Catalytic flash pyrolysis of Scenedesmus sp. post-extraction residue using low-cost HZSM-5 catalyst with the perspective to produce renewable aromatic hydrocarbons.

Recovering renewable chemicals from de-fatted microalgal residue derived from lipid extraction within the algal-derived biofuel sector is crucial, given the rising significance of microalgal-derived biodiesel as a potential substitute for petroleum-based liquid fuels. As a circular economy strategy, effective valorization of de-fatted biomass significantly improves the energetic and economic facets of establishing a sustainable algal-derived biofuel industry. In this scenario, this study investigates flash catalytic pyrolysis as a sustainable pathway for valorizing Scenedesmus sp. post-extraction residue (SPR), potentially yielding a bio-oil enriched with upgraded characteristics, especially renewable aromatic hydrocarbons. In the scope of this study, volatile products from catalytic and non-catalytic flash pyrolysis were characterized using a micro-furnace type temperature programmable pyrolyzer coupled with gas chromatographic separation and mass spectrometry detection (Py-GC/MS). Flash pyrolysis of SPR resulted in volatile products with elevated oxygen and nitrogen compounds with concentrations of 46.4% and 26.4%, respectively. In contrast, flash pyrolysis of lyophilized microalgal biomass resulted in lower concentrations of these compounds, with 40.9% oxygen and 17.3% nitrogen. Upgrading volatile pyrolysis products from SPR led to volatile products comprised of only hydrocarbons, while completely removing oxygen and nitrogen-containing compounds. This was achieved by utilizing a low-cost HZSM-5 catalyst within a catalytic bed at 500 °C. Catalytic experiments also indicate the potential conversion of SPR into a bio-oil rich in monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, primarily BETX, with toluene comprising over one-third of its composition, thus presenting a sustainable pathway for producing an aromatic hydrocarbon-rich bio-oil derived from SPR. Another significant finding was that 97.8% of the hydrocarbon fraction fell within the gasoline range (C5-C12), and 35.5% fell within the jet fuel range (C8-C16). Thus, flash catalytic pyrolysis of SPR exhibits significant promise for application in drop-in biofuel production, including green gasoline and bio-jet fuel, aligning with the principles of the circular economy, green chemistry, and bio-refinery.

Optimization and screening of process parameters for the robust co-pyrolytic study of waste motor oil and rice stubble toward sustainable waste-to-fuel generation.

The current study explores the co-pyrolysis of waste motor oil (WMO) and rice stubble in a designed lab-scale pyrolyzer to produce alternative energy fuels. The parameter screening was followed by optimization utilizing the Box-Behnken design (BBD). Reactor temperature (TR), mixing ratio (M), and holding time (t) affected the co-pyro-oil yield substantially. A maximum co-pyro-oil yield of 90.3% was achieved at a TR = 485 °C, t = 12.5 min, and M = 5% rice stubble to waste motor oil, which was further characterized and compared with the commercial diesel fuel properties. The highest research octane number of 76.15 was obtained for the co-pyro-oil (Co-PO), followed by the pyro-oil generated from only waste motor oil (POWMO). Consequently, the paraffin content increased to 64.34 wt% from 27.66 wt % for PO RS. The carbon number varied from C7-C17 for PO WMO and Co-Po, aligning with the diesel fuel requirements. Furthermore, a substantial enrichment in the physio-chemical properties of the produced Co-PO with reduced moisture content and enhancement in higher heating value (HHV) was also noticed. Hence, the generated Co-PO could be utilized as transport-grade fuel.

An integrated approach for wastewater treatment and algae cultivation: Nutrient removal analysis, biodiesel extraction, and energy and environmental metrics enhancement.

Human urine is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, and the presence of these elements in wastewater significantly disrupts the biogeochemical cycle. Meanwhile, green algal biomass cultivation is unfeasible without these nutrients. Hence, the present study integrates wastewater treatment and algae cultivation to extract biodiesel and improve its performance through fuel modification. Chlorella vulgaris algae was cultivated in different dilution ratios of water and urine, and the nutrient removal rate was analyzed. Chlorella vulgaris algae biodiesel (CAB) was derived through Bligh and Dyer's method followed by transesterification, and its functional and elemental groups were analyzed. The various volume concentrations of CAB were blended with regular diesel fuel (RDF), and 10% water was added to a 30% CAB blended RDF to evaluate the combustion performance and environmental impacts. The results of the experiments demonstrated that the algae cultivation effectively removed the wastewater nutrients. The functional and elemental groups of CAB are identical to those of RDF. The engine characteristics of test fuels report that the CAB-blend RDF fuel mixtures generate low carbon footprints, whereas negative impacts have been drawn for performance metrics and oxides of nitrogen emissions. The water-emulsified fuel outweighed the unfavorable effects and promoted more efficient and cleaner combustion.

