Transesterification Process Research Articles

Production of biodiesel (isopropyl ester) from coconut oil by microwave assisted transesterification: parametric study and optimization

Biodiesel, a renewable fuel for diesel vehicle engines, has been commonly produced from transesterification process involving triglycerides from vegetable oil with alcohol. One of the most promising candidates for vegetable oil due to its abundance in Indonesia is coconut oil. However, the short carbon chain present in coconut oil necessitates the use of longer-chain alcohol types to adjust to the biodiesel carbon chain, such as isopropanol. Therefore, this research focused on producing biodiesel (isopropyl ester) from coconut oil using isopropanol and NaOH catalyst through a transesterification process. To enhance this process, microwave technology was utilized for its ability to lower the biodiesel production reaction time from the conventional one-hour timeframe to less than ten minutes, increase energy efficiency, and improve biodiesel quality. The primary objective was to investigate the impact of reaction time, catalyst concentration, and microwave power on the isopropyl ester yield. Further optimization was conducted using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with Box-Behnken Design (BBD) to illustrate the model's effectiveness and applicability. Based on BBD optimization simulation, the optimal condition for producing isopropyl ester from coconut oil using microwave technology is a 1-minute reaction time, 0.2 wt.% NaOH catalyst concentration, and 443.9 W microwave power, maximizing the yield to 99.89%. This research highlights the potential of microwave assisted transesterification and the reliability of this innovative approach, contributing to the development of isopropyl ester production with enhanced quality that meets the specifications of the Indonesian National Standard (SNI).

Advancing biorefinery technologies through transesterification and hydrothermal liquefaction for biodiesel and bioproducts production

BackgroundThe multicriteria assessment of advancing biorefinery to produce biodiesel (fatty acid methyl ester), glycerol, and torrefied pellets is a strategic approach towards sustainable development. MethodsA successive transesterification process was applied to separate lipids with alcohol, with a 1:7 mass-to-mass ratio in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst of chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol-sodium hydroxide (CS/PVA-NaOH), to produce biodiesel and glycerol. Moreover, the remaining biomass is extracted to produce torrefied pellets by applying torrefaction through hydrothermal liquefication at 200–300 ℃ temperature. The biorefinery system using 613 kg organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) produced 127.3 L of biodiesel, 14.5 kg of glycerol, and 387.5 kg of torrefied pellets. The whole systematic approach revealed two distinct areas with required characterized equipment such as dryer (A = 721.28m2), suspended in tank (V = 751.56m3), reactor (V = 721.56m3), cyclone (A = 743.48 m2), grinder (Q = 1352.31 m3/h), compactor (Q = 1367.31 m3/h), correspondingly. A gate-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed for life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) through GaBi by using the ReCiPe 2016 Mid-point (H) and Endpoint (H) approach with a functional unit of 1000 kg municipal solid waste (MSW). Significant findingsThe economic assessment reveals the economic feasibility of the biorefinery project. The annual revenue determined the profitability index, which is $ 1.59 million annually, with a payback period of 1.8 years. The environmental analysis determined an eco-friendly production unit which can save 13.6% of carbon emissions by alternate use of photovoltaic energy. Conclusively, the calculated values and findings prove that biorefinery development using OFMSW is scientifically a win-win situation and notably assists in achieving circular bioeconomy and sustainable development goals (SDGs).

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.

Nano-CaO as a heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel synthesis by transesterification of Jatropha oil

