Biodiesel Production Facilities Research Articles

Strategy planning for sustainable biodiesel supply chain produced from waste animal fat

The rapid depletion of fossil fuels and the adverse environmental effects of combustion has growing concerns about the sustainability of fossil fuel and the world turns its focus on cleaner energy sources. Animal fat-based biodiesel is a sensible alternative to non-renewable energy sources as it's produced from inedible, affordable, and easily available biomass. The effective design of a biodiesel supply chain is pivotal for making it more advantageous than fossil fuels from a social, economic, and environmental standpoint. This model reduces the biodiesel supply chain cost while minimizing its environmental impact and maximizing its social impact. It is planned to have multi-supply sites for providing beef, chicken, and mutton fat, and numerous biorefineries, rendering factories, and distribution depots. The augmented ϵ-constraint approach combined with the lexicographic optimization technique is used to solve the multi-objective optimization model. A numerical example is analyzed, and the results show that the environmental impact of establishing biodiesel production facilities is 99.5% of the environmental impact of the entire biodiesel supply chain and that the cost of installing biodiesel production plants is 99% of the cost of the entire biodiesel supply chain. A heterogeneous fleet of trucks is incorporated to distribute the material throughout the supply chain whereby the impact of transportation on the environment is 0.0007% of the total environmental impact of the biodiesel supply chain and transportation cost amount to 0.0014% of the total costs of the biodiesel supply chain. The model demonstrates the biodiesel supply chain network under a sustainability framework and addresses the environmental and social impact based on the life cycle assessment which accelerates the transition to a renewable energy future.

Brazilian Biofuels Policy (RenovaBio): Overview and generation of decarbonization credits by biodiesel production facilities

Brazil developed its National Biofuels Policy (RenovaBio) to meet goals established at the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, updated in the context of the Glasgow Climate Pact, and to achieve the scenario established in the Brazilian Energy Plan. RenovaBio is a public policy that has as its main objectives the establishment of goals for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the recognition of the importance of biofuels in the Brazilian energy matrix through the audited certification of biofuel producing plants. RenovaCalc is a RenovaBio tool used to assess the energy-environmental efficiency of installations to calculate the emission of decarbonization credits that can be sold to fossil fuel distributors and other interested parties. In this sense, this work presents an evaluation of the profile of the biodiesel producing plants certified from October 2019 to December 2021, in addition to discussing data such as the carbon emission intensity of the production cycles, the Energy-Environmental Efficiency Note and the eligible volume of biodiesel. The results indicate that RenovaBio has become a national project that should contribute to the energy transition to a low-carbon economy and enable actions to decarbonize technological routes of raw materials conversion.

Experimental and theoretical assessment of phenomena linked with separation and purification of biodiesel from Ricinus communis seed oil

This study investigated the phenomena associated with the separation and purification of biodiesel produced from Ricinus communis oil seeds using experimental and theoretical approaches. The alkaline transesterification technique was used to produce the biodiesel from the Ricinus communis oil seeds which were later compared with standards based on EN and ASTM. Experimental investigation of the components in the mixture for separation and purification was conducted using the standard turbidimetric method for binodal solubility and tie-line compositions. The gas chromatographic technique was used to determine the composition of the homogeneous mixture. Novel components separation and purification of the Ricinus communis seed oil biodiesel was achieved using ternary diagrams highlighting the constituent components of the biodiesel at different temperatures for enhanced separation and purification. At the coexisting extract and raffinate phases, the orientation angle of the component compositions increases as the methanol concentration increases and temperature increases. The analysis of seed oil in terms of its physicochemical properties showed density, refractive index, acid value, and free fatty acid values of 905 kg/m3, 1.486, 0.79 mg KOH/g, and 0.390 mg KOH/g respectively. The fatty acid composition of the seed oil and biodiesel revealed that the major characteristics of the oil and biodiesel were defined by the presence of linoleic acid (C18:2) and a ricinoleic acid hydroxyl group (C18:1, OH) with compositions of approximately 30% and 20% respectively. Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectrometry analysis of the oil and biodiesel showed that the absorption spectrum in terms of the wave number (cm−1) ranged from 1000 to 4000 cm−1 with esters as the main functional group providing the main structural backbone. The presence of different fatty acids leads to lateral homogeneity of the biodiesel molecules which can serve to organize the molecules into discrete domains with different properties for enhanced separation and purification at the investigated temperatures. Optimal separation and purification were achieved at the different temperatures showing the castor oil biodiesel, glycerol, and methanol components system at the prevailing composition, time, and temperatures from the tie-lines and binodal solubility compositions. This approach provides a means for the design of a more efficient separation process for optimal biodiesel purification after production with knowledge of how the components are distributed in the ternary mixture after the transesterification reaction. This, leads to greater efficiency of the process, reducing material and operational costs and eliminating environmental issues linked with the biodiesel production process as the volume of wastewater generated would be hugely eradicated. The findings of this study will be useful in the setting up of a small-to-medium-size biodiesel production facility with improvement in the efficiency of product separation and purification.