The content and composition of organic compounds in the bottom sediments of the Norilsk-Pyasina water system one year after the accidental spill of diesel fuel.

One year after the emergency diesel fuel spill in Norilsk, hydrocarbon concentrations in bottom sediments of the Norilsk-Pyasina water system decreased. However the average concentrations of hydrocarbons in surface sediments decreased in the same sequence (µg/g) as in 2020: the mouth of the Ambarnaya R. (835, σ = 1788) > Bezymyanny Cr.-the Daldykan R.-the Ambarnaya R. (306, σ = 273) > the Pyasina R. (23, σ = 20) > the Pyasino Lake (12, σ = 8). Concentrations decreased due to degradation of low molecular weight hydrocarbons. The content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in 2021 also changed in a smaller range (0-1027 ng/g) than in 2020 (0-3865 ng/g). Petroleum origin of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the sediments of the Ambarnaya R. (including the mouth), Bezymyanny Cr. and the Daldykan R. is confirmed by the dominance of alkylated naphthalene homologues in their composition. Hydrocarbons accumulation in some layers of the sedimentary column is caused not only by the spill of diesel fuel, but also by the organic matter from the surrounding swamps, from wetlands and floodplain lakes, as well as by the burial of the surface layer by the 2021 flood.

Reducing the negative impact of accidents associated with the release of dangerous substances to environment.

Background: The article is concerned with an evaluation of the current state of emergency readiness of industrial companies in the event of dangerous substance leakage and with a presentation of textile sorbents used for the purposes of capturing an escaped substance. Methods: A part of the article is concerned with the experimental designation of sorption capacity of hydrophobic, chemical, and universal sorption mats for chosen polar (water and alcohol) and non-polar (oil and gasoline) liquids. Experiments were realized according to Standard Test Method for Sorbent Performance of Adsorbents for use on Crude Oil and Related Spills, American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM F726-17), type I. and Test methods for non-woven fabrics, European Union International Organization for Standardization (EN ISO 9073-6:2004). The aim of the article is an experimental designation of sorption capacity of textile sorption mats using two different methods, a comparison of the acquired results and a comparison of the acquired data with the data given by the manufacturer. Results: Textile sorbents, which can, owing to their sorption ability, allow the elimination or mitigation of a negative impact of a possible accident in the company connected with an escape of a liquid dangerous substance were tested and compared with the established values. Based on the obtained results it is possible to state that sorption capacities of the chemical and universal mat for the substrate water are equal and consistent with the data given by the manufacturer. Textile sorption mats also have a comparable sorption capacity. The sorption capacity on the substrate gasoline is the same in all textile sorbents. The adsorption capacity per unit mass all type's sorbents was similar for non-polar liquids (gasoline was values from 6.41 to 6.57 and oil was values from 9.54 to 10.24). Conclusion: The acquired results confirmed the universality of textile sorption mats for gasoline. Sorption capacities of the chemical and universal mat for the substrate water are equal and match the data given by the manufacturer. Textile sorption mats have a maximum sorption output up to 60 s, afterwards the sorption capacity values remain unchanged.

Modelling the role of energy price movements toward economic stability in Malaysia: new evidence from wavelet-based analysis.

Energy is one of the prime factors in influencing the sustainable development of a country. Different energy sources play important roles in driving the income growth of different economic sectors such as industrial, agricultural, and services. Fossil fuels, however, have come under strong criticism for actively accelerating climate change. As such, it is imperative to investigate the contributions of various energy sources toward sustainable growth. With Malaysia as the test-bed, the present study analyzes the impact of energy prices on economic stability using the novel wavelet-based analysis. Specifically, the study analyzed the impact of crude oil, natural gas, and gasoline prices on the economic (brown) and green growth from 1995 to 2020. The results show that in continuous wavelet transform, the cone of influence of all five factors exhibits strong short-run variance and fluctuations from 2005 to 2013. However, the intensity of brown growth is more influential than green growth. Similarly, in wavelet coherence graphs, the downward right arrows indicate positively significant associations between crude oil prices, natural gas prices, and gasoline prices with brown and green growth. Additionally, wavelet-based Granger causality reveals a bidirectional causal relationship between all variables. The results thus strongly suggest that energy prices predominantly affect the economic (brown) and green growth progression of the Malaysian economy. The study concludes with some suggested implications to augment the country's sustainable growth.