BackgroundThis research employs response surface methodology, specifically Central Composite Design (CCD), to optimize the process parameters for the effective production of biodiesel. Jatropha oil was utilized as the raw material to minimize expenses. A nanocatalyst was utilized as a solid catalyst, developed from CaCO3 via waste snail shells, offering advantages such as recyclability and improved catalytic activity during a transesterification process. The developed nanocatalyst was analyzed using various techniques, including dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR). The BET analysis revealed a surface area of 5.1m2/g and the Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) analysis provided insights into the pore volume and diameter of the synthesized nano-CaO, showing values of 0.002556 cc/g and 1.1 nm, respectively, indicating the presence of both microspores and active sites on the external surface of the nano-CaO catalyst. Biodiesel conversion was controlled by adjusting factors like the methanol to oil ratio, catalyst weight, reaction time, reaction temperature, and agitation speed. A quadratic model was established to explore the correlation between the independent variables and the biodiesel conversion rate. The results showed a maximum biodiesel conversion rate of 96.73% under the optimal conditions: methanol to oil ratio (6:1), catalyst weight (1.4 wt%), reaction time (60 min), reaction temperature (55 °C), and agitation speed (250 rpm). These parameters were determined through 32 experimental trials. The RSM technique yielded impressive results with a determined coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9834, adjusted R2 of 0.8503, predicted R2 of 0.8309, and a coefficient of variance (CV) 0.75%. Based on the analysis of variance (ANOVA) findings, the model exhibits a high level of significance (p<0.0001), which is less than 0.05 and F- Value 29.71.The study aims to enhance the yield and efficiency of the transesterification process, thereby increasing the overall production of fatty acid methyl ester from Jatropha oil. This innovative approach efficiently generates biodiesel from renewable resources, in a manner that is both environmentally friendly and maximizes the effectiveness of the process parameters. The evaluation conform that the quality of the biodiesel met the standards set by ASTM D 6751 and EN 14214.

Preliminary study of mixing used cooking oil and lemon peel essential oil as an alternative fuel to replace biodiesel

Biodiesel is an environmentally friendly renewable bio-energy with many advantages over diesel fuel. The disadvantage of biodiesel is that the price is still relatively expensive so it cannot compete with diesel fuel. This high price is due to the high cost of raw materials and manufacturing process costs. Raw materials such as palm oil, methanol and methyl acetate are expensive, and the transesterification and interesterification processes require long process stages that require a lot of energy supply. The solution to overcome this problem is to use cheap raw materials and a simple manufacturing process. Used cooking oil is household waste that has prospects as a raw material. Another ingredient used is lemon essential oil. Lemon essential oil can be made yourself by extracting lemon peel waste using a boiling or steaming process. The lemon essential oil used is also small, namely a maximum of 5% of the mass of used cooking oil. It is hoped that mixing used cooking oil with lemon essential oil can replace biodiesel. Lemon essential oil is a bio-additive that can improve the quality of used cooking oil to approach the physical properties of biodiesel. With this new process, it is hoped that it can produce fuel that is cheap but of good quality. The aim of the research is to obtain a new fuel to replace biodiesel that is cheaper and more efficient, namely with cheap raw materials and fewer process stages so that it will reduce production costs. The research began with the activation of zeolite as an adsorbent for purifying used cooking oil with variables including zeolite mass of 400 grams, calcination temperature of 300⁰C, activation time of 2 hours and zeolite size &gt; 80 mesh. The second stage of the research was purifying used cooking oil with zeolite using a variable volume of 3 liters of used cooking oil and a purification time of 1 hour. The third stage of the research was mixing purified used cooking oil with lemon essential oil with variable volume of essential oil (3, 4, 5, 6, 7% oil volume) and mixing temperature (30, 40, 50⁰C), mixing time 60 minutes, stirring speed 500 rpm and oil volume 150 mL. After the mixing time and the sample temperature reached room temperature, an analysis of the density, acid number, viscosity and FFA of used cooking oil with bio-additive lemon essential oil was carried out. The analysis results are compared with the biodiesel standard SNI 7182-2015 to see whether the product/sample approaches the physical properties of biodiesel

Design and optimization of reactive distillation for enhancing supercritical transesterification process to produce biodiesel