Glycerol conversion by aerobic granular sludge

Glycerol is abundantly present in wastewater from industries such as biodiesel production facilities. Glycerol is also a potential carbon source for microbes that are involved in wastewater nutrient removal processes. The conversion of glycerol in biological phosphorus removal of aerobic granular sludge processes has not been explored to date. The current study describes glycerol utilization by aerobic granular sludge and enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR). Robust granules with good phosphorus removal capabilities were formed in an aerobic granular sludge sequencing batch reactor fed with glycerol. The interaction between the fermentative conversion of glycerol and product uptake by polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAO) was studied using stoichiometric and microbial community analysis. Metagenomic, metaproteomic and microscopic analysis identified a community dominated by Actinobacteria (Tessaracoccus and Micropruina) and a typical PAO known as Ca. Accumulibacter. Glycerol uptake facilitator (glpF) and glycerol kinase (glpK), two proteins involved in the transport of glycerol into the cellular metabolism, were only observed in the genome of the Actinobacteria. The anaerobic conversion appeared to be a combination of a substrate fermentation and product uptake-type reaction. Initially, glycerol fermentation led mainly to the production of 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) which was not taken up under anaerobic conditions. Despite the aerobic conversion of 1,3-PDO stable granulation was observed. Over time, 1,3-PDO production decreased and complete anaerobic COD uptake was observed. The results demonstrate that glycerol-containing wastewater can effectively be treated by the aerobic granular sludge process and that fermentative and polyphosphate accumulating organisms can form a food chain in glycerol-based EBPR processes.

Sustainable biodiesel supply chain model based on waste animal fat with subsidy and advertisement

The need for sustainable energy generation has grown in response to ascending levels of green house gases emissions and soaring energy demand. Biofuel is viewed as a viable alternative to non-renewable energy sources for energy generation. Animal fat, waste cooking oil, and vegetable oil are all examples of biomass that can be utilized to make biodiesel. In the midst of these sources’ animal fat is an acceptable choice due to its cheap cost and convenience of availability. The multi-objective mathematical optimization model is created to plan a sustainable supply chain for biodiesel made from waste animal fat. The proposed model minimizes the biodiesel supply chain cost, furthermore, minimizing the environmental impact while maximizing social impact. The demand for biodiesel is depending on advertisement costs and subsidies provided by the government. The advertisements promote biodiesel as an alternative to fossil fuels, and the government gives a subsidy for the collection of waste animal fat. The improved “augmented ϵ-constraint approach” is used to solve the proposed model. The multiple supply points for beef, mutton, and chicken fat, multi-collection and rendering plants, multiple biorefineries, and biodiesel depositories are designed. A numerical example is analyzed, and the consequences of a numerical experiment uncover that the transportation cost is 51.34% and installation cost of biodiesel production facilities accounts for 21.26% of the total cost, and the environmental installation impact of biodiesel production facilities accounts for 99.94% of total environmental impact. In the transportation sector, the heterogeneous fleet of trucks is employed to supply materials in the entire supply chain by which environmental transportation impacts account for 0.0005% of total environmental impacts. The social impact is examined by the social impact assessment method focused on life cycle assessment which is 1.363% for this model. The designed model can be appropriate to policymakers and investors engaged in the biodiesel industry.

Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) Production from Wastewaters with High Salinity—Influence of pH, Salinity and Reactor Configuration

The hydrocarbon-based economy is moving at a large pace to a decarbonized sustainable bioeconomy based on biorefining all types of secondary carbohydrate-based raw materials. In this work, 50 g L−1 in COD of a mixture of food waste, brine and wastewater derived from a biodiesel production facility were used to produce organic acids, important building-blocks for a biobased industry. High salinity (12–18 g L−1), different reactors configuration operated in batch mode, and different initial pH were tested. In experiment I, a batch stirred reactor (BSR) at atmospheric pressure and a granular sludge bed column (GSBC) were tested with an initial pH of 5. In the end of the experiment, the acidification yield (ηa) was similar in both reactors (22–24%, w/w); nevertheless, lactic acid was in lower concentrations in BSR (6.3 g L−1 in COD), when compared to GSBC (8.0 g L−1 in COD), and valeric was the dominant acid, reaching 17.3% (w/w) in the BSR. In experiment II, the BSR and a pressurized batch stirred reactor (PBSR, operated at 6 bar) were tested with initial pH 7. The ηa and the VFA concentration were higher in the BSR (46%, 22.8 g L−1 in COD) than in the PBSR (41%, 20.3 g/L in COD), and longer chain acids were more predominant in BSR (24.4% butyric, 6.7% valeric, and 6.2% caproic acids) than in PBSR (23.2%, 6.2%, and 4.2%, respectively). The results show that initial pH of 7 allows achieving higher ηa, and the BSR presents the most suitable reactor among tested configurations to produce VFA from wastes/wastewaters with high salinity.

An appraisal on enablers for enhancement of waste cooking oil-based biodiesel production facilities using the interpretative structural modeling approach

With the continuous depletion of energy sources globally and serious concern regarding environmental degradation by the use of fossil fuel, biodiesel may play a key transponder. Biodiesel blended with diesel fuel achieves a decreased environmental footprint without losing the reliability of output and consumption. Biodiesel is produced from a variety of sources. Biodiesel generation from waste cooking oil (WCO) is effective for both the atmosphere and human health. Many research studies reported WCO biodiesel as a potential alternative fuel for internal combustion engine. The present study aims to provide key promoting and implementing agents for WCO utilization and WCO-based biodiesel production. A systematic literature review has been performed to identify enablers and the contextual relationship between various enablers was developed using interpretative structural modeling (ISM) and expert views. Using the method of ISM and cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) methodology, the impact of enablers is studied. The findings revealed that all established enablers play an important role and are equally important promoters for the development of biodiesel based on WCO. The findings further suggest that human health issues, biodiesel processing plants, biodiesel support vehicles, and biodiesel production technology play a key role in the manufacture of biodiesel dependent on WCO. The most important leaders in the development of WCO biodiesel are government policy and funding, confidence in environmental issues, and financial assistance to biodiesel manufacturers.

Effect of feedstock, impurities, and rancidity on likelihood of spontaneous combustion of oil and biodiesel

Spontaneous combustion of biodiesel has been attributed to the destruction of multiple biodiesel production facilities. This paper investigates common conditions that affect the biodiesel and feedstock oil’s propensity for spontaneous combustion. The objective of this research was to develop a short-term test to determine the likelihood of developing spontaneous combustion in a long term. This study used a completely randomized block design which consisted of four main factors; two feedstocks (linseed oil and waste vegetable oil); two fuel types (raw oil and biodiesel); with or without impurity (sodium methylate, a catalyst used in biodiesel production, was used as an impurity); and two levels of rancidity (fresh and rancid fuel) with a total of 16 combinations. The tests prove all four factors play a significant role in affecting the likelihood of spontaneous combustion. A mathematical quantification was deemed necessary to identify the propensity of spontaneous combustion. A Spontaneous Combustion Severity Index (SCSI), a unitless number, was formulated, based on temperature rise normalized by experiment temperature, which correlates with heat generation patterns inside the reactors from 24-h experiments. Spontaneous combustion of biodiesel was observed under accelerated conditions using a fuel mixture with a SCSI number over 0.015.

A review on community scale stationary and mobile production of biodiesel

Biodiesel has been commercially produced on a large scale, but its application is still limited primarily due to its production cost, which is relatively more expensive than that of fossil fuel. Recently, there has been an ongoing parallel development whereby biodiesel production is carried out on a community scale, including a mobile production unit of biodiesel with local input and demand. The produced biodiesel is often intended for use by the concerned local community, which greatly reduces logistics and transportation cost. Unlike typical biodiesel production plants, a mobile biodiesel unit consists of a biodiesel production facility placed inside a standard cargo container and mounted on a truck, so that it can be transported to a region near the location of the raw materials. In this paper, we review existing concepts and units for the development of community-scale and mobile production of biodiesel. These include the main reactor technology for biodiesel production, as well as the pre-treatment prior to conveyance to the reaction unit and post-treatment. The pre-treatment includes oil extraction from oilseeds by an oil-expeller unit, as well as quality control of the oil before it enters the reaction unit. The post-treatment includes refining and purification of the biodiesel to meet the product specification set by the biodiesel industry. This paper also discusses the production cost of biodiesel on a community scale, particularly when using a mobile biodiesel unit. The production cost varies from $0.76-1.12/l. This range is still not yet competitive to the current average price of approximately $0.98/l of diesel around the world. The production cost may be reduced by applying a biorefinery concept that may translate into an economically alluring and environmentally attractive business model.

