Non-edible Oil Research Articles

Utilization of sterculia foetida oil as a sustainable feedstock for biodiesel production: optimization, performance, and emission analysis

This study examines the feasibility of employing Sterculia foetida oil as a sustainable feedstock for biodiesel production, offering an eco-friendly substitute for conventional diesel fuel without requiring engine alterations. The method employs a two-step catalytic process, first with acid esterification to reduce the free fatty acid (FFA) concentration, followed by alkaline esterification for biodiesel synthesis. Essential process parameters—such as reaction time, temperature, catalyst concentration, and molar ratio—are carefully optimized to improve biodiesel yield. Under optimal conditions, the process achieves an impressive conversion rate of 95.2 %, demonstrating the considerable potential of Sterculia foetida oil for biodiesel production. Furthermore, blends of Sterculia foetida biodiesel (SFB) and diesel demonstrate a notable decrease in harmful emissions, especially a 2.3 % reduction in carbon monoxide (CO), a 4.1 % reduction in hydrocarbons (HC), and a 1.9 % decrease in smoke emissions compared to pure diesel. This study highlights the innovative use of non-edible oil as feedstock, a customized optimization method, and a highly effective catalytic process, all while emphasizing environmental sustainability and reduced emissions.

Response surface optimization of a single-step castor oil-based biodiesel production process using a stator-rotor hydrodynamic cavitation reactor.

In order to combat environmental pollution and the depletion of non-renewable fuels, feasible, eco-friendly, and sustainable biodiesel production from non-edible oil crops must be augmented. This study is the first to intensify biodiesel production from castor oil using a self-manufactured cylindrical stator-rotor hydrodynamic cavitation reactor. In order to model and optimize the biodiesel yield, a response surface methodology based on a 1/2 fraction-three-level face center composite design of three levels and five experimental factors was used. The predicted ideal operating parameters were found to be 52.51°C, 1164.8rpm rotor speed, 27.43min, 8.4:1 methanol-to-oil molar ratio, and 0.89% KOH concentration. That yielded 95.51% biodiesel with a 99% fatty acid methyl ester content. It recorded a relatively low energy consumption and high cavitation yield of 6.09 × 105J and 12 × 10-3g/J, respectively. The generated biodiesel and bio-/petro-diesel blends had good fuel qualities that were on par with global norms and commercially available Egyptian petro-diesel. The preliminary cost analysis assured the feasibility of the applied process.

Integrating environmental remediation with biodiesel production from toxic non-edible oil seeds (Croton bonplandianus) using a sustainable phyto-nano catalyst

In the current situation of the environmental uprising toxicology, rising global temperature, and energy-depleting urges to explore and discover more renewable and greener ecological-benefiting energy resources. Biobased renewable fuels generated by using waste products can help in waste management, climate change mitigation, and a low-carbon future. The main objective of this research is to produce environment-friendly and cost-effective biofuel. The potentiality of the novel, toxic, waste, and inedible feedstock Croton bonplandianus was evaluated for biodiesel synthesis through transesterification utilizing a Phyto-nano catalyst of potassium oxide prepared by Croton bonplandianus floral stalk's aqueous extract focusing on waste management. Phyto-nano catalyst characterization was done through innovative tools such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), Zeta Potential (ZP), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS). The characterization results revealed that the potassium oxide phyto-nanocatalyst possesses an average nanoparticle size of 44.5 nm. This size is optimal for enhanced catalytic activity, indicating significant potential for efficient catalysis. The highest yield (94 %) of biodiesel was secured at optimized reaction conditions of catalyst quantity (0.50 wt%), reaction time (180 min), methanol: oil ratio (9:1), and reaction thermal point (70 °C). Transformation of triglycerides to methyl esters was confirmed by GC/MS, NMR, and FTIR techniques. A total of 21 methyl esters were observed in Croton bonplandianus biodiesel confirmed via GC/MS results. Evaluation of fuel properties was done and matched with international fuel standards. The conclusive remarks for the conducted research are that Croton bonplandianus has a high potential for biodiesel production by applying Phyto-nanocatalysts of potassium oxide while dealing with hazardous environmental conditions and waste management. Phyto nanocatalyst of potassium oxide can be reused and gives the same yield after several cycles of reusability, this reusability of heterogenous Phyto nanocatalyst can reduce to total cost of biodiesel production and can contribute towards circular economy.