The present study explored the optimization of a reactive distillation column (RDC) for biodiesel production using supercritical transesterification (SCTE). The SCTE process at high pressure and temperature, is known for water-sensitive flexibility and catalyst-free operation, and has shown promising advantages in biodiesel production. The steady-state simulations were conducted using Aspen Plus, with two RDC configurations: RDC-1, employing a single feed of oil and methanol, and RDC-2, utilizing separate feeds. Surprisingly, high conversion rates were achieved at only 8.5 MPa pressure. The study aiming to identify an optimized RDC design, systematically examined the impact of design parameters such as reflux ratio, feed temperature, and the number of reactive stages on conversion and energy requirements. Internal column specifications and species flow through each stage were investigated to comprehend reaction and separation processes. Temperature analysis revealed that preheating to 380 °C significantly improved conversion and reduced reboiler heat duty. RDC-1, with 9 reactive stages, demonstrated greater conversion efficiency, while RDC-2, with 11 stages, exhibited better biodiesel separation. By optimizing reflux ratios, the study achieved remarkable conversions with enhanced methanol separation. Cost estimation revealed that RDC-1 promoted lower capital and operating costs, making it a preferred design and an efficient option for SCTE-based biodiesel production.

Electrohydrodynamic processing in biodiesel production from waste cooking oil

In this paper we describe the design, creation, and development of immobilizing calcium oxide (CaO) catalysts onto degradable polymeric mats for environmentally friendly biodiesel production. The polyethersulfone (PES) fiber mats was prepared by electrospinning technique, in which immobilized CaO particles were physically entrapped on the fibers. Immobilized and free-flowing CaO catalysts were later successfully used in the transesterification of fresh and waste canola oil into biodiesel. Entrapped CaO particles in the PES fibers were able to be re-used up to six times in the conversion of triglycerides from fresh canola oil into biodiesel, while transesterification process of waste oil was successfully repeated with immobilized CaO for four times. The use of electrospinning technique allows the creation of a degradable, easily separable and reusable catalysts, which provides a sustainable method for future transesterification reactions of waste oil.

Elucidating the scale-up potential of biogenic magnetized nanocatalyst towards intensified biodiesel production

The current investigation delved into biodiesel synthesis from castor oil (CO) employing a magnetic nanocatalyst contrived from waste Citrus limetta peel ash (CLPA@Fe3O4). SEM, TEM, EDAX, XRD, XPS, VSM, and FTIR were used meticulously to analyze the synthesized catalyst. The catalyst’s core–shell arrangement kept its regulated size and shape and enhanced its surface properties, significantly increasing its stability. The optimal biodiesel yield of 97.92 % was accomplished utilizing CLPA@Fe3O4 catalyst through transesterification under the ideal reaction conditions of 30 wt% methanol concentration, the catalyst of 6 wt%, 60 °C temperature, and 3 h reaction time. The thermodynamics study advocated the transesterification process to be endothermic and nonspontaneous, while the kinetic tests were revealed to obey pseudo-first-order kinetics. The transesterification of CO employing the current catalyst was found to have an activation energy of 33.138 kJ mol−1. Nevertheless, an extraneous magnet could recover the prepared magnetic iron oxide-supported nanocatalyst from the reactor, as the catalyst showed a strong magnetization of 31.56 (emu/g). The catalyst showed excellent reusability up to 80 % for 6 consecutive cycles. The turnover frequency of the catalyst was ascertained to be 0.011 mol g−1.h−1, which measures the ability to drive biodiesel synthesis. The conversions from CO to biodiesel were validated via FTIR and GC–MS analysis. It is essential to highlight that biodiesel’s key fuel properties align with the standards set by ASTM D6751, indicating promising prospects for its future industrial use. The life cycle cost analysis of the catalyst and biodiesel, i.e., USD 0.533/kg and USD 1.005/L, indicates excellent potential for commercialization. Lastly, using creative bibliometric analysis to identify the gaps in the literature, the study made recommendations for the synthesis of biodiesel utilizing nanocatalyst.