Optimization of biodiesel production, engine exhaust emissions, and vibration diagnosis using a combined approach of definitive screening design (DSD) and artificial neural network (ANN).

In this study, definitive screening design (DSD) optimization and artificial neural network (ANN) modelling techniques are applied for the production of palm oil biodiesel (POBD). These techniques are implemented to examine the vital contributing factors in achieving maximum POBD yield. For this purpose, seventeen experiments are conducted randomly by varying the four contributing factors. The results of DSD optimization reveal that a biodiesel yield of 96.06% is achieved. Also, the experimental results are trained in ANN for predicting the biodiesel yield. The results proved that the prediction capability of ANN is superior, with a high correlation coefficient (R2) and low mean square error (MSE). Furthermore, the obtained POBD is characterized by significant fuel properties and fatty acid compositions and observed within the standards (ASTM-D675). Finally, the neat POBD is examined for exhaust emissions and engine cylinder vibration analysis. The emissions results confirm a significant drop in NOx (32.46%), HC (40.57%), CO (44.44%), and exhaust smoke (39.65%) compared to diesel fuel at 100% load. Likewise, the engine cylinder vibration measured on top of the cylinder head reveals a low spectral density with low amplitude vibrations observed for POBD at measured loads.

Effect of green fuel and green lubricant with metallic nanoparticles on emissions of HC, CO, NOx, and smoke for a compression ignition engine.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are imperative from the point of view of protecting the environment by employing sustainable options. Considerable research has been carried out in the transportation sector to meet this objective. Here, the influence is assessed of epoxidised gingelly oil methyl ester biolubricant with alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles on the performance and emissions of a single cylinder 0.66-L capacity direct injection compression ignition engine driven by gingelly B20 biodiesel. Engine tests are carried out with gingelly B20 biodiesel as a fuel, and gingelly methyl ester (B100), epoxidised gingelly methyl ester (B100E), and epoxidised gingelly methyl ester (B100E) mixed with 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% w/w alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles as the lubricant combinations. The results are compared with baseline B20 biodiesel fuel-mineral lubricant operation. The findings indicate that brake thermal efficiency increases by 8.64% for epoxidised gingelly methyl ester (B100E) with 1.0% w/w alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticle biolubricant in comparison to baseline operation. Considerable reductions in emissions are detected; specifically, reductions of 52.4%, 22.0%, 20.0%, and 34.9%, respectively, are observed for CO, NOx, and HC concentrations and smoke opacity for the abovementioned combination as compared to baseline operation. The present work suggests that further research is merited on green fuel-green lubricant combinations. The findings of this study address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 and 13.

Physical properties and structural characteristics of particulate matter emitted from a diesel engine fueled with biodiesel blends.

This research explores the influence of renewable fuels, including three kinds of biodiesel along with ethanol on the physical properties and structural characteristics of particulate matter (PM) emitted from a diesel engine in comparison with pure diesel. After adding 10 vol% of grape seed biodiesel, coffee biodiesel and eucalyptus oil into diesel, three biodiesel blended fuels (10% grape seed biodiesel (DGs10), 10% spent coffee ground biodiesel (DC10) and eucalyptus oil biodiesel (DEu10)) were produced and tested in this study. Besides, one ethanol blend containing 9 vol% of ethanol and 1 vol% of biodiesel (blend stabilizer) was also tested to do the comparison. In the present study, scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were employed for analyzing the microstructure, nanostructure and electron diffraction pattern of PM. Raman spectrometer (RS) was also used for the analysis of structural characterization of PM. In addition, several experimental instruments like microbalance, measuring cup, viscometer, oxygen bomb calorimeter and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) were employed to detect the fuel properties, including density, heating value, viscosity, composition and cetane number. A conclusion can be drawn that both biodiesel blends and ethanol blend have a changing effect on the PM properties compared to pure diesel, where biodiesel blends have a slightly weaker influence than ethanol blend. Regarding the biodiesel blends, DGs10 has more impact than DC10 and DEu10 in changes of PM properties, particularly in the reduction of PM mass, making it a good candidate for renewable fuel for diesel engines.