Synthesis and Characterization of Biodiesel from Non-Edible Seed Oils Extracted from Cameroon Bioresources

This work aimed at valorizing non-edible seed oils from some plants found in Cameroon videlicet Acacia hockii (AH), Garcinia livingstonei (GL) and Moringa oleifera (MO), through production of biodiesel. Two extraction methods used were; the Soxhlet extraction and surfactant assisted extraction with sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) as surfactant. The extracted oils were characterized using physicochemical parameters. The characterized oils were used to synthesize biodiesels via acid and base catalyzed transesterification reactions. The purification of the biodiesels was done using chromatographic columns. The biodiesels obtained were also characterized using physicochemical analysis in a manner similar to the oils with additional parameters like cold f low properties, f lammability, ignition qualities and cetane number determinations. Qualitative analysis was realized using the Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectrophotometer (FT-IR). The Soxhlet extraction method gave higher yields for all the plants with MO being the highest, compared to the surfactant assisted extractions. The results from the physicochemical properties of the oils were as follows: specific gravity, 0.876 g/mL, 0.843 g/mL and 0.865 g/mL for AH, GL, and MO. The free fatty acid contents of the oils were 0.436% FFA, 0.547% FFA and 1.60% FFA for AH, GL, and MO respectively. The saponification values gave 143.03 mgKOH/g, 72.93 mgKOH/g, 126.22 mgKOH/g for AH, GL and MO in that order. Iodine values for the oils were 46.54 mgI2/g, 22.41 mgI2/g, 68.10 mgI2/g for AH, GL, and MO, respectively. The peroxide values gave 10.05 meq/kg, 8.50 meq/kg, 8.0 meq/kg for AH, GL, and MO, respectively. The kinematic viscosities were 21.0 mm2/s, 22.0 mm2/s and 43.0 mm2/s for AH, GL, and MO, respectively. The acid catalyzed reaction gave greater crude yields of 90.00% for all three plants while the base catalyzed reaction gave, 87.00% (AH), 84.00% (GL) and 74.00% (MO). The purified biodiesel samples had the following acid numbers: 0.028% FFA for BAH, 0.022% FFA for BGL, and 0.028% FFA for BMO. The kinematic viscosities values for biodiesel were 4.00 mm2/s, 4.23 mm2/s, and 5.22 mm2/s for BAH, BGL, and BMO, respectively. The cetane numbers of the synthesized biodiesel samples were 142.73 (BAH), 167.29 (BGL), and 82.40 (BMO). The IR spectra of the biodiesels corroborated the chemical make-up of biodiesel. Hence non-edible seed oils from the Cameroon rich bioresources can be valorized in biodiesel synthesis and other forms of green energy production in Cameroon and beyond.

Assessment of growth, metal uptake efficiency and yield traits of castor bean genotypes for phytoremediation of lead contaminated soils of Chakera-Faisalabad having history of long term irrigation with waste water

The agricultural soil of Chakera village, Faisalabad, Pakistan is under significant threat due to irrigation with wastewater containing Pb. Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.), a non-edible oil seed crop showed considerable capacity for phytoremediation of heavy metals. Restoration of Pb contaminated soil of Chakera using castor bean until physiological maturity could be an effective approach for mitigating hazardous impacts of Pb contamination in the soil. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the growth, biochemical traits, phytoremediation potential, and yield attributes of two castor bean genotypes (NIAB-2020 and DS-30) under the conditions of two different soil-filled pots; uncontaminated soil of NIAB (0 mg Pb kg−1) and contaminated soil of Chakera (250 mg Pb kg−1). Results have shown that plant agronomic, biochemical and seed compositional analysis have revealed a faint drop on Chakera soil. Metal accumulation response resulted in highest shoot Pb uptake in DS-30 compared to NIAB-2020. Conversely, maximum Pb uptake in roots of NIAB-2020 (4470 µg plant−1) was recorded when compared with DS-30 (3576 µg plant−1). Highest translocation factor (TF) was calculated for DS-30, whereas, for the metal tolerance index (MTI), both genotypes exhibited non-significant difference. Interestingly, concentration of Pb in seeds remained undetected for both genotypes. The study indicates that NIAB-2020 exhibited slightly higher tolerance than DS-30, potentially leading to economic gains through widespread use of castor oil across industries, positioning castor bean as a promising candidate for rehabilitation of contaminated soils. Nevertheless, additional in-situ investigations are necessary to validate the findings of current pot study.