Design of activated bentonite-based catalysts for the esterification of residual free fatty acids from palm oil

Bentonite, a readily available and abundant natural mineral, serves as a cost-effective catalyst for esterifying free fatty acids (FFAs). In this study, an economical method was developed to enhance the catalytic activity of Chocolate bentonite (Ca-CB) from Paraíba, Brazil, for the methyl esterification of distilled deodorized palm oil (DDPO), an agro-industrial by-product containing approximately 84 % FFAs. Raw bentonite and activated material were characterized using various techniques, including nitrogen physisorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)/differential thermogravimetry (DTG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and acid-base titration. The highest conversion rate of 93 % was achieved using H-Ca-CB in the esterification of DDPO, surpassing H-Na-Ca-CB (91 %) and the commercially available K-10 catalyst (81 %). Furthermore, H-Ca-CB maintained superior catalytic activity (over 75 %) even after four reuse cycles, outperforming autocatalysis (34 %). Kinetic studies of the transesterification process indicated that the pseudo-first-order model was the most suitable, with an activation energy of 27.40 kJ mol–1. These findings underscore the effectiveness of natural bentonite in catalytic synthesis, attributed to its enhanced textural properties and surface acidity.

Heterogeneous Calcium Oxide Catalytic Filaments for Three-Dimensional Printing: Preparation, Characterization, and Use in Methyl Ester Production.

This study aimed to investigate heterogeneous catalytic filaments of calcium oxide (CaO) for fused deposition modeling three-dimensional (3D) printers. The CaO catalysts were blended with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic to form catalytic filaments. A single-screw filament extruder was used to prepare the filaments, following which their mechanical properties, thermal properties, morphology, catalytic characteristics in biodiesel production, and reusability were evaluated. In accordance with the results, a maximum CaO catalyst content of 15 wt % was recommended to be blended in the ABS pellet. The hardness and compressive strength of these catalytic filaments were shown to be improved. Subsequently, the catalytic filaments with the highest CaO content (15 wt %) were used to produce methyl ester from pretreated sludge palm oil through the transesterification process. To determine the recommended conditions for achieving the highest purity of methyl ester in biodiesel, the process parameters were optimized. A methyl ester purity of 96.58 wt % and a biodiesel yield of 79.7 wt % could be achieved under the recommended conditions of a 9.0:1 methanol to oil molar ratio, 75.0 wt % catalytic filament loading, and 4.0 h reaction time. Furthermore, the reusability of the 15 wt % CaO catalytic filaments was evaluated in a batch process with multiple transesterification cycles. The results indicated that the purity of methyl ester dropped to 95.0 wt % only after the fourth cycle. The method used in this study for preparing and characterizing CaO catalytic filaments can potentially serve as a novel approach for constructing biodiesel reactors using 3D printing technology.

Investigating the impact of alumina nanoparticles in coconut oil distillate biodiesel to lessen emissions in direct injection diesel engine

Petroleum fuels are commonly used for automobiles. However, the continuous depletion and exhaust gas emission causes serious problems. So, there is a need for an alternative eco-friendly fuel. Biodiesel is a type of fuel manufactured through a process called transesterification, which involves converting vegetable oils into a usable form. The process parameters of the transesterification process were optimized using the Taguchi method to achieve maximum biodiesel yield. However, the main problem of biodiesel is its high cost which could be reduced by using low-cost feedstock. To address this challenge, biodiesel (BCFAD) is derived from coconut fatty acid distillate (CFAD), a by-product obtained from refining coconut oil. This work uses BCFAD and BCFAD with Alumina nanoparticles as fuels. Alumina nanoparticles in the mass fraction of 25 ppm, 50 ppm, and 100 ppm are dispersed in BCFAD. The investigation results reveal an increase of 6.5% in brake thermal efficiency for BCFAD with 100 ppm nanoparticles when compared to BCFAD. There is a reduction of 29.29% of hydrocarbon and 34% of Carbon monoxide emissions with BCFAD100 in comparison with diesel. However, there is a marginal increase in NOx emission with the increase in nanoparticles. The heat release rate and cylinder pressure of BCFAD100 are comparable to diesel fuel. It was concluded that the utilization of BCFAD with a nanoparticle dispersion of 100 ppm is suitable for direct use as fuel in diesel engines.