Correction to: Biodiesel production from microalgae Dunaliella tertiolecta: a study on economic feasibility on large-scale cultivation systems

Microalgae have attracted significant interest worldwide as a prospective biofuel feedstock. Currently, biodiesel potential of microalgae has been confined at lab scale; however, economic feasibility is a limiting factor for commercialization. Thus, development of large-scale production system is an essential element to assess economic feasibility as well as policy support needed to implement large-scale production. To answer this, Dunaliella tertiolecta was selected for biodiesel feedstock production among other isolates, having 1.244 g/L dry biomass yield and 37%w/w lipid content. Operational cost of biodiesel production was 3.19 USD/L for lab scale which can be reduced to 0.77 USD/L at large-scale production by integrated and efficient resource utilization, namely, natural seawater (NSW), as growth media and unproductive coastland for production site. Capital investment of USD 82019.89 was calculated for biodiesel production facility with 16.7 KL annual production for one-hectare unproductive land. Economic evaluation of 10 years of production resulted into net present value (NPV) of USD 750.91 and 5.18% internal rate of return (IRR). Capital recovery can be achieved in 7.76 years as per normal payback analysis. Additionally, NPV can be increased to USD 30355 by upscaling production to five times with 50% more biomass productivity that would result into 14.23% IRR. Efficient resource integration, multiple products and co-products with market linkages, and appropriate policy facilitation are key factors for commercial viability of microalgae biodiesel production.

Preliminary study on the economic assessment of culturing Nannochloropsis sp. in Egypt for the production of biodiesel and high-value biochemicals

The economic feasibility of growing Nannochloropsis sp. at the commercial scale was evaluated for the production of biodiesel and co-products. A local isolate of Nannochoropsis was grown in (6) 200-L raceway ponds at Alexandria University wherein cultures reached maximum cell concentrations ~ 4–6 × 107 cells/mL (0.63–0.88 g/L dry weight) and a peak biomass productivity of 0.09 g/L/day during mid- to late-log growth. Areal productivity was estimated at 17.65 g/m2/day when ponds were operated on a semi-batch schedule, harvesting 50% every 2 days and recycling 60% of the media. Areal productivity was estimated around 10.3 g/m2/day for batch schedules. Late-log cultures harvested from all ponds yielded 10 kg of wet algal paste, which was reduced to 1.05 kg of dried algal powder. The biomass was composed of valuable co-products approx. 14.0% carbohydrate, 37.3% protein, 0.01% chlorophyll-a, and 0.02% carotenoids (w/w). Total lipid made up 38% of the biomass (w/w); 34% of the biomass was determined to be neutral lipid which are transesterified to biodiesel and 4% are polar lipid. Fatty acids from glycerolipids were quantified by gas chromatography-flame-ionization detector (GC-FID) as fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) revealing carbon-chain lengths from C6 to C22. A preliminary economic evaluation was conducted to determine the feasibility of constructing commercial-scale algae biodiesel production facilities in Egypt. The return on investment (ROI) of the current economic feasibility study for biofuel production alone was 22% after considering the market prices of the biodiesel, cake, and glycerol by-products. Based on this assessment, additional high-value products are needed to improve the ROI. Noting that the valuable co-products are considered as added cost in the biomass left after biodiesel production.

Impact of Alternative Fuels on Socio Economic Concern: Experiments, Experiences and Inferences

Climate change represents a serious threat to public health, environment, economic prosperity, and national security. It is necessary to increase public awareness related to causes of climate change and its adverse effects. Hence there is a need to enhance research, develop and promote green technologies, and prepare current students to become future environmental leaders. The focus of this study is to provide awareness of climate change and promote environment and health protection through the development of a biodiesel production facility and use of biodiesel in automotive vehicles to the undergraduate students. This hands on training (Biodiesel Production and its utilization), to the students has increased their interest in learning the course and same is reflected in their results and this activity also helped in attaining wide range of Programme outcomes at different levels.