Concentrations of volatile organic compounds in vehicular cabin air - Implications to commuter exposure.

In this study, 117 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified and quantified inside passenger cars and buses operating city and intercity routes. The paper presents data for 90 compounds with frequency of detection equal or greater than 50% that belong to various chemical classes. Total VOC concentration (TVOCs) was dominated by alkanes followed by organic acids, alkenes, aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, aldehydes, sulfides, amines, and phenols, mercaptans, thiophenes. VOCs concentrations were compared between different vehicle types (passenger cars - city buses - intercity buses), fuel type (gasoline - diesel - liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)), and ventilation type (air condition - air recirculation). TVOCs, alkanes, organic acids and sulfides followed the order: diesel cars > LPG cars > gasoline cars. On the contrary, for mercaptans, aromatics, aldehydes, ketones, and phenols the order was: LPG cars > diesel cars > gasoline cars. Excepting ketones that were found to be higher in LPG cars with air recirculation mode, most compounds were higher with exterior air ventilation in both, gasoline cars and diesel buses. Odor pollution, expressed by the odor activity value (OAV) of VOCs, was highest in LPG cars and minimum in gasoline cars. In all vehicle types, mercaptans and aldehydes were the major contributors to odor pollution of the cabin air with lower contributions from organic acids. The total Hazard Quotient (THQ) was less than 1 for bus and car drivers and passengers indicating that adverse health effects are not likely to occur. Cancer risk from the three VOCs following the order naphthalene > benzene > ethylbenzene. For the three VOCs the total carcinogenic risk was within the safe range. The results of this study expand our knowledge of in-vehicle air quality under real commuting conditions and give an insight into the commuters' exposure levels during their normal travel journey.

Ex situ bioremediation of diesel fuel-contaminated soil in two different climates.

The petroleum industry is often faced with accidental spills and discharges that pollute valuable natural resources such as soil. The purpose of this study was to assess bioremediation potential of an on-site landfarming unit (LU), a highly economical solution that complies with the zero-waste policy, for bioremediation of the contaminated soil after an actual diesel fuel leakage in a fuel depot. The first aim was to evaluate the effects of different climates on hydrocarbon bioremediation. For this reason, a part of the contaminated soil was moved from the initial location with a sub-Mediterranean climate to an LU at another location with a temperate continental climate. Our results demonstrated that remediation in sub-Mediterranean climate is less effective than the remediation in a temperate continental climate. The second aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different plant species on the microbial population during bioremediation. For that purpose, 365-day monitoring of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) was performed. Our results support the hypothesis that plant-assisted bioremediation can diminish toxic effects of diesel-polluted soil and that the changes in plant species during bioremediation cause changes in the microbial population.

The main objective of this study was to implement a landfarming bioremediation technique after an actual diesel fuel pollution in the sub-Mediterranean climate and diminish toxic effects of pollutants in soil. Since soil bioremediation is performed by soil microorganisms, their communities are primarily affected by the growing vegetation and climatic conditions. For future bioremediation strategies or ex situ approaches, it is crucial to assess the influence of a specific climate on the degradation rate of hydrocarbons in soil and select the most efficient plant species for this purpose.

Bio-catalytic degradation of dibenzothiophene (DBT) in petroleum distillate (diesel) by Pseudomonas spp.

Biodesulfurization (BDS) was employed in this study to degrade dibenzothiophene (DBT) which accounts for 70% of the sulfur compounds in diesel using a synthetic and typical South African diesel in the aqueous and biphasic medium. Two Pseudomonas sp. bacteria namely Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida were used as biocatalysts. The desulfurization pathways of DBT by the two bacteria were determined by gas chromatography (GC)/mass spectrometry (MS) and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Both organisms were found to produce 2-hydroxy biphenyl, the desulfurized product of DBT. Results showed BDS performance of 67.53% and 50.02%, by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida, respectively for 500 ppm initial DBT concentration. In order to study the desulfurization of diesel oils obtained from an oil refinery, resting cells studies by Pseudomonas aeruginosa were carried out which showed a decrease of about 30% and 70.54% DBT removal for 5200 ppm in hydrodesulfurization (HDS) feed diesel and 120 ppm in HDS outlet diesel, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida selectively degraded DBT to form 2-HBP. Application of these bacteria for the desulfurization of diesel showed promising potential for decreasing the sulfur content of South African diesel oil.