Experimental assessment and optimization of the performance of a biodiesel engine using response surface methodology

BackgroundBiodiesel is a renewable and ecofriendly fuel for internal combustion engines. However, fuel standards need to be adapted for efficiency and commercial use. This paper deals with a novel process of its production using a purification step that counters the high costs of production and experimental analysis using multiresponse optimization.MethodsSoybean oil was chosen as a biodiesel of 5%, 10%, and 15% blend with common diesel fuel and is experimentally tested in a variable compression ratio compression ignition engine. The biodiesel is blended with common diesel fuel to run the engine without any modification in its setup, which also solves most of the operational problems. The functional relationship between the input parameters and the performance characteristics of the engine is evaluated by statistical response surface methodology using the Box–Behnken design model, which generates a design of experiment resulting in an optimum experimental run that reduces the overall cost of the experimental investigation. Uncertainty analysis is done to minimize the gap between the results considering the errors of each piece of equipment. Validation of the results is also carried out.ResultsThe analysis of variance is used to measure the acceptability of the model and the competency of the model to predict output performance. The optimum value of input parameters which are obtained are 4.5 kg for the load, the compression ratio of 18, and B05 for the fuel blend, which results in maximum performance of brake power of 3 kW, minimum fuel consumption and emissions of CO and NOx, which are 0.39 kg/kWh, 0.01%, and 50 ppm.ConclusionsCost analysis reveals that biodiesel produced from the novel process of transesterification is reasonable as compared with the conventional process. It is also environmentally more sustainable, which cannot be ignored. This technique can be used in future research for cost-effective production fields such as combustion parameters and biofuels produced from waste, which need to be explored.

Biodiesel Production from Waste Cooking Oil Using Ethanol Produced from Sugar or Dates Syrup

Abstract Global oil prices have risen due to rising energy usage and petroleum depletion. Waste cooking oil is a potential source of biodiesel raw materials. Biodiesel is a source of renewable energy and a fuel that could replace petroleum-derived diesel in the future. The novelty of this study was to investigate the production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil using ethanol produced from dates syrup. In this study biodiesel was made from used cooking oil and various alcohols by the transesterification method with different catalysts for comparison. To produce biodiesel from used the transesterification process was carried out by mixing 3 g of the catalyst with 60 ml of alcohol (70%) and adding 300ml of waste cooking oil at a temperature of 60°C. The best result, that had the highest biodiesel yield, which was 302.5 ml, was the biodiesel made from using commercial ethanol as alcohol and KOH as a catalyst. This study indicated that there was no significant difference in the yields of biodiesel and the by-product glycerin between groups, but the density and viscosity of petroleum diesel were much lower than the biodiesel produced from waste cooking oil, meaning that the biodiesel could have more applications than petroleum diesel. It was concluded that the biodiesel produced from waste cooking oil and dates syrup ethanol could be used as an alternative fuel and source of renewable environmentally friendly energy. However, it is considered that more studies are needed to determine the effects of using biodiesel produced on engine performance.

Oleochemical Synthesis of Sucrose Esters from Methyl Esters of Palm Stearic and Oleic Fatty Acids

Abstract Palm oil contains fatty acids such as stearic ranges from 3.40 – 5.47% and oleic ranges from 34.85 – 40.78% which can be used as materials for the synthesis of sucrose ester. This study aimed to increase and optimize the potential of palm oil raw materials through the oleochemical synthesis of sucrose ester. The process of sucrose ester synthesis consisted of two stages, i.e., the esterification process of fatty acids into methyl esters and the transesterification process of fatty acid methyl esters with sucrose to become sucrose esters. Esterification of stearic and oleic fatty acids was performed using H2SO4 catalyst and methanol as a solvent. Transesterification of sucrose with stearic and oleic methyl esters was performed using two types of catalysts K2CO3 6% and Na2CO3 6%, without solvents. The results showed that sucrose ester made from stearic acid methyl ester with K2CO3 catalyst tended to achieve better performance and physicochemical properties as follows: pH ranged from 10.29 – 10.45, foam stability ranged from 55.497 – 88.082%, emulsion stability ranged from 40.211 – 78.435%, surface tension ranged from 25.4 – 27.60 dyne/cm, and interfacial tension ranged from 9.69 – 10.91dynes/cm.

