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Currently, energy poses the most formidable problem globally. Biodiesel has emerged as a viable option for in-depth investigation due to its renewable nature, biodegradability, and reduced emissions. Biodiesel offers potential threats, including low combustion efficiency and high viscosity, which can be managed by enriching hydrogen and fuel additives. Using biocompatible nanoparticles can significantly mitigate the detrimental outcome of metal-enriched nanoparticles on living species. The current study synthesized novel biodegradable silica nanoparticles using waste incense stick ash using a calcination process. The silica nanoparticles were examined using several approaches such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The EDX analysis confirms the synthesized nanoparticles contain silicon (41.91%), oxygen (70.23%), and a small percentage of other elements like potassium (0.43%) and calcium (0.23%). The various concentrations (50, 75, 100, 125, and 150 ppm) of silica nanoparticles were dispersed into B20 (diesel with 20% biodiesel) using a probe sonicator. Hydrogen is supplied to the engine cylinder through the intake manifold, maintaining a constant flow rate of 10 lpm. The finding indicated that the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) improves by 15.58% for hydrogen-enriched B20 fuel blend and 100 ppm nanoparticles (B20HN100). The B20HN100 fuel sample contributes to a significant reduction in harmful emissions. [Display omitted] • A biocompatible silica nanoparticle was prepared using incense stick ash. • Karanja oil biodiesel, diesel, H 2 , and nanoparticles (50,75,100,125, and 150 ppm) are used to run the engine. • Hydrogen at a constant flow rate of 10 lpm was supplied through the intake manifold. • The BTE is improved by 15.58% for the B20HN100 fuel sample. • CO and HC decreased by 41.18 % and 31% for the B20HN100 fuel sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofuel is an alternative fuel for diesel engines which is necessary to reduce exhaust emissions and helps to balance the depletion of fossil fuels. This study details the synthesis of bio-diesel and bio-oil from stone apple seeds (Aegle marmelos) through transesterification, direct oxygenate additive, and pyrolysis processes. The diesel engine is powered by the resulting stone apple methyl ester bio-diesel/diesel and bio-oil/diesel mixtures. In a test engine rig, the effectiveness and emission uniqueness of test fuel mixes were examined at various engine loads (EL = 3 kg–12 kg) and compression ratios (CR = 16–17.5) while maintaining a steady speed of 1500 r/min. Furthermore, engine performance and emissions for bio-diesel and bio-oil are measured and compared. The oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emission by bio-diesel and bio-oil opus were higher than neat diesel (FD). Also, carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions were measured to be lower. The improvements of BTE by 4.87% and decrement of CO by 18.8%, HC by 13.26% were observed with the trans-esterified bio-diesel/diesel opus compared to diesel at a higher CR and rated load conditions. The engine analysis responses revealed that the FBD blend showed enhanced performance and lower emissions except NOx compared to diesel fuel. Hence, trans-esterified bio-diesel is a greater diesel alternative than FBDE and FBO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed to demonstrate that a simple modification to the previously developed rough hard-sphere-chain (RHSC) model would significantly improve the accuracy of that model for viscosities of fatty acid esters and biodiesel fuels at extended pressures up to 200 MPa and higher isotherms. The new finding of this work is the temperature dependence of the exponential factor of the roughness factor (RF) of the earlier RHSC model as the accuracy of the original model (with an average absolute relative deviation, AARD of 8.29 % for 715 data points examined) was significantly improved achieving the AARD of 3.77 % once a universal function of reduced temperature replaced the original exponential factor of 6.4 × 10−4 for RF. Besides, the predictive capability of the modified RHSC model has been compared with original RHSC model and several previously developed semi-empirical models based on friction theory and free volume theory in literature. Expanding AARD on the progress in deep learning, our research introduces Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model that is simpler than previous models while maintaining high viscosity correlation accuracy for fatty acid esters and biodiesel fuels. The refined ANN model, with a single hidden layer and sigmoid activation function, achieved an AARD% of 0.78 %. Additionally, we conducted a thorough comparison with other deep learning architectures, affirming the effectiveness of our simplified approach for viscosity correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating global demand for oil, coupled with declining fossil fuel production, prompts the urgent exploration of renewable alternatives. To address this challenge, researchers are actively seeking environmentally friendly fuels like biodiesel. Among potential feedstocks, oil that is produced from salmon smoking process during industry emerges as a promising option. Smoked salmon oil could be a challenge when producing biodiesel due to its high content of omega-3 compounds. Using homogenous commercial catalyst from alkali to achieve the highest yield from salmon smoking oil was the aim of the current study. A Box–Behnken design and response surface methodology in Design Expert software (version 13) was used to study the effect of four main factors on the biodiesel yield from salmon smoking oil. The optimum biodiesel values were 70°C, 90 min, 0.753 wt.