Performance, combustion and emission characteristics of a diesel engine fuelled with diesel fuel + corn oil + alcohol ternary blends.

A blend of diesel fuel and corn oil in the ratio of 80:20 (v/v) is prepared. 1-butanol and 1-pentanol are mixed separately with the binary blend in different ratios (4:96, 7:93, and 10:90 v/v) to prepare ternary blends. Pure diesel fuel and ternary blends are tested at various engine speeds (1000-2500 rpm) and at full throttle position. A regression model and its trigonometric Fourier series are proposed to represent the variation of in-cylinder pressure vs. crank angle measured by the author. The regression model and its Fourier series are compared to the Gaussian function of second-order using the in-cylinder pressure data measured by the author and different authors. On average, the ternary blends have lower brake effective efficiency (0.7347 [Formula: see text]-4.0553 [Formula: see text]) and peak heat release rate (5.1113 [Formula: see text]-6.3083 [Formula: see text]), compared to diesel fuel. On average, the ternary blends have a shorter combustion duration (0.4045 [Formula: see text]-7.0236 [Formula: see text]) and longer ignition delay (8.3635 [Formula: see text]-13.9110 [Formula: see text]) relative to diesel fuel. The ternary blends produce lower CO (8.4769 [Formula: see text]-13.1598 [Formula: see text]), HC (30.0073 [Formula: see text]-36.2523 [Formula: see text]), and smoke (4.8566 [Formula: see text]-7.4181 [Formula: see text]) emissions while higher NOX (3.2691 [Formula: see text]-10.8795 [Formula: see text]) emission. The estimated values from the proposed regression model and its Fourier series coincide quite well with in-cylinder pressure data measured by the author and different authors.

Environment impact assessment of agricultural diesel engines utilizing biodiesel derived from phoenix sylvestris oil.

Uncontrolled emissions, massive price increases, and other factors encourage searching for a suitable diesel engine fuel alternative. In its processed form, vegetable oil biodiesel is an appealing green alternative fuel for compression ignition engines. Vegetable oil esters have qualities comparable to those of standard diesel fuel. As a result, biodiesel may be utilized to run a diesel engine without any further alterations. This article analyses the potential of Phoenix sylvestris oil, which may be found in forest belts across the globe, as a viable feedstock for biodiesel extraction. Phoenix sylvestris oil is found to be abundant in different forest belts worldwide. The free fatty acid must first be transformed into esters using catalytic acid esterification before proceeding to alkaline catalytic esterification. The molar ratio (6:1), catalyst concentration (1 wt%), reaction temperature (60 °C), and reaction time (2 h) have all been optimized for biodiesel extraction. Biodiesel produced had characteristics that were similar to standard biodiesel specifications. The biodiesel yield from Phoenix sylvestris oil was 92.3% under optimum conditions. The experimental results revealed that the Phoenix sylvestris oil biodiesel performed better than neat Phoenix sylvestris oil and its blends. Phoenix sylvestris oil blend produced better brake thermal efficiency with lower smoke, hydrocarbon, and CO emissions. The biodiesel produced from non-edible Phoenix sylvestris oil has the potential to be employed as a viable alternative to diesel fuel.

Evaluation of Bacillus subtilis as a Tool for Biodegrading Diesel Oil and Gasoline in Experimentally Contaminated Water and Soil.

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) are toxic petroleum hydrocarbons pollutants that can affect the central nervous system and even cause cancer. For that reason, studies regarding BTEX degradation are extremely important. Our study aimed evaluate the microorganism Bacillus subtilis as a tool for degrading petroleum hydrocarbons pollutants. Assays were run utilizing water or soil distinctly contaminated with gasoline and diesel oil, with and without B. subtilis. The ability of B. subtilis to degrade hydrophobic compounds was analyzed by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography. The FTIR results indicated, for water assays, that B. subtilis utilized the gasoline and diesel oil to produce the biosurfactant, and, as a consequence, performed a biodegradation process. In the same way, for soil assay, B. subtilis biodegraded the diesel oil. The gas chromatography results indicated, for gasoline in soil assay, the B. subtilis removed BTEX. So, B. subtilis was capable of degrading BTEX, producing biosurfactant and it can also be used for other industrial applications. Bioremediation can be an efficient, economical, and versatile alternative for BTEX contamination.

