Ultrasound-assisted Biodiesel Production Research Articles

Optimization of ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production from python fat oil using response surface methodology

Diversification of oil feedstocks for biodiesel production is very necessary to reduce dependence on traditional vegetable oils and animal fats. Therefore, a conventional and ultrasound-assisted single-step transesterification process was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) for biodiesel production from a novel feedstock python fat oil (PFO). Second-order polynomial models of the conventional (CM) and ultrasound-assisted (USM) methods were used to predict the biodiesel yield, and the coefficient of determination (R2) was found to be at 0.9946, and 0.9873, respectively. The optimal biodiesel yield of USM calculated from the model is 99.12% with the following reaction conditions: PFO/methanol ratio of 33.77% wt.%, PFO/KOH ratio of 1.05 wt.%, and reaction time of 128.53 min. Biodiesel yield results under optimal conditions have demonstrated that the regression models are consistent with experimental data. Besides, the biodiesel yield of USM (98.90%) was significantly higher than that of CM (92.73%). In particular, the properties of PFO biodiesel produced under optimal conditions were found to agree with EN 14214 standard specifications. In summary, single-step biodiesel production from the PFO new feedstock with USM can be commendably used to engender and adopt a more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy approach.

Kinetic and optimization study of ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production from waste coconut scum oil using porous CoFe2O4@sulfonated graphene oxide magnetic nanocatalysts: CI engine approach

In this study, CoFe2O4@sulfonated graphene oxide (SGO) heterogeneous nanocatalyst was synthesized and utilized to produce biodiesel from waste coconut scum oil (WCSO). The structural features of CoFe2O4@SGO nanocatalyst were evaluated by SEM, TEM, EDX, FTIR, XRD, CO2/TPD, VSM, and BET analyses. According to these analyses, CoFe2O4@SGO nanocatalyst has high specific surface area, suitable functional groups, and good reactivity. The highest biodiesel yield using CoFe2O4@SGO nanocatalyst in optimal conditions (MeOH/WCSO ratio = 12.41, temperature = 64.73 °C, catalyst concentration = 2.24 %, and ultrasonic time = 33.08 min) was 96.87 %. The yield of biodiesel decreased from 96.91 % to 90.17 % after six reuse cycles, which demonstrates the significant stability of CoFe2O4@SGO nanocatalyst in the transesterification process. After 7 reuse steps, XRD and CO2/TPD analyzes revealed that the catalytic activity and crystallinity of the nanocatalyst were almost retained. The kinetic behavior of biodiesel generation showed that the transesterification reaction is endothermic. Enhancing the concentration of biodiesel in the fuel mix had a positive impact on the reduction of CO and UHC emissions, as well as diesel engine parameters such as cylinder pressure, BP, EGT, BSFC, and BTE. Owing to the high biodiesel yield, significant reusability, and positive impacts on the diesel engine, CoFe2O4@SGO nanocatalyst is recommended for industrial applications.

Stabilization of Eversa® Transform 2.0 lipase with sorbitol to enhance the efficiency of ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production

Ultrasound technology has emerged as a promising tool for enhancing enzymatic biodiesel production, yet the cavitation effect induced can compromise enzyme stability. This study explored the efficiency of polyols in enhancing lipase stability under ultrasound conditions to further improve biodiesel yield. The incorporation of sorbitol resulted in the highest fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) content in the ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production catalyzed by Eversa® Transform 2.0 among the investigated polyols. Furthermore, sorbitol enhanced the stability of the lipase, allowing it to tolerate up to 100 % ultrasound amplitude, compared to 60 % amplitude in its absence. Enzyme activity assays revealed that sorbitol preserved 99 % of the lipase activity, in contrast to 84 % retention observed without sorbitol under an 80 % ultrasound amplitude. Circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence spectroscopy analyses confirmed that sorbitol enhanced lipase rigidity and preserved its conformational structure under ultrasound exposure. Furthermore, employing a stepwise methanol addition strategy in ultrasound-assisted reactions with sorbitol achieved an 81.2 wt% FAME content in 8 h with only 0.2 wt% enzyme concentration. This promising result highlights the potential of sorbitol as a stabilizing agent in ultrasound-assisted enzymatic biodiesel production, offering a viable approach for enhancing biodiesel yield and enzyme stability in industrial applications.