Oil Adulteration Evaluation Using High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography

Assessment of food authenticity from upstream in the supply chain is critical for the food industry. Environmental challenges and geo-political situations are causing shortages of raw materials resulting in a potential risk for food fraud. An example of this issue is the adulteration of edible oils by the addition of low-price oil, frying oil, or even non-edible grade oils mixtures threatening foods industries, consumer safety, and trust. Reliable screening tools to assess raw materials authenticity are therefore needed. Assessment of an improved alternative approach using high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) is shown as a tool to evaluate edible oil authenticity and adulteration. Two methods were tested including an untargeted method based on fingerprints profiling for detection of adulteration with vegetable oil and a targeted method for mineral oil adulteration detection (e.g., paraffin wax). Statistical analysis was applied to determine acceptance criteria range to assess variability, limit of adulteration detection, and reproducibility. The robustness of the method was tested within an interlaboratory study using palm oil. Detection of adulteration with edible oils was achieved at levels from 5 to 25% while < 5% was predicted for mineral oils adulteration. Both methods showed promising results in terms of adulteration detection capability making this approach a reliable, and efficient tool to assess and monitor edible oils quality with added value in the field.

Rotor–stator hydrodynamic cavitation reactor for intensification of castor oil biodiesel production

AbstractNowadays, the intensification of the production of biodiesel from non-edible oil crops is mandatory to overcome petrol-fuel depletion and environmental pollution. For the first time, enhanced biodiesel production from castor oil via rotor–stator hydrodynamic cavitation has been studied in this work. Response surface methodology based on one-factor-at-a-time design of experiments was employed for modelling and optimizing the biodiesel yield and the decrease in feedstock viscosity, density, and total acid number (TAN). The predicted optimum parameters of 8.15:1 methanol:oil (M:O), 1499 rpm, 29.38 min, 48.43 °C, and a KOH catalyst concentration of 0.74 wt.% resulted in a 96% biodiesel yield with a concomitant decrease in viscosity, density, and TAN of approximately 95%, 5.12%, and 90.02%, respectively. According to the results of the breakthrough kinetic calculations, the reaction is pseudo-second order, with the activation energy, frequency factor, and reaction rate constant being 0.23 M−1 min−1, 18.77 kJ/mol, and 6.32 M−1 min−1, respectively. The fuel properties of the produced biodiesel and bio-petro-diesel blends were good, comparable to international standards and the marketed Egyptian petro-diesel.

In-situ preparation of MnFeCoNiCu/C for the sustainable co-production of bio-jet fuel and green diesel under solvent-free and low hydrogen pressure conditions

The conversion of non-edible oils such as fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) into green and renewable liquid fuels align with the current trend of sustainable development. However, traditional processes often involve multi-step process to prepare catalyst and require high-pressure hydrogen. This study reports a strategy for the in-situ preparation of MnFeCoNiCu/C catalyst, enabling the one-step conversion of FAME into bio-jet fuels and hydrocarbon-based diesel under solvent-free and low-pressure conditions. The effect of active metal loading, reaction temperature, hydrogen pressure, and ZSM-5 zeolite addition on the catalytic performance was investigated. Under the conditions of reaction temperature 350 ℃ and hydrogen pressure 2 MPa, the conversion rate of FAME reaches 100 %, and the selectivity of bio-jet fuel and green diesel is 48.35 % and 51.05 %, respectively. A small number of olefins, cycloalkanes, and aromatics can also be detected in the products. After the 4 cycles of AC-15 catalyst, the selectivity of bio-jet fuel and diesel are 40.09 % and 39.81 %, respectively. The above research work provides a mild and efficient method for the preparation of renewable bio-jet fuel and green diesel.