Economic, technical, and environmental viability of biodiesel blends derived from coffee waste

In this study we investigated the potential use of coffee waste feedstock in biodiesel production, considering economic viability, technical feasibility, and environmental compatibility. The investment potential for a small-scale biodiesel production facility (8000 t/y) was gauged by estimating relevant economic performance indicators. Biodiesel was then extracted from spent coffee grounds and blended with fossil diesel to develop four blends: B5, B10, B15, and B20. The conformity of this fuel with relevant standards (ASTM D6751 and ISO EN14214) was determined by characterizing and adjusting the fuel’s properties during the production process. The technical and environmental performance of these blends was then tested in a single-cylinder compression ignition engine with an extended range of engine speeds under three engine loading conditions (100%, 75%, and 50%), using pure diesel fuel for benchmark comparisons. The evaluated economic metrics paint an optimistic picture of investment in this project. Waste coffee could result in improved economic performance over other feedstocks. Diesel fuel outperformed the biodiesel blends in terms of engine power, thermal efficiency, and fuel economy, whereas the blends were superior in terms of exhaust gas temperature; average exhaust gas temperature drops of 11 °C and 35.2 °C were measured under full load conditions for B5 and B20, respectively. All blends emitted lower levels of CO2, CO, and HC than did diesel, but higher NOx emissions were present, all proportional to the blend used. Our results clearly show that SCG has great potential as a feedstock for biodiesel production, given its derivation from existing waste materials, cleaner but comparable performance, and economically viable production.

Economic Analysis of Bio-Diesel for Agriculture Purpose of Indonesian Farm

Based on the 2015 annual energy forecast from Indonesia’s Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), if present trends in energy usage continue unaltered, transport fuel consumption in Indonesia will increase on average almost 5% per year through 2050. Currently, liquid fossil fuel accounts for around 35% of Indonesia’s energy demand across all sectors. From various renewable energy and possible alternative fuels to replace the consumption of fossil fuels, biodiesel is projected to have potential to be developed regarding to the simple production process and affordable feed stocks. Biodiesel, as diesel engine fuel alternative, receives more attention among many feasible options. Biodiesel as one of the renewable energies, biodegradable and nontoxic fuel is expected to be one of the solutions. With the affordable feed stocks that can be obtained from various organic source like vegetable oils or animal fats and also the simple production, From the discussion of this Bachelor Thesis, the economic feasibility, necessary equipment and the time of storage of the biodiesel will be analyzed for biodiesel production plant including investment cost of making the biodiesel production plant by calculating the capital cost and the operational cost of a 5000-ton annual capacity of biodiesel. The purpose of this study is to analyze the investment of the biodiesel production facility by using a feasibility study method by using four parameters of economic feasibility study namely Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Payback Period (PP), and the Profitability Index (PI) for assessing the Investment. Th result obtained is that the biodiesel production facility with the annual production of 5000 ton of biodiesel is feasible

Use of the Glycerin By-Product From Biodiesel Production for Power Generation

Climate change is driving the world to investigate alternative sources of fuel. In order to address any potential economic shortfalls to biodiesel, one can look to its by-product, glycerin, as a potential revenue source. At the University of Kansas, a novel system converts glycerin over a nickel–alumina catalyst into a hydrogen-rich gas (syngas) that is sent to an engine-generator system in one continuous flow process. This effort describes the hardware employed in this system, and demonstrates the production of power from the reforming of glycerin. Comparison of the peak combustion pressure and combustion timing produced between the syngas generated from glycerin and propane combustion shows virtually no performance differences between the two fuels. However, emissions vary significantly due to a variance in air-to-fuel ratios between the two fuels that will require a re-optimization when running glycerin. This system has the potential to reduce power requirements at biodiesel production facilities by utilizing glycerin on-site in a low-cost manner.

Cement wastes as transesterification catalysts for the production of biodiesel from Karanja oil

Abstract Construction and demolition waste materials such as concrete and mortar have limited reuse and recycling, and as a result, are accumulating in landfills. In this work, the utility of concrete and mortar waste materials as transesterification catalysts for the production of biodiesel from non-edible Karanja oil has been investigated. Locally collected concrete and mortar were washed thoroughly, dried, ground, sieved and calcined at 850 °C for 3 h before their use as transesterification catalysts. These materials were characterised by using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Hammett basicity indicator methods. The basic strength of the calcined materials (15.0 > H_ ≥ 10.1) was found to be higher than the uncalcined materials. The catalytic activity of cementitious waste materials has been compared with that of cement and commercial grade CaO. Among all cementitious materials tested, cement was found to be the most efficient (76 ± 0.3%) in the transesterification of Karanja oil to biodiesel. The experimental results were used to conduct an economic analysis of a 50 kt biodiesel production facility using cement as a heterogeneous catalyst. The final manufacturing cost of biodiesel was estimated to be $1.23 kg−1.