%, and 20 wt.% for temperature, reaction time, sodium hydroxide concentration, and methanol concentration, respectively. At these optimum values, the highest biodiesel production was 92.0% with fatty acid methyl ester contents of 83.4% and conversion efficiency of 77%. Thin-layer chromatography and thermal gravimetric analysis confirmed the successful production of biodiesel at optimized conditions. Using Aspen Plus simulation software confirmed the cost-effectiveness of the homogenous catalyst used for enhancing biodiesel production from salmon smoking oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi-component blend of highly volatile ethanol with low volatile hydrogenated biodiesel and diesel is the subject of study. The internal vapor bubble dynamics and evaporation characteristics of individual droplets at high temperatures were investigated. The evaporation characteristics of droplet normalized square diameter and droplet lifetime of the blends of hydrogenated biodiesel, ethanol, and diesel were captured by means of the hanging droplet method and high-speed microscopic imaging in a constant temperature heating furnace. It is revealed that the rise in ambient temperature contributes to increasing the evaporation rate of fuel droplets and intensifies the micro explosion during evaporation and shortens the evaporation of droplets to a certain extent; Compared to diesel, the inhibition effect of evaporation is stronger with the increase of hydrogenated biodiesel in binary fuels and compared with binary fuels, ethanol in ternary fuels promotes micro explosions and shortens droplet evaporation; The droplet evaporation of binary fuels shows three typical phases of ethanol domination, ethanol, and diesel co-domination and co-evaporation of all three in sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As energy demands continue to rise and concerns about the impact on the environment of fossil fuels, renewable energy sources have emerged as viable alternatives. Bio-fuels can replace non-renewable energy sources. Micro and macro-algae, animal fat, leftover cooking oil and vegetable oil can be utilised to make bio-diesel. Micro-algae is readily available and affordable, making it a viable alternative to these sources. A bio-diesel supply chain that supports large-scale production must be developed quickly. A multi-objective framework is used to construct a sustainable micro-algal bio-diesel supply chain. Bio-diesel supply chain economic objective and environmental impact is minimized in the proposed approach. Bio-diesel is advertised as a fossil fuel replacement. Bio-refineries, bio-diesel depositories, multi-harvesting centres and supply sites for micro-algae (Chlorella, chlamydomonas and Scenedesmus) are considered. The suggested multi-objective model is optimized by implementing the G e n e t i c - A l g o r i t h m . The framework and solution technique are validated using numerical illustrations. Findings indicate that bio-diesel production facility starting expenses comprise 59% of overall costs, showing high installation costs in the supply chain. Additionally, their environmental impact accounts for 67% of total environmental installation impact. A sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the feasibility of this study. The suggested paradigm could potentially be beneficial for traders and governing bodies with an interest in bio-fuel industry. Article structure: Paper's remaining sections are organised as: Sect. 1 gives the introduction of the study. A discussion on the existing literature regarding bio-fuel's supply chain is presented in section 2. Sect. 3 presents the assumptions of the investigation along with the mathematical models. In Sect. 4, optimization technique G e n e t i c - A l g o r i t h m approach is described. Sect. 5 provides numerical validation of the approach and analysis of the numerical experiment. A discussion and detailed analysis of the results is discussed in section 6. Sect. 7 describe the implications and applicability of the adopted approach. The work has been concluded in Sect. 8 which also provides some suggestions for future investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the development of renewable energy has become imperative, biodiesel fuel (BDF) has been used as renewable biofuel with the advantage of having lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the transesterification reaction that produces BDF generates a high-salinity crude glycerol (CG) byproduct, which is difficult to recycle. Halomonas elongata is a moderately halophilic bacterium being used as a cell factory due to its ability to assimilate varieties of substrates for growth in high-salinity conditions. Previously, we engineered a recombinant H. elongata GOP-Gad to biosynthesize and accumulate γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) as a high-value product. Here, we tested the ability of H. elongata GOPGad to use CG as a substrate for cell growth and GABA production. The CG byproduct was obtained from a