Optimization of engine performance, emission and combustion parameters by using mixed nonedible oil biodiesel with nano-additives using hybrid techniques

The current study is focused on three nonedible oils resource such as Ceiba pentandra, Mahua longifolia, and Azadirachta indica mixed together in a specific proportion for biodiesel production. The produced biodiesel serves as an alternative fuel source for operating a variable compression ratio diesel engine, addressing escalating environmental pollution and stringent emission standards. A nano-additive comprising CaO–TiO2 is incorporated into biodiesel blends to enhance engine performance and mitigate emissions. The matrix undergoes experimentation and validation using Box-Behnken Design, Deep Belief Network, and a hybrid DBN-based Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm to optimize engine parameters for achieving higher brake thermal efficiency, lower emission rates, and reduced brake-specific fuel consumption. All the experiments are conducted by varying the engine load, speed, quantity of nano-additives and biodiesel blend. The final empirical model is more significant for DBN with a regression coefficient greater than 0.99. The converged optimized input parametric ranges are load 60 %, biodiesel 25 %, nano-additive 20 wt% and engine speed 1400 rpm. When comparing diesel fuel with CaO–TiO2 biodiesel, the proposed method resulted in significant improvements, including a 41 % reduction in brake-specific fuel consumption, a 32 % decrease in CO emissions, a 25 % decrease in NOX emissions, and a 16.9 % increase in brake thermal efficiency.

Ultrasound‐assisted synthesis of biodiesel in the presence of a novel catalyst recovered from waste effluent/water: A mini‐review

AbstractThe government of India has mainly focused on waste management, environment protection acts, and control of energy demand, which will lead to the development of a clean and green India. Nowadays most of the drinking water is getting polluted due to the harmful gases released by well‐renowned industries mining operations, alloy industries, and dye industries. The presence of more amounts of heavy metals in drinking water leads to a rise in chemical levels than the constrained level in the environment, inside a human body, and any living being. Protection of the environment through the recovery of heavy metals from waste effluents through a chemical activation process using bio‐derived activated carbons as adsorbents is one of the known strategies in the current decade that can be adopted. The application of these heavy metals as catalysts in the synthesis of biodiesel from nonedible oils through an ultrasound (US)‐assisted process is one of the emerging strategies that will help in the reduction of energy demand. In the current review, the recovery of heavy metals from the waste effluents through a conventional chemical activation process and their applications as catalysts in the US‐assisted synthesis of biodiesel from nonedible oils is discussed.

Production of biodiesel from non-edible waste palm oil and sterculia foetida using microwave irradiation

Abstract The environmental damage stemming from traditional diesel begins during crude oil extraction and persists throughout its usage. The burning of fossil fuels has further deteriorate the environmental effect and added to global warming by emitting harmful substances. Moreover, the reduction of finite fossil fuel reserves due to widespread extraction has made the adoption of renewable resources essential. Given these considerations, biodiesel emerges as a highly promising alternative to conventional diesel due to its environmentally beneficial nature, renewable source, and economic feasibility. In this study, biodiesel was prepared by a microwave reactor in the presence of potassium methoxide using blended waste palm oil and sterculia foetida. The effects of raw materials characteristics on transesterification products were studied. The studied process parameters were methanol/oil ratio, microwave temperature, catalyst concentration, reaction time, and stirring speed. The optimal yield with 98.5% FAME content was obtained at a methanol/oil ratio of 60 vol. %, microwave temperature of 120 °C, catalyst concentration of 0.3 wt.%, and 3 min reaction time, and stirring speed of 500 rpm. The potassium methoxide was used to catalyse the transesterification process. The physicochemical properties and the fatty acid methyl ester composition were discussed thoroughly. The flash point of biodiesel, at 157.5°C, exceeds that of diesel fuel by more than two times. The cetane index is 59.5 which is higher than diesel (49.6). The biodiesel’s fuel properties conformed to the requirements of both ASTM D6751 and EN 14214. High biodiesel conversion and low sulphur content show that waste palm oil and sterculia foetida are sustainable and economical feedstocks that produce clean fuel to aid the feasibility of the energy transition of the global energy sector. In addition, the selection of synthesis approaches can be further explored for potential catalysts to ensure eco-green biodiesel’s sustainability with minimised.