Pemanfaatan Cangkang Kerang Darah Sebagai Katalis dan Filter Rokok Sebagai Adsorben Dry Washing dalam Pembuatan Biodiesel Minyak Kesambi

These three wastes can be used as raw materials for biodiesel in the transesterification and purification processes. The purpose of this study was to determine and analyze the variations of blood clam shell catalysts and cigarette butt adsorbents and to compare the most optimal quality of biodiesel (producing the highest yield) based on SNI 7182:2015. The method used in this research consists of FFA testing, degumming, esterification, tranesterification and purification processes. In the transesterification process, a catalyst was added in the range of 2-6% m/v and 75% methanol, while in the refining process, active charcoal filter cigarette adsorbents were added in the range of 5-10% m/v. The data obtained was subjected to statistical analysis using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) Central Composite Design (CCD) method. Based on statistical analysis, a linear model equation was obtained and there were no optimum and minimum points. This research also obtained the highest bisodiesel yield of 73.33% at a catalyst concentration of 6% m/v and adsorbent of 5% m/v. Some of the quality characteristics of the biodiesel produced are in accordance with SNI standards.

Maximizing Lipid Extraction from Chlorella pyrenoidosa: A Study on the Effectiveness of Cell Disruption Techniques

Microalgae are one of the most eco-friendly and promising raw material sources for the production of biofuel. Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acid are the major components of algal biomass depending upon the species. The present study aimed to determine the lipid extraction and transesterification from Chlorella pyrenoidosa microalgae. Different methods and solvents are used for the disruption of the cell-wall and extraction of lipid content. The methodology involved ultrasonication, microwave digestion, Soxhlet extraction and autoclave while using different solvents as methanol, chloroform, hexane, dichloromethane and heptane. We compared various cell disruption methods to improve lipid extraction yields and the highest lipid extraction yields were obtained using Soxhlet method with hexane. The obtained lipid converted into fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) through transesterification process. The identification of fatty acid was compared by retention time and individual pattern of use from caprylic acid (C8:0) to lignoceric acid (C24:0) in form of methyl ester. The Soxhlet method using methanol and chloroform and FAME analysis showed a highest percentage of palmitic acid (C16:0) and lowest percentage of myristic acid (C14:1).

Comparative Assessment of Head Deposition, Exhaust Gas Temperature and Sound Emission in CI Engine using Blend Fuel

Energy has a significant role in the socio-economic growth for any country. The energy originates from fossil fuels, which are non-renewable and enact an undesirable impact on the environment. Waste cooking oil can be utilized in diesel engine directly. Preheating and trans-esterification process are expensive to convert waste cooking oil into biodiesel. This research aims to replace diesel with waste cooking oil as binary blend and compared with diesel fuel. Engine testing at the constant speed of 1300 rpm at constant load. This study revealed that, addition of waste cooking oil reduced exhaust gas temperature as compared to base line fuel. In case of noise emission, sound level for emulsion fuel DF95WCO5 was reduced compared to DF. In this study, a single-cylinder CI engine was run for 200 hours on two fuel samples: DF (diesel fuel) as the baseline fuel and DF95WCO5 (5% waste cooking oil and 95% DF). During the endurance test, the effects of DF95WCO5 on engine head deposits were studied. According to the investigation's findings, visual inspection of both fuel samples revealed some deposit buildup on injectors. SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and EDX (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) analysis revealed that the engine running with DF95WCO5 formed more carbon deposits on and around the head. It can be concluded that binary emulsion can be used in compression ignition engine without any engine alterations. Consequently, WCO can be proficiently used to reduce detrimental effects and reduce fossil fuel dependency.