BDF facility in Unzen City, Nagasaki, Japan, where geothermal energy catalyzed BDF production from waste cooking oil and biomethanol. Prior to use as the sole carbon (C) source in culture media, the CG byproduct was partially purified to remove soap substances and other impurities. Finally, we showed that H. elongata GOP-Gad could grow and accumulate GABA up to 28 μmol/g cell fresh weight in a minimal M63 medium containing 7% w/v NaCl with 4% w/v glycerol from the partially purified CG as a C source and 15 mM (NH4)2SO4 as a nitrogen (N) source. This result demonstrates a new circulatory bioprocess of C and N, in which H. elongata GOP-Gad can use partially purified CG and (NH4)2SO4 as the sole C and N sources for growth and GABA production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to improve the production of biodiesel from white palm larvae (WPL) and to evaluate its potential as a feedstock. The larvae were grown using kitchen and palm waste for 21 days, and the crude oil was then extracted. The extracted oil was analyzed for its physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition. The analysis found that the feedstock oil contained a high quantity of monounsaturated fatty acids, indicating its suitability for biodiesel production. To optimize the production process, response surface methodology (RSM) was employed. A central composite design was used to study four operating conditions: temperature, methanol‐to‐oil mole ratio, esterification time, and catalyst loading for esterification, as well as transesterification time and catalyst concentration. The best conditions for esterification were a methanol‐to‐oil ratio of 18:1, a temperature of 70 °C, 120 min of reaction time, and a 4% H2SO4 catalyst. For transesterification, the optimal conditions were a methanol‐to‐oil ratio of 10:1, a temperature of 65 °C, 90 min of reaction time, and a 2% KOH catalyst concentration. The experimental data fit well with models, with significant P‐values and high R2 values. The biodiesel produced under the optimized conditions met the fuel quality standards set by Brazilian, European, and American standards. In conclusion, this study successfully optimized the biodiesel production process from white palm larvae and confirmed its suitability as a feedstock. The feedstock oil had properties that were suitable for biodiesel production, and the optimized conditions resulted in biodiesel that met fuel‐quality standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Globally, the encouragement of using renewable fuels like biodiesel for diesel engines is driven by concerns over the fossil fuel depletion and harmful emissions. Additionally, the utilization of renewable fuel additives like diethyl ether has the potential to enhance fuel properties and boost engine performance. The aim of this paper was to construct a computer simulation using Ricardo Wave program in order to predict the performance and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission of a diesel engine fuelled by a diesel‐biodiesel blend and a diethyl ether (DEE) as a fuel additive. The computer model was validated by comparing the simulation engine performance and NOx emission results against the corresponding experimental data for diesel, diesel‐biodiesel blend with 30% biodiesel proportion (B30), and two blends of diesel‐biodiesel‐DEE with DEE proportions of 5% and 10% on a volume basis. Also, the effect of varying the inlet air pressure on engine performance and NOx emission was compared for all investigated fuels. It was numerically demonstrated that using the DEE with an optimum proportion of 5% enhanced engine performance as it decreased engine fuel consumption by 5.9% and increased engine thermal efficiency by 9.6% compared to diesel fuel at engine full load condition. Also, a significant reduction of 20.5% in NOx emission resulted from the addition of DEE. Increasing the inlet air pressure increased engine power and decreased engine fuel consumption for all investigated fuels. Increasing the inlet air pressure from 1 to 3 bar increased engine brake thermal efficiency by almost 20% for all tested fuels. However, NOx emission increased slightly within a range from 1.7% to 7% for the different investigated fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiesel production from waste cooking oil is a potential feedstock to alternative fuel sources. Produced alternative fuel sources were to have a strong emphasis on energy efficiency to substitute the declining world supply of fossil fuels while also improving emission characteristics in diesel engine applications. The development of industrialization and mechanization causes increased fossil fuel consumption and its usage. This study aimed at an experimental investigation of biodiesel blended fuel combustion efficiency for single-cylinder diesel engines under varying engine loads at constant engine speed 1500 rpm. The transesterification process was used to produce biodiesel from waste cooking oil using NaOH as catalysts. Biodiesel reaction takes place with oil to methanol ratio of 6:1 at 60 °C reaction temperature for 90 min with 600 rpm stirring speed while 90% yield gained. Eight sample biodiesel blends were prepared with percentage value B5%, B10%, B15%, B20%, B25%, B30%, B35%, B40% v/v and B100% to investigate the effect of biodiesels on engine performances. The experimental result reveals that the mixed biodiesel blends have