Non-edible vegetable oils as bio-lubricant basestocks: A review

Non-edible vegetable oils as bio-lubricant basestocks: A review

[formula omitted] -catalyzed trans-esterification of brassica carinata seed oil for biodiesel production

Brassica carinata seed is a non-edible oil containing crop grown for oil-based product development like biodiesel synthesis. However, recently technical challenges such as availability of feedstock, type of catalyst, cost, and quality of biodiesel hindered the feasibility and utilization of biodiesel. Thus, this study addressed those problems under the production of fatty acid methyl ester through trans-esterification reaction in the presence of heterogeneous catalyst (CaO), and methanol alcohol from Ethiopian brassica carinata seed oil. The synergetic and antagonistic effects of selected parameters (temperature, methanol to oil molar ratio, and amount of catalyst) on the yield of FAME were analyzed. Box-Behnken response surface methodology statistical analysis was applied to examine the parametric interaction effect, and optimization of reaction conditions. Accordingly, 90 % of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield was achieved at the optimum value of 65 °C temperature, 14.85: 1 methanol to oil molar ratio, and 13.77 % catalyst load. The fuel properties of the resulted biodiesel were determined following standard procedures, and the results were within the standard limits (ASTM D6751). This implies that brassica carinata oil over heterogeneous catalyzed reaction medium under optimum reaction conditions provides higher biodiesel yield.

Role of analytical methods in verifying biodiesel upgrades: Emphasis on nanoparticle and acetone integration for enhanced performance, combustion, and emissions

AbstractThis study aims to address critical challenges such as global warming and energy sustainability by targeting the reduction of high NOx emissions in diesel engines. The effects of acetone (AC) and magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles (NPs) as additives in improving the physicochemical properties of biodiesel derived from renewable, nonedible Pistacia terebinthus oil, which is abundant in Turkey and has a high free fatty acid (FFA) content of 5.8%, were investigated. Due to the high FFA content, a two‐step (esterification followed by transesterification [TR]) method was used for biodiesel production. Additionally, a quantitative analysis of biodiesel obtained by both single (TR) and two‐step methods was performed to address a gap in the literature. The addition of AC and MgO NPs to B20 (80% diesel fuel and 20% biodiesel) fuel resulted in reductions in the rate of pressure rise, instantaneous energy release, cylinder pressure, mean gas temperature, and cumulative heat release rate. However, brake‐specific fuel consumption increased, and brake thermal efficiency decreased. Emissions analyses showed a reduction in CO emissions by 6.65% with AC and 2.10% with AC + MgO, and a reduction in NOx emissions by 41.64% with AC and 46.03% with AC + MgO. However, hydrocarbon emissions increased by 26.48%. The study highlights the synergistic benefits of AC and MgO additives in biodiesel, presenting a viable strategy for improving the environmental and performance metrics of biodiesel blends. It provides new insights into alternative fuel formulations.

Cold Hydraulic Extraction Optimization and Characterization of Balanites aegyptiaca and Ceiba pentandra Seed Oils