The bio-adsorption competence of tailor made lemon grass adsorbents on oils: An in-vitro approach.

The oil contamination in aquatic system is considered as most serious environmental issues and identifying a suitable ecofriendly solution for this oil pollution management is critical. Hence, this research was designed to evaluate the oils (petrol, diesel, engine oil, and crude oil) adsorptive features through raw lemon grass adsorbent, physically/chemically treated adsorbents. Initially, such raw and treated adsorbents were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. These characterization techniques revealed that the lemon grass adsorbent had considerable level of pollutant adsorption potentials owing to porous morphological structure, active functional groups and pollutants interaction with chemical elements. The physically treated adsorbent exhibited better adsorption characteristics than others. Accordingly, the petrol adsorption potential of raw adsorbent, physically treated and chemically treated ones was discovered as their weight incremented up to 2.0, 3.0, and 1.5 times their initial weight, respectively. Similarly, the weight of raw form, physically and chemically treated ones on diesel had increased significantly, up to 2.5 times, 4.0 times, and 2.0 times, respectively. It was evaluated that the weight of these tested adsorbents on engine oil incremented by 3.5, 5.0, and 3.0 times their initial weight, while on crude oil these incremented by 4.0, 6.0, and 4.0 times their initial weight respectively. When the media are compared, it's indeed evident about absorption which is preferred as follows: Crude oil, engine oil, diesel, and petrol. The physically treated lemon grass adsorbent showed maximum adsorption and retention potential than others. The kinetic study reveals that the pseudo second order kinetics is the best fit for the adsorption of oil with R2 value of 0.99.

Techno-economic assessment of hydrotreated vegetable oil as a renewable fuel from waste sludge palm oil.

To date, the development of renewable fuels has become a normal phenomenon to solve the problem of diesel fuel emissions and the scarcity of fossil fuels. Biodiesel production has some limitations, such as two-step processes requiring high free fatty acids (FFAs), oil feedstocks and gum formation. Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is a newly developed international renewable diesel that uses renewable feedstocks via the hydrotreatment process. Unlike FAME, FFAs percentage doesn't affect the HVO production and sustains a higher yield. The improved characteristics of HVO, such as a higher cetane value, better cold flow properties, lower emissions and excellent oxidation stability for storage, stand out from FAME biodiesel. Moreover, HVO is a hydrocarbon without oxygen content, but FAME is an ester with 11% oxygen content which makes it differ in oxidation stability. Waste sludge palm oil (SPO), an abundant non-edible industrial waste, was reused and selected as the feedstock for HVO production. Techno-economical and energy analyses were conducted for HVO production using Aspen HYSYS with a plant capacity of 25,000 kg/h. Alternatively, hydrogen has been recycled to reduce the hydrogen feed. With a capital investment of RM 65.86 million and an annual production cost of RM 332.56 million, the base case of the SPO-HVO production process was more desirable after consideration of all economic indicators and HVO purity. The base case of SPO-HVO production could achieve a return on investment (ROI) of 89.03% with a payback period (PBP) of 1.68 years. The SPO-HVO production in this study has observed a reduction in the primary greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO2) emission by up to 90% and the total annual production cost by nearly RM 450 million. Therefore, SPO-HVO production is a potential and alternative process to produce biobased diesel fuels with waste oil.

Biodiesel feedstock determines exhaust toxicity in 20% biodiesel: 80% mineral diesel blends.