lower average value in terms of brake torque, brake power, and brake thermal efficiency than diesel fuels as a percentage of 16.79%, 4.08%, and 27.9% respectively. In addition, the average BSFC of biodiesel blends was increased by 4.8% than baseline diesel fuel. Related to exhaust gases emission test results were shows that the average CO and HC emissions decreased by 52.2% and 60% with increasing loads and blends and the increment of CO2 and NOx by 28.1% and 45.4% respectively than baseline fuel with increasing blends and loads. Biodiesel derived from waste cooking oil was less costly and environmentally friendly and viable to substitute petro-diesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution, climate changes, and global warming are strongly correlated with burning huge amounts of petroleum fuels. Biodiesel has emerged as a promising alternative to alleviate these problems. Nonetheless, high density and viscosity, low energy content, and poor atomization of biodiesel restrict its widespread usage in diesel engines. The addition of nanoparticles (NPs) in biodiesel-based fuels has recently received considerable attention to modify the physicochemical properties of fuel as well as to improve the performance and emission characteristics of diesel engines. Among the various NP additives, alumina (Al2O3) NPs are of high interest owing to their excellent chemical and thermal stability, nontoxicity, high catalytic activity, etc. Hence, the present paper attempts to review the available literature concerning biodiesel fuels containing Al2O3 NPs. In this regard, the preparation techniques and physiochemical properties of these fuels including density, kinematic viscosity, cetane number, flash point, and calorific value are first discussed. Furthermore, the impact of Al2O3 NPs on the spray atomization and evaporation features of as-used fuels is investigated. Finally, the performance, combustion, and emission characteristics of diesel-fueled engines with Al2O3 NP-added biodiesel fuels are assessed. In conclusion, it was found that the use of Al2O3 NPs in biodiesel fuels can lead to enhanced engine performance by increasing the brake thermal efficiency, decreasing brake-specific fuel consumption, and lowering the emission of various harmful pollutants. The performance of Al2O3 nanoadditives for biodiesel-fueled diesel engines [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gasoline/hydrogenated catalytic biodiesel blending fuel has been proposed to improve gasoline ignitability and combustion stability in gasoline compression ignition (GCI) engines. Comprehensive numerical simulation in GCI engine models provides useful information that can be used for efficient utilization of this promising fuel. However, the use of detailed chemical kinetic mechanisms is unfeasible. In this work, a reduced mechanism was developed for a blended fuel of gasoline/hydrogenated catalytic biodiesel (HCB). Based on the fuel composition and physicochemical properties, n-hexadecane was proposed as a surrogate fuel for HCB. Three reduction methods with error propagation extension to directed relation graph, full species sensitivity analysis and quasi steady state approximation were utilized to reduce the detailed mechanism of n-hexadecane. The reduced mechanism was coupled with a gasoline surrogate mechanism to construct gasoline/HCB surrogate mechanism. Reaction path analysis and sensitivity analyses were performed to optimize the reaction kinetic constants of several reactions. The final reduced mechanism included 82 species and 370 reactions, and was able to accurately predict various combustion characteristics such as ignition delay times, laminar flame speed and species concentrations. The reduced mechanism is also applied to 3D computational fluid dynamics to validate the prediction ability of the direct injection compression ignition engine, and the predicted results show good agreement with experimental data. The overall results suggest that the current reduced mechanism could be applied for predicting gasoline/HCB mixture in practical engine simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the nanostructure, surface functional groups, and oxidation activity of soot particulate along the exhaust after-treatment system of a heavy-duty diesel engine fueled with waste cooking oil (WCO) biodiesel blends are investigated by TEM, XPS, and TGA respectively. The main findings are as follows: Along the exhaust after-treatment system, fringe length of primary particles of soot particulate emitted from tested heavy-duty diesel engine fueled with B0, B10, B20, and B100, i.e., 0%, 10%, 20%, and 100% ratio of WCO biodiesel blended into petroleum diesel in volume respectively increases, while fringe tortuosity and separation distance of primary particles reduces. The fringe length of B10, B20, and B100 is smaller, but the fringe tortuosity and separation distance are larger than that of B0. The O/C ratio of soot particulate tends to increase firstly and then decrease as the exhaust passes through DOC+cDPF and SCR+ASC in sequence. The O/C ratio of B10, B20, and B100 are also higher than that of B0. Soot particulate at cDPF outlet contains carborundum and biuret is found at SCR+ASC outlet. The sp3/sp2 ratio decreases along the exhaust after-treatment system, and B10, B20, and B100 tend to get higher sp3/sp2 ratio than B0. The C–OH and C=O content of soot particulate from different