source of fuels. Biodiesel is an alternative fuel developed and can replace or reduce the use of petroleum diesel. One of its development processes is to change fatty acid composition through the mixing of different raw materials namely Calophylluminophyllum and palm oil. Calophylluminophyllum oil is a non-edible raw, while palm oil is an edible raw materialwhich is abundantly produced. The research was carried out by processing palm and Calophylluminophyllum oil into biodiesel using transesterification. Furthermore, both kinds of biodiesel were mixed with 11 variations of the composition. The results showed that mixing biodiesel Calophylluminophyllum and palm oil produced positive results with decreased viscosity and increased calorific value.

A production of bioethanol through the bioconversion of water hyacinth: A review

The demand for energy is increasing due to the rapid progress of industrial development while the amount of fossil fuels is decreasing day by day. Scientists are constantly looking for alternative sources of fossil fuels that will be sustainable but not harmful to the environment. Ethanol from biomass is an attractive, sustainable, and less toxic, less polluting fuel source in the modern era and the age of industrialization. The lignocellulose present in water hyacinth is a renewable source which is considered as a suitable alternative source of biomass for energy production. Cellulose aquatic plants are water hyacinth which have high carbohydrate, low lignin content and significantly lower reducing sugar infrastructure which is converted to fermentable sugar and later to ethanol. Ethanol production from water hyacinth involves two main types of conventional processes, firstly, lignin removal by pre-treatment of plant components, secondly, conversion of pre-treatment material to bioethanol through hydrolysis and fermentation process. This paper reviews all the conventional processes of making bioethanol from water hyacinth. The hydrolysis process mainly for acid and alkali and the fermentation process of yeast used for the production of bioethanol from water hyacinth have been discussed comparatively. Due to its low cost and easy availability, bioethanol from water hyacinth makes a strong promise in the 21st century.

Using Pyrolyzed Plastic as an Alternative Fuel Source of Rockets & Hydrogen Peroxide as an Oxidizer

Plastic is a substance that made human life easier and advance, it does not decompose itself, however, it is the worst thing. Plastic that cannot be recycled anymore damages the environment the most. Plastic is made up of long-chains of hydrocarbons I propose to convert plastic into its initial form where it was a petroleum derivative through pyrolysis and extract the important hydrocarbons through distillation where we can use the extracted oil in rockets with Hydrogen peroxide as the main oxidizer which is primly focused in this paper. Furthermore, we can use this oil to produce electricity if we use it in gas turbines. The extracted oil can be a suitable substitution for kerosene-based rockets and jet engines.

Kinetic Analysis of Durian Rind Pyrolysis Using Model-Free Method

In this study, the thermal degradation behavior and kinetic parameters of durian rind were investigated by using the thermogravimetric analysis technique. The experiments were performed in the temperature range of 313 – 1,073 K with the heating rate of 5, 10, 20 and 40 Kmin−1. Three model-free methods namely Friedman (FR) method, Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS) method, and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) method were used to attain the kinetic parameters. The results show that the thermal degradation of durian rind exhibits 3 stages including dehydration stage (up to 380 K), active pyrolysis stage (380 – 680 K) and passive pyrolysis stage (above 680 K). A maximum rate loss shifts to a higher temperature with an increases in the heating rate. The values of kinetic parameters obtained from FR, KAS and FWO methods are in a good agreement with the experimental results. The average activation energies calculated by FR, KAS and FWO methods are reported at 243.02, 220.38 and 218.33 kJmol−1, respectively. Combining with heating value and chemical structure of durian rind, it can be stated that durian rind can become a useful source of alternative fuels and/or chemical feedstocks.