Non-edible vegetable oils have a huge potential for many industrial applications. Most of them are expressed by mechanical pressing, but data on the different operating conditions to achieve optimal extraction yields and high-quality oil are scarce. Hence, the objective of this study was to optimize key hydraulic extraction parameters at ambient temperature (25 °C) of &lt;em&gt;Balanites aegyptiaca&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Ceiba pentandra&lt;/em&gt; oils by increasing the oil recovery. Optimal holding time, applied pressure, compression speed, and press cage charge were determined for whole and crushed oleaginous material. The results indicate that the &lt;em&gt;B.aegyptiaca &lt;/em&gt;kernels and &lt;em&gt;C.pentandra&lt;/em&gt; seeds contained 2.7 and 5.7% moisture, as well as 46.3 and 26.2% fat, respectively. Under the optimal operating conditions, the oil recovery (wt.%. d.b.) from whole (crushed) material was 73.4 (69.8) &lt;em&gt;B.aegyptiaca &lt;/em&gt;kernels and 38.2 (41.2) &lt;em&gt;C.pentandra&lt;/em&gt; seeds.&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;The extracted oils have a high content of unsaturated fatty acids including of about 74 wt.% for &lt;em&gt;B. aegyptiaca&lt;/em&gt; and 69 wt.% for &lt;em&gt;C.pentandra&lt;/em&gt;. They were particularly rich in linoleic ω-6 acid, 45.32 and 38.77 wt.%, respectively. The chemical characteristics of cold-extracted &lt;em&gt;B. aegyptiaca&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;C.pentandra&lt;/em&gt; oils were 10 and 20 ppm phosphorus, 2.8 and 3.5 ppm iron, 0.0 ppm copper, 0.06 and 0.1% water-volatile matter, respectively. These valuable material properties make the &lt;em&gt;B.aegyptiaca&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;C.pentandra&lt;/em&gt; oils an ecological and renewable resource for multipurpose applications.

Recovery of iron from copper slag using jatropha oil as a green reductant: Investigation of pyrolysis analysis, reaction kinetic and artificial neural network model prediction

Jatropha oil (JO) is a non-edible vegetable oil and a potential renewable energy source. In this paper, JO was proposed as a reductant to recover iron from copper slag (CS), and the effects of JO dosage, reduction temperature and reduction time on the recovery of iron by deep reduction of CS were investigated. Based on Coats-Redfern method, a thermogravimetric analyzer was used to explore the reactivity, mass loss behavior, and kinetic mechanism of CS reduction by JO, and to compare the reduction characteristics of anthracite and JO char when used as a reductant. Additionally, artificial neural network (ANN) modeling was used to predict the effects of reductant type, temperature, and heating rate on mass loss during CS reduction. The results showed that the optimum condition for CS reduction when JO was used as the reductant was 3 wt% JO at 1250 °C for 45 min, which resulted in 84.97 % Fe recovery and 94.58 % Fe grade in CS; the reduction mechanism of CS followed a one-dimensional diffusion model (D1); and ANN5 (15*1) was the optimum ANN model to predict the reduction of CS. This research introduces innovative strategies for the environmentally friendly and efficient recovery of iron from iron-containing furnace slag.

Repurposing Citrus paradisi L. waste seed oil in the renewable production of biodiesel using phytosynthesized lead oxide nanoparticles

Global interest in developing a state-of-the-art circular economy has been driven by the desire to generate bioenergy and bioproducts from biowaste streams. Biodiesel, synthesized from used, non-edible oils has emerged as a sustainable and ecofriendly alternative fuel for diesel engines. This study investigates the feasibility of employing an innovative circular economy to convert waste Citrus paradisi L. seed oil into sustainable biodiesel using green lead oxide nanoparticles (PbONPs). The synthesized biodiesel is noted for its ecofriendly characteristics, being non-toxic, biodegradable, cost effective and comparable to traditional petroleum-based diesel. PbONPs were prepared using aqueous leaf extract of Nasturtium officinale L. Analytical characterization of PbONPs revealed an average particle size of 42 nm. PbONPs demonstrated recyclability with maximum catalytic activity maintained through four consecutive cycles of transesterification. An optimal yield of 93 % was achieved under specific reaction conditions: a methanol-to-oil molar ratio of 7:1, a reaction time of 105 min, a temperature of 92.5 ˚C, and a catalyst load of 0.32 wt%. The predominant fatty acid methyl ester identified in the biodiesel was 5, 8-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester. The biodiesel produced from C. paradisi met the criteria for international standards with an impressively low sulfur content of 0.0001 %, underscoring its clean and benign nature.