To address climate change concerns, and reduce the carbon footprint caused by fossil fuel use, it is likely that blend ratios of renewable biodiesel with commercial mineral diesel fuel will steadily increase, resulting in biodiesel use becoming more widespread. Exhaust toxicity of unblended biodiesels changes depending on feedstock type, however the effect of feedstock on blended fuels is less well known. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of biodiesel feedstock on exhaust toxicity of 20% blended biodiesel fuels (B20). Primary human airway epithelial cells were exposed to exhaust diluted 1/15 with air from an engine running on conventional ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) or 20% blends of soy, canola, waste cooking oil (WCO), tallow, palm or cottonseed biodiesel in diesel. Physico-chemical exhaust properties were compared between fuels and the post-exposure effect of exhaust on cellular viability and media release was assessed 24 h later. Exhaust properties changed significantly between all fuels with cottonseed B20 being the most different to both ULSD and its respective unblended biodiesel. Exposure to palm B20 resulted in significantly decreased cellular viability (96.3 ± 1.7%; p < 0.01) whereas exposure to soy B20 generated the greatest number of changes in mediator release (including IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α, p < 0.05) when compared to air exposed controls, with palm B20 and tallow B20 closely following. In contrast, canola B20 and WCO B20 were the least toxic with only mediators G-CSF and TNF-α being significantly increased. Therefore, exposure to palm B20, soy B20 and tallow B20 were found to be the most toxic and exposure to canola B20 and WCO B20 the least. The top three most toxic and the bottom three least toxic B20 fuels are consistent with their unblended counterparts, suggesting that feedstock type greatly impacts exhaust toxicity, even when biodiesel only comprises 20% of the fuel.

An experimental investigation on the effects of magnesia and alumina nano additives on the exhaust emissions and performance of CI engine using spirulina microalgae biodiesel.

The need for non-renewable fuels is steadily decreasing with their ever-increasing cost and air pollution. As a result, renewable fuel such as biofuel is used as a fuel substitute for diesel engines. The effects of magnesia and alumina nanoparticles on the exhaust pollutants and performance of a naturally aspirated, 17.5 compression ratio, 4-stroke CI engine operating on spirulina microalgae biodiesel, and its amalgams were explored. Oxides of nitrogen, thermal efficiency, carbon dioxide, fuel consumption, and hydrocarbons were among the attributes studied. Test outcomes revealed that the doping of magnesia and alumina nano additives in spirulina biodiesel resulted in increased thermal efficiency and oxides of nitrogen, succeeded by a decrease in fuel consumption and hydrocarbons, at all loads, compared to amalgams without nano additives. At maximum load, the increase in thermal efficiency and oxides of nitrogen was found to be 1.15 and 1.46% with nano magnesia-doped blends when compared to corresponding spirulina blends. On the other, hand when nano alumina is doped in spirulina amalgams, the increase in thermal efficiency and oxides of nitrogen was observed to be 0.82 and 0.97%, respectively. Similarly, fuel consumption and hydrocarbons were reduced by 1.02 and 9.52%, 1.014, and 7.66%%, respectively, for magnesia and alumina-enriched biodiesel, contrasted to that of biodiesel blends.

Attempt to mitigate marine engine emissions with improved performance by the investigation of alcohol inclusion in sunflower biodiesel-sunflower oil-diesel blend.

The quaternary blends (diesel-biodiesel-vegetable oil-alcohol) offer enormous potential for reducing fossil fuel usage and mitigating air pollution caused by marine diesel engines. Biodiesel and alcohol are alternate fuels possessing high oxygen content, ensuring clean combustion. Vegetable oil is beneficial in saving diesel contribution and increasing engine lubrication. The objective of the present work was to reduce the dependency on conventional diesel and to come up with cleaner fuel that can also improve engine performance. This experimental work aims to lower exhaust emissions by fueling a single-cylinder, four-stroke direct-injection diesel engine with novel quaternary blends comprising diesel (50%), sunflower biodiesel (25%), sunflower oil (5%), and alcohol (20%). In order to develop cleaner fuel than diesel, different quaternary blends were prepared by varying the length of the carbon chain of alcohols in the blends, namely, DBOEth20, DBOProp20, DBOBut20, DBOHep20, and DBODec20. The performance emissions of quaternary blends were tested at varied engine loads from 5 to 20 Nm (full load), while engine speed was fixed at 1800 rpm. The results indicate that DBOProp20 resulted in the lowest fuel consumption and highest thermal efficiency. DBOProp20 reduced CO2, NOx, and smoke emissions by 19.6%, 9.9%, and 85.7%, as compared to diesel. However, DBODec20 succeed in mitigating CO emission by 41.37% at 100% load. DBOBut20 proved to be most promising in reducing UHC emission by a maximum of 71.69% at 100% load. The highest BTE of 10.98% with lowest BSFC of 13.04% was recorded for DBOProp20 at 100% engine load, in comparison to pure diesel.