Enhancing efficiency of ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production catalyzed by Eversa® Transform 2.0 at low lipase concentration: Enzyme characterization and process optimization

This study focused on the ultrasound-assisted transesterification of simulated low-quality feedstocks using a low-cost liquid lipase Eversa® Transform 2.0 (ET2). Enzyme characterization was also performed to investigate the effect of ultrasound parameters on enzyme structure. The optimal ultrasound parameters, 40 % amplitude, and 5 % duty cycle effectively enhanced the reaction rate compared to the conventional stirring method while retaining 95 % of the enzyme activity. Analysis of circular dichroism (CD) spectra revealed the preservation of the secondary structure of ET2 under the optimal ultrasound intensities, while fluorescence spectra indicated a slight change in its tertiary structure. The implementation of a two-stage methanol dosing strategy in the ultrasound-assisted reaction effectively mitigated lipase inhibition, yielding a remarkable fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) content of 92.2 % achieved within a 12-h reaction time. Notable, this high FAME content was achieved with only a 4:1 methanol-to-oil molar ratio and a 0.5 wt% enzyme concentration. Under these optimized conditions, the ultrasound-assisted reaction also demonstrated a 15 % improvement in the final FAME content compared to the conventional stirring method. These promising results hold significant potential for advancing the field of biodiesel production via ultrasound technology, contributing substantively to sustainable energy sources.

Surfactant-enhanced ZnOx/CaO catalytic activity for ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production from waste cooking oil

The production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil (WCO) is very important for improvement of the environment and reduction of fossil fuel-based energy consumption.

Process Optimization and Environmental Analysis of Ultrasound-Assisted Biodiesel Production from Pangasius Fat Using CoFe2O4 Catalyst.

This study optimized biodiesel synthesis from Pangasius fat using a Box-Behnken experimental design. The manipulation of key variables included the CoFe2O4 catalyst dosage, the methanol-to-fat molar ratio, and the ultrasonic wave amplitude. We determined optimal conditions for biodiesel synthesis through the central runs, resulting in a remarkable 96.5% yield. The produced biodiesel exhibited diverse fatty acid compositions and met specifications for viscosity, specific gravity, acid value, and iodine value. Furthermore, we conducted a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) to shed light on the environmental implications of the process. The LCA revealed a minimal global warming potential of 0.21 kg CO2 per kg of biodiesel produced, demonstrating the environmental viability of the entire process. These significant findings highlight the promising potential of using Pangasius fat as a sustainable feedstock for biodiesel production. Additionally, they provide valuable insights into developing ecologically friendly energy sources.

Ultrasound-assisted production of biodiesel from field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) seeds: Process optimization and quality evaluation

Biodiesel has been used more and more widely as it is environmentally friendly and sustainable. However, the traditional method of producing biodiesel often suffers from the low yield and high energy consumption. In order to improve the production efficiency of biodiesel, the ultrasound-assisted method was successfully applied to field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) seed oil extraction and biodiesel transesterification in this study. The Box–Behnken design based on response surface methodology was used to optimize the multivariate processes of ultrasound-assisted extraction and transesterification. The optimal extraction conditions were: liquid to solid ratio of 25:1 mL/g, sonication time of 13 min, sonication amplitude of 90%, and extraction temperature of 45 ℃, with the maximal oil yield of 23.31 ± 0.51%. The optimal transesterification conditions were: methanol to oil ratio of 9.50:1 g/g, sonication amplitude of 90%, temperature of 60 °C, catalyst concentration of 1.36 wt%, and sonication time of 2.50 h, with the maximal biodiesel yield of 95.91 ± 0.28%. The seed oil obtained by ultrasound-assisted method and Soxhlet extraction method showed similar yield, fatty acid composition, and thermal stability, but the former had lower acid value, peroxide value, and free fatty acid content, which could be used as a raw material for the production of biodiesel more suitably. Almost all properties of biodiesel produced by ultrasound-assisted transesterification were compatible with those of biodiesel standards. Moreover, the energy consumption of ultrasound-assisted oil extraction and biodiesel production decreased by 94.84% and 55.50%, compared with that of the corresponding traditional procedures, respectively. Overall, ultrasound-assisted extraction of field pennycress seed oil and transesterification to produce biodiesel are efficient and environmentally friendly.

Ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production from Ceiba pentandra oil using Musa spp Nendran banana peduncle derived heterogeneous catalyst

In this work, an agricultural residue, namely Musa spp Nendran banana peduncle ash (NBPA) was evaluated as a heterogeneous catalyst for Ceiba pentandra methyl esters (CPME) production. A two-level process (esterification-transesterification) was adopted and conducted under continuous sonication since the acid value of Ceiba pentandra oil (AV-CPO) was quite high (14 mg of KOH per g oil). FE-SEM, EDX, BET, XRD, and FTIR were used to investigate the chemical and structure properties of the synthesized catalyst. To minimize the AV-CPO, the ultrasound-assisted esterification process was performed using three different esterification strategies and was significantly minimized to ≤1.51 mg of KOH per g oil in 15 min of ultrasonication time with ultrasonic bath operated at a constant frequency of 40 kHz. Finally, 94.62 % CPME conversion was obtained under the conditions of 45 min of ultrasonication time, 10:1 methanol to E-CPO molar ratio, and 2 wt% NBPA concentration.

Reusability and regeneration of solid catalysts used in ultrasound assisted biodiesel production.

Reusability of two heterogeneous catalysts in ultrasound (US) assisted biodiesel production was investigated in comparison to each other. An ultrasound (US) generator (200 W, 20 kHz) equipped with a horn type probe (19 mm) was used. Regeneration experiments were planned according to second order central composite design (CCD) method. After the eighth use of the catalysts, biodiesel yield decreased from 99.1% to 90.4% for calcined calcite (CaO) and from 98.8% to 89.8% for calcined dolomite (CaO.MgO). Furthermore, regeneration of spent catalysts by calcination was investigated; optimum temperature and time were found as 750 °C and 90 min, lower than fresh catalyst preparation conditions. The regenerated catalysts were reused in a second process cycle; biodiesel yield was calculated as 97.2% for CaO and 96.5% for CaO.MgO. Finally, the process showed that calcination is an energetically favorable regeneration process of spent catalysts.

Ultrasonication: a process intensification tool for methyl ester synthesis: a mini review

Process intensification has been a promising tool for efficient energy usage, especially in the production of products that are considered energy sources, such as biodiesel. The very mechanism of ultrasound in aiding the reactions lies in the implosion of cavitation bubbles that generate hot regions with extremely high temperatures that reach as high as thousands of degree Celsius on a microsecond timescale. As biodiesel is emerging as an alternate green fuel or extender for fossil diesel that is apparent from the biodiesel mandates across the globe, sonochemistry technology is sought-after as a tool to produce biofuel in a much efficient way. Research and development in this technology is crucial to keep the biodiesel industry relevant by lowering the production cost, as the cost of production is seen as one of the major obstacles in biodiesel commercialization. In addition, by utilizing process intensification tools, the amount of catalyst and associated issues (abundant wastewater generation and treatment, process cycle time) can be reduced, in turn making the process much greener. Ultrasound not only accelerates the reaction rate but also assists in the miscibility of oil and methanol, thus decreasing the amount of catalyst needed for the reaction. While many articles have been issued on ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production, a comprehensive review on the very topic of ultrasound in biodiesel is somehow missing. This review intends to explore the use of ultrasound in transesterification and esterification reactions to produce methyl esters (biodiesel).

Ultrasound-assisted production of biodiesel using engineered methanol tolerant Proteus vulgaris lipase immobilized on functionalized polysulfone beads

In the present study, Proteus vulgaris lipase (PVL) was engineered using directed evolution to increase methanol tolerance so that it would be more tolerant and efficient for harsh conditions employed in biodiesel synthesis, which is limiting their industrial use. The influence of ultrasound under different experimental conditions on the biodiesel conversion yield using methanolysis of non-edible neem oil was also emphasized. A special attention was also paid to the immobilization of lipase on Polysulfone (PS) beads and comparative studies with industrially used Burkholderia cepacia lipase. The Engineered Proteus vulgaris lipase showed >80% activity after 3 h when incubated in 50% methanol with simultaneous sonication. The lipase retained improved longevity (~70% residual activity) over wild-type PVL over repeated use.