A comparative study of diesel engine fueled by Jatropha and Castor biodiesel: Performance, emissions, and sustainability assessment

The increasing scarcity of fossil fuels and environmental concerns have driven the search for sustainable alternatives, such as biodiesel. This study aims to evaluate the performance, emissions, and sustainability of biodiesel derived from Jatropha and Castor seeds when used in diesel engines. Biodiesel production was achieved through the transesterification process, addressing atomization challenges, and enhancing combustion efficiency. The research compared various blends of biodiesel and conventional diesel fuel (B20, B40, and B60) across different engine loads, from no load to full load. Key findings revealed that biodiesel blends exhibited comparable properties to conventional diesel. Jatropha biodiesel showed superior performance and lower emissions compared to Castor biodiesel. The B20 blend consistently demonstrated the best performance and reduced emissions across all engine loads. Specifically, biodiesel resulted in lower brake thermal efficiency (BTE), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrocarbon (HC), and smoke emissions compared to conventional diesel, but higher exhaust gas temperature (EGT), brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC), and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. The increase in NOx emissions was linked to higher EGT, while other emissions were influenced by the biodiesel’s viscosity and cetane number. The study concluded that the B20 blend of Jatropha and Castor biodiesel offers a viable alternative to conventional diesel, reducing CO2 and CO emissions by 22–10 % and increasing NOx emissions by 8 %. These results suggest significant potential for biodiesel to contribute to sustainable transportation, highlighting the importance of optimizing biodiesel blends for improved engine performance and lower environmental impact. These findings highlight the promising potential of Jatropha and Castor biodiesel as substitutes for diesel fuel, indicating advancements in fuel technology.

Assessing the impact of sargassum algae biodiesel blends on energy conversion in a modified single-cylinder diesel engine with a silica-incorporated diamond-like coated piston

ABSTRACT As coal and oil reserves deplete, the world is shifting to alternative fuels and renewable energy. Researchers are exploring a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels for powering automobiles. In this investigation, biodiesel was synthesized from brown marine algae (Sargassum algae) using transesterification process. Silica-incorporated diamond-like coating (DLC) was done on the engine piston by using the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process with flow rate of 7sccm of C2H2. Three different coating thicknesses, such as 50,100, and 150 µm, were employed on the CI engine piston. Mechanical properties such as hardness, wear, and microstructure analysis were investigated. Analysis of mechanical characteristics reveals that pistons with a 100 μm coating have enhanced characteristics compared to those with other pistons. Using a 100 μm silicon coated piston on a single-cylinder Kirloskar engine, four blends (B10, B20, B30, and B40) were compared to neat diesel. At maximum engine load conditions, the B40 blends produced 42 ppm of HC whereas neat diesel with 19 ppm which is 57% higher than diesel and CO emission concentration increased by 4.9% than diesel. Similarly, brake-specific fuel consumption was observed at maximum load conditions for diesel with 0.18 kg/kWh and 0.20 kg/kWh for B10D90 which is 9.54% higher than diesel. As a result, it is critical to recognize the importance of sargassum’s potential for producing sustainable energy toward green globalization.

Bio-hydrogen production from crude glycerol: Optimisation through response surface methodology and artificial neural network approach

Crude glycerol (CG) is the main by-product of biodiesel production from the transesterification of vegetable or animal oils. The CG's high energy content makes it an effective carbon source for bio-hydrogen production. However, the purity of CG derived from the transesterification process may vary due to impurities such as methanol, soap, salt, etc., which influence the hydrogen production yield. The present study investigated the impacts of initial glycerol, methanol, and soap concentration of CG on the hydrogen production by dark fermentation, and the effect of various factors was evaluated and optimised with the response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) approach to maximise the yield of hydrogen production. Both the results of these approaches showed good fitting. The correlation coefficient between actual and predicted values from RSM and ANN models is closer to ∼1, and the lower error shows the applicability of these models. A maximum of 17.67 mmol/L of hydrogen production was obtained via RSM with optimum methanol, soap and glycerol concentrations of 2.75 g/L, 6.07 g/L, and 20.45 g/L, respectively. Besides, the 3-D response surface graphs illustrated the suppressive impact of increased initial concentration of methanol and soap, along with higher initial concentrations of glycerol, on hydrogen production. Further, the outcome of the controlled experiment shows that the presence of impurities (methanol and soap) in glycerol reduces the cumulative hydrogen production by 5 %–17 % compared to the control for over five days.