Economic analysis of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil

ABSTRACTRenewable diesel fuel or biodiesel is one of the prospective growth inducers that could help to resolve a country’s economic problem and will decrease the nation’s dependence on foreign energy imports. In this context, an economic evaluation of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil is reported in this study. The biodiesel was produced from waste cooking oil by transesterification process. The by-product glycerol produced during transesterification is purified and recovered for its commercial value. Also, unreacted methanol after transesterification is recovered by distillation and recycled for reuse. The biodiesel production facility developed in this study is dedicated to the production of 39,208 metric tons of biodiesel per year. The total capital investment charged to this project is estimated to be Rs. 1,615,133,000. At a value of Rs. 15/kg for feedstock waste cooking oil, a biodiesel cost of Rs. 55/kg was estimated. Along with main revenue from biodiesel, additional revenue of around Rs. 22/kg can be generated from the sale of glycerol. On the whole, the profitability analysis of the study discloses that the modeled biodiesel production plant has the ability to produce biodiesel with unit production cost of Rs. 51/kg and unit production revenue of Rs. 58/kg.

Implications of biofuel production in the Western Cape province, South Africa: A system dynamics modelling approach of South Africa: A system dynamics modelling approach

The national government instated a mandatory blending policy to facilitate the uptake and establishment of a biofuels sector in South Africa. Uncertainty exists, however, regarding the implications and effects of producing biofuels within the Western Cape province, as part of a strategy of the province to transition to a green economy. This investigation was carried out as an effort to simulate the biofuel production within the Western Cape under certain project and policy considerations. A system dynamics model was developed to identify key strategic intervention points that could strengthen the business case of biofuel production. The model showed a feasible business case for bioethanol production, with the best case showing an internal rate of return of 23% (without government subsidy), and an emissions reduction of 63% when compared with coal. It is recommended that special consideration be given to the location of bioethanol production facilities, as operational costs can be minimised by incorporating invasive alien land-clearing schemes as part of the bioethanol production. The model further showed that medium-to-large-scale biodiesel production in the province is not feasible under the given model assumptions, as the positive effects of local biodiesel production do not justify the required government subsidy of ZAR 4.30 per litre. It is recommended that a different approach be investigated, where multiple on-site small-scale biodiesel production facilities are used, thus utilising multiple feedstock options and minimising capital expenditure.Keywords: green economy; transportation; blending; uncertainty; complexity

Usage of glycerin-derived, hydrogen-rich syngas augmented by soybean biodiesel to power a biodiesel production facility

A single-cylinder compression ignition engine undergoing dual-fuel operation with soybean biodiesel and an artificial hydrogen-rich syngas (postulated from glycerin reformation) was tested at varying engine loads and gaseous/liquid fuel flowrates. Overall, increasing syngas usage promotes premixed combustion, with only relatively small deviations in injection timing required to maintain efficient engine operation. Fuel consumption increased while emissions of particulates fell with greater syngas usage due largely to a shift to flame propagation-controlled combustion. Increases in nitrogen dioxide emissions are tied closely to syngas usage, and composed an unusually large portion of all nitrogen oxide emissions via greater levels of flame quenching. The experimental results are combined with an energy analysis of a biodiesel production process in order to determine the amount of glycerin (subsequently converted to a syngas) and biodiesel required for a small-scale plant to be self-sufficient. Calculations indicate that only 10.88% of the glycerin by-product generated and 3.65% of the biodiesel produced by the facility is needed to provide all of the plant's energy requirements.

Biodiesel production from waste cooking oil in Yemen: a techno-economic investigation

ABSTRACTThe conflict in Yemen in 2015 has resulted in a total lack of diesel fuel supply to many major cities that resulted in disruption to many public services and utilities. This trans-disciplinary two-phase project was initiated by the Small and Micro Enterprise Promotion Service to study the production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil (WCO) from a techno-economic point of view. The first phase of the project included a lab scale biodiesel investigation to determine the optimum production conditions. The biodiesel fuel product was analyzed, in addition to a performance comparison between diesel and biodiesel on a small compression ignition gen-set. The second phase included a feasibility study for small and medium scale biodiesel production facilities from WCO based on the current economic situation in Yemen.