Statističko modelovanje i optimizacija proizvodnje biodizela u prisustvu ultrazvuka primenom različitih eksperimentalnih planova

The present study compares the performances of the regression models developed by the response surface methodology combined with the full factorial, Box-Behnken or face central composite designs applied for the ultrasound-assisted KOH-catalyzed methanolysis of sunflower oil. While all models led to similar optimal reaction conditions, the models based on the simpler designs had the smaller corrected Akaike information criterion values, the insignificant lack of fit and the more favorable statistical criteria than the model based on the full factorial design. Including fewer experiments, the Box-Behnken design can be recommended for the optimization of ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production processes.

Ultrasound–assisted biodiesel production using heterogeneous base catalyst and mixed non–edible oils

In the present study, the ultrasound–assisted biodiesel production from mixed feedstock of non–edible oils in presence of KI impregnated ZnO as a catalyst in batch reactor was investigated. The production was optimized by using two approaches (1) feedstock optimization and (2) process parameters optimization. Various non–edible oils at optimum volumetric ratio were blended and used as feedstock for transesterification reaction. Biodiesel yield was optimized by Box–Behnken statistical design. The maximum triglyceride conversion of 92.35 ± 1.08% was achieved at optimized conditions of catalyst loading = 7% (w/w); alcohol/oil molar ratio = 11.68:1 and reaction temperature = 59 °C. Transesterification process with mechanical agitation was used as base case for identification of role of sonication in the process. The transesterification process was analysed for kinetic behaviour using pseudo first order kinetics and Eley–Rideal mechanism based model. Overall activation energy of transesterification process for mechanically agitated and ultrasound–assisted systems was calculated as 135.4 and 123.65 kJ/mol, respectively. However, the sum of activation energies of three reaction steps of Eley–Rideal mechanism (64.69 kJ/mol and 46.63 kJ/mol, for mechanically agitated and ultrasound–assisted system, respectively) was much lower. This discrepancy is attributed to mass transfer limitations in the system, even in presence of sonication.

Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of biodiesel from peanut oil by using response surface methodology

Biodiesel is a non-toxic and renewable fuel produced by a transesterification reaction between alcohol and vegetable oil. The objective of this paper is to optimize the ultrasound-assisted production of biodiesel. The central composite design method was used to optimize the transesterification reaction conditions of biodiesel production from peanut oil. The independent variables investigated in the course of the experiment include the catalyst concentration, the reaction time, and the ultrasonic amplitude. The reaction was done by employing ultrasound under set conditions of atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature. A statistical model predicted the optimum conversion yield of peanut biodiesel to be 100.00% under the following optimum experimental conditions: ultrasonic amplitude equals 69.7%, catalyst concentration equals 0.88% weight percent catalyst, and reaction time of 39.38 s. Also, such conditions led to obtaining the linear equation for predicting the conversion yield of biodiesel production.

Selection of catalyst and reaction conditions for ultrasound assisted biodiesel production from canola oil

Abstract In this study, the experimental optimization of ultrasound assisted biodiesel production in presence of heterogeneous catalyst was investigated. Three catalysts namely; CaO, calcined dolomite and calcium diglyceroxide (CaDG) were taken into account for comparative purpose. D-optimal experimental plan was applied to obtain regression models which were subsequently used for the detection of optimum process conditions. Maximum biodiesel yields were calculated as 98.7%, 95.9% and 86.3% for CaO, calcined dolomite and CaDG respectively. Furthermore, supplemental experiments were conducted around optimum process conditions to test the validity of the regression models and to refine the optimum results. Finally, in the case of CaO catalyst, maximum biodiesel yield (99.4%) was obtained at the following conditions; catalyst loading: 5.35% (wt.of oil), methanol/oil ratio: 7.48, ultrasonic power: 40 W, time: 150 min, and reaction temperature: 60 °C.

Ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production by a novel composite of Fe(III)-based MOF and phosphotangestic acid as efficient and reusable catalyst

In this work, esterification of oleic acid by various alcohols is achieved with high yields under ultrasonic irradiation. This reaction performed with a novel heterogeneous catalyst that fabricated by heteropoly acid and Fe(III)-based MOF, namely MIL-53 (Fe). Syntheses of MIL-53 and encapsulation process carry out by ultrasound irradiation at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. The prepared composite was characterized by various techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, SEM, BET and ICP that demonstrate excellent catalytic activities, while being highly convenient to synthesize. The obtained results revealed that ultrasound irradiation could be used for the appropriate and rapid biodiesel production.