WCO biodiesel blends show generally similar trends along the exhaust after-treatment system, while the activation energy of soot particulate keeps increasing along the exhaust after-treatment system, but decreases with the increasing of blend ratio. These findings can provide useful references for optimizing the after-treatment system for WCO biodiesel blends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The future of diesel engines is greatly influenced by ongoing research on alternative fuels. Renewable fuels have been researched and adopted by several nations to encourage the production and use of biodiesel. This study examines the energy conversion of waste plastic biodiesel and Spirulina microalgae biodiesel at a 20% blending ratio to analyze the behavior of a one-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel engine running at 1500 rpm with a compression ratio of 17.5. The authors evaluated, analyzed, and compared the engine's combustion, performance, and emission at an incremental engine load of 25% from 25 to 100%. The findings demonstrated that the biodiesel fuel samples generated somewhat poorer efficiency but reduced emissions from the engine. At 100% load, the percentage differences between the diesel and blended fuel samples ranged from 2.4 to 7.3% for BTE, 2.9 to 16.5% for BSFC, and 1.0 to 4.62% for BSEC; however, the PM, SO2, and CO2 emissions were reduced by 1.6–28.8% except for NOx emissions, which are increased by up to 9.4%. Pure diesel exhibits the best performance characteristics; however, pure biodiesel exhibits the best emission characteristics. The 20% blended fuels showed promising results, as they exhibited comparable or slightly improved BTE values compared to their respective pure biodiesel fuels. The findings indicate that Spirulina microalgae biodiesel and waste plastic biodiesel have the potential to be utilized as substitute fuels for diesel engines; however, for the greatest performance and lowest emissions, their blending ratios and engine operating conditions must be optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Microalgae are considered to be a promising and prospective source of lipids for the production of biocomponents for conventional liquid fuels. The available sources contain a lot of information about the cultivation of biomass and the amounts and composition of the resulting bio-oils. However, there is a lack of reliable and verified data on the impact of fuel blends based on microalgae biodiesel on the quality of the emitted exhaust gas. Therefore, the main objective of the study was to present the emission characteristics of a compression-ignition engine fuelled with a blend of diesel fuel and biodiesel produced from the lipids accumulated in the biomass of a heterotrophic culture of Schizochytrium sp. The final concentrations of microalgal biomass and lipids in the culture were 140.7 ± 13.9 g/L and 58.2 ± 1.1 g/L, respectively. The composition of fatty acids in the lipid fraction was dominated by decosahexaenoic acid (43.8 ± 2.8%) and palmitic acid (40.4 ± 2.8%). All parameters of the bio-oil met the requirements of the EN 14214 standard. It was found that the use of bio-components allowed lower concentrations of hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas, ranging between 33 ± 2 ppm and 38 ± 7 ppm, depending on the load level of the engine. For smoke opacity, lower emissions were found in the range of 50–100% engine load levels, where the observed content was between 23 ± 4% and 53 ± 8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blending gasoline with hydrogenated catalytic biodiesel has the potential to improve combustion problems of gasoline direct-injection compression combustion, and the spray characteristics of the blending fuel can directly affect the combustion effect. In order to understand the spray characteristics of a gasoline–hydrocatalyzed catalytic biodiesel mixture, a numerical spray model of constant volume combustion chamber was established, and the accuracy of the model was verified by experimental data in the literature. Based on this model, the spray penetration, sauter mean diameter, spray velocity field and concentration field of gasoline–hydrocatalyzed catalytic biodiesel at different blending ratios were studied. The results show that under the conditions of 850 K ambient temperature, 5 MPa ambient pressure, and 80 MPa injection pressure, as the proportion of hydrogenated catalytic biodiesel in the blending fuel increases, the spray penetration increases, the sauter mean diameter decreases slightly, and the area of high velocity and high concentration at the spray center increases. The results of this study will contribute to the development of blended fuels for superior combustion performance and reduced pollutant emissions at appropriate blending ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering the wettability of functional materials holds significant interest, focusing on the need for superhydrophobic catalysts, crucial for their ability to prevent the poisoning of active sites by water, produced in situ or as a by‐product. Herein, for the first time, a superhydrophobic spherical activated carbon (SSAC@PhSO3H) is engineered as a catalyst via a novel synthetic approach and tailored in Jatropha curcas oil (JCO) biodiesel synthesis. With a large surface area (1461 m2 g−1), high acid density (6.26 mmol g−1), and water contact angle (163.4°), the catalyst demonstrates superior performance and remarkable water repellency, firmly establishing its superhydrophobic characteristics. Response Surface Methodology based on the Central Composite Design (RSM‐CCD) approach predicted a maximal biodiesel yield of 98.8% (80 °C, 5 wt%, 15:1 methanol to oil molar ratio (MOMR), and 40 min). Life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) estimates biodiesel production cost of 0.37 USD ($) per kg emphasizing high commercial viability. Compared with H2SO4‐sulfonated biochar, SSAC@PhSO3H retains its inherent activity (86.8 ± 0.4% yield in 10th run) and spherical morphology even after nine successive reaction cycles indicating high stability. Nevertheless, JCO biodiesel's fuel properties met European Norm, EN 14 212 and American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM D6757 standards, highlighting its potential for industrial biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle boards are commonly manufactured from wood-based material bound with a thermosetting adhesive based on the reaction of formaldehyde with phenol, urea, melamine, or co-condensates. The use of formaldehyde is a cause for concern due to its harmful emissions. This study investigates the use of an alternative binder combined with particles derived from a short-cycle crop as an alternative to timber derived particles. A low density particle board was developed using hemp shiv as an aggregate with a binder made with crude glycerol, derived from the waste stream of the bio-diesel industry, esterified with citric acid under heat activation. This board was characterized and found to have good mechanical properties, low thermal conductivity, and good moisture buffering. Dimensional stability was compromised by swelling when exposed to water, but it will be possible to address this shortcoming using hydrophobic additives. The acoustic properties of the board were also found to be excellent, showing potential for use as a thermally insulating acoustic separator for internal walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid oils ensure multifaceted technological (self‐lubricating and favorable fatty acid properties), and sustainable (environmental, economic, and societal) benefits towards biodiesel conversions. The hybrid oils (Hydnocarpus wightiana oil and waste cooking oils [40:60 v/v]) were synthesized to methyl ester with alkaline catalyst sodium hydroxide through the base‐transesterification process. The resulting hybrid oil methyl ester (HOME) is 96.68%. The crude oil (CO) and its HOME underwent characterization using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and hydrogen‐1 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The physicochemical properties of crude oils and hybrid biodiesel were analyzed and compared to pure diesel. Different blends of biodiesel–diesel, including binary (20% HOME + 80% diesel [D]), ternary (60% D + 20% HOME + 20% heptanol [H]), and quaternary (20% HOME + 20% H + 10% CO + 50% D) blends, were tested in a single‐cylinder compression ignition (CI) engine under various load conditions to assess their performance, emissions, and combustion properties. Experimental findings indicate that the addition of heptanol to diesel or hybrid biodiesel (ternary blend) enhances brake thermal efficiency, reduces brake‐specific fuel consumption, and leads to longer ignition delays, resulting in higher internal combustion pressure and thermal energy release rates compared to the quaternary blend. Additionally, compared to pure diesel, the ternary blend exhibits decreased emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC), with a slight increase in nitrous oxide (NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Notably, the ternary blend emerges as a distinct alternative biodiesel blend suitable for direct use in CI engines without requiring any engine modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing demand of sustainable and environment friendly energy sources has spurred research and development efforts towards the integration of biofuels in various applications, particularly in internal combustion engines. Microemulsion technique is a new and innovative alternative to traditional fossil fuel that has gained a significant attention in recent years. This type of bio fuel is made by blending of small amount of biofuel and large amount of conventional diesel fuel. This review paper explores the potential of enhancing the performance of Compression ignition (CI) engines by incorporating additives into hybrid biofuels. The study focuses on the synergistic effects of combining traditional fossil fuels with bio‐derived components, such as ethanol, biodiesel, and other bio‐based additives. This review paper aim is to explore the performance of a 4‐stroke, single‐cylinder, direct injection Compression Ignition (CI) engine at different loads using different fuels blends like CNWEDB, BFNP150, PPNP150, and ME Diesel/Colza oil. The review outlines recent advancements in biofuel technology, including novel production methods and feedstock options, aiming to overcome limitations associated with conventional biofuels. The article aims to investigate the potential of vegetable oil in formulating MHBF, analyzing its performance and emissions in CI engines. The engine performance parameters viz., brake thermal efficiency brake specific fuel consumption have been reviewed and found