Biodiesel production from microalgae oils: A critical review

The global energy demand is expected to rise due to improved living standards, population growth, and urbanization. It underscores the need to explore alternative energy sources. Biodiesel, derived from renewable feedstock, is considered a promising solution to meet future energy needs while addressing concerns about dwindling fossil fuel reserves and environmental issues. Microalgal oils are identified as third-generation feedstock for biofuels production due to their advantages over conventional edible crops and non-edible oils, which face limitations in availability and yield. Microalgal oils are particularly significant because edible oils serve as food sources, and non-edible oil resources have slow growth rate as well as less oil yields. For biodiesel derived from any feedstock, meeting specific physical and chemical properties to comply with biodiesel standards. Therefore, thoroughly examining the conversion process from microalgal oil to biodiesel is necessary. This study explores various aspects of microalgal oils as biodiesel feedstock, including different microalgal species and their oil content, technologies used for biodiesel production from microalgal oils and biomass, and biodiesel standards and characterization across other countries. Techno-economics and Life Cycle Assessment are applied in this study to evaluate the economic viability and environmental impact of microalgae-based processes, addressing challenges such as data availability, uncertainty, and stakeholder engagement. This review highlights a significant opportunity to produce biodiesel from microalgal feedstock, which could contribute to future biodiesel production and provide a sustainable alternative to conventional diesel fuels.

Epoxidation of Camelina sativa oil methyl esters as a second-generation biofuel with thermodynamic calculations

The epoxidation of methyl esters found in Camelina sativa (CS) non-edible oil — largely containing unsaturated fatty acids — was performed. Epoxides are known to be used in biopolymer formation and CO2 capture. This study distinctively demonstrates epoxidation process through a combination of statistical methods and quantum chemical thermodynamic calculations. Esters produced along with glycerol during transesterification of vegetable oils can be used efficiently through epoxidation. Epoxidation products synthesized at various reaction conditions (including oil refinement) were analyzed through gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. According to the statistical analysis, the reaction time and temperature had the highest effect on the composition of products and oil refining is unnecessary. Moreover, iodine values (ester conversion) were determined without the use of chemicals through Raman spectroscopy. The study findings indicate CS epoxidation to be an environment-friendly process.

Effect on combustion performance and emission behavior of diesel engine fueled with hybrid biodiesel produced from a novel ternary oil mixture incorporated with nano additive

ABSTRACT Global energy demand has been above 80% fossil fuels for decades, creating a greater and more complicated energy crisis. Biodiesel is a great alternate energy source for future energy demand. Producing biodiesel from a mixture of waste and non-edible oils may be a practical solution to address the growing global need of biodiesel. In this study, hybrid biodiesel is produced from a ternary oil mixture of Waste cooking oil, Ricinus communis oil, and Melia azedarach oil. The hybrid biodiesel blends are prepared by 10% blending (HB10), 20% blending (HB20) and 30% blending (HB30) and 30ppm multiwall carbon nanotube has been added in the blended fuel through sonicating process. At steady 1500rmp and variable load (0–100%), the engine behavior has been examined. The results show that the hybrid biodiesel blend (HB10) with 30ppm MWCNT has shown highest cylinder pressure of 70.9 bar, maximum mean gas temperature 1467.56°C. The engine shows 34.08% rise in net heat release and 9.13% rise in exhaust gas temperature as compare to diesel. The maximum rise in break thermal efficiency of 19.74% and minimum reduction in break specific fuel consumption of 13.79% is noticed in comparison to B00. The highest reduction of HC emission is found as 20.83% for HB20MWCNT30 and 19.34% for HB30MWCNT30 as compare to B00. The inclusion of multiwall carbon nanotube in hybrid biodiesel reduces the HC, CO, NOx and smoke emission and increases CO2 emission as compare to respective hybrid biodiesel blend and diesel. The hybrid biodiesel-diesel blend, with multiwall carbon nanotube can be utilized efficiently in diesel engine with improved overall engine behavior.