Ultrasound Assisted Biodiesel Production from Eruca Sativa as an Indigenous Species in Iran

In this study Eruca sativa was used as an industrial and least desirable edible source for biodiesel production. To this aim, fatty acid methyl esters C14, C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, C18:1, C18:1c, C18:2, C18:3c, C18:3, C18:3t, C20, C20:1, C22, C22:1, C24 and C24:1 were determined by Gas Chromatography (GC) and BF 3 method and the results showed that C18:1 has the highest proportion (55.91%) of methyl ester in this oil. Also, kinematic and dynamic viscosity, density, amount of free fatty acids, soap and acid values of Eruca sativa oil were measured as 33.885 (mP.s), 37.06 (mm 2 /s), 0.915 (g/cm 2 ), 0.42%, 187.857 (mg KOH/1gOil) and 1.533 (mg KOH/1gOil), respectively. Biodiesel from Eruca sativa oil was obtained by a basic transesterification method using an ultrasound device under ultrasonic amplitude of 70%, power of 172.32 W, 24 kHz, and 9 min at 45 °C, with methanol/oil ratio of 6 and 1% potassium hydroxide as catalyst. Then, according to the EN and ASTM standards, the quality of biodiesel such as flash point, density at 15 °C, kinematic viscosity at 40 °C, acid value, cetane number, and water content determined as 164 °C, 882 (g/m 3 ), 4.8531 (mm 2 /s), 0.27 (mg KOH/1gOil), 54 and 9.17 (mg/kg), respectively. The effect of fatty acid profile of Eruca Sativa oil on physicochemical properties of methyl ester was profoundly discussed and compared according to the suitable distribution suggested by several studies. The results showed that there is a high performance of methyl ester production (95.61% conversion) from Eruca sativa oil using ultrasound technology.

Reaction conditions of ultrasound-assisted production of biodiesel: A review

Ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production is an emerging technology that features high energy density, high conversion efficiency, and environment friendliness. This review evaluates the influence of process parameters, including ultrasonic power, ultrasonic frequency, catalyst dosage, alcohol/oil ratio, reaction temperature, reaction time, and alcohol type, on the yield of ultrasonic-assisted production of biodiesel. Limitations associated with ultrasonic-assisted production of biodiesel are also analyzed. Further development of this technology is explored. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ultrasound assisted biodiesel production in presence of dolomite catalyst

Ultrasound (US) assisted transesterification of canola oil in presence of heterogeneous catalysts calcined dolomite and CaO was investigated in comparison to each other. An US generator (200W, 20kHz) equipped with an horn type probe (19mm) was used to study the effect of catalyst amount (3–7wt.% of oil), methanol/oil molar ratio (4/1–15/1), ultrasound power (30–50W), temperature (25–60°C) and time (60–120min) on US assisted biodiesel synthesis. Biodiesel yield reached over 97.4% for calcined dolomite at the end of 90min and 95.5% for CaO at the end of 75min. According to the results, US improved the transesterification reaction by reducing necessary time for high biodiesel yield, using calcined dolomite as well CaO as heterogeneous catalyst.

A rapid ultrasound-assisted production of biodiesel from a mixture of Karanj and soybean oil

ABSTRACTKaranj oil having high free fatty acid was neutralized with a dilute alkali solution and then mixed with soybean oil in different ratios in order to reduce the free fatty acid content significantly. The mixture of the oils was then transesterified with methanol to produce fatty acid methyl ester. The transesterification was carried out using ultrasonication energy of 20 kHz in pulse mode. It was found that up to 60% Karanj oil in the blended mixture could produce good quality biodiesel that met the ASTM standards. However, the lesser content of Karanj oil in the mixture, the lesser the reaction parameters viz. alcohol to oil molar ratio, catalyst concentration, and reaction time. About 99% yield of methyl esters was obtained when the Karanj oil content in the mixture was 20% with a reaction time of 30 min, catalyst concentration 1 wt%, and a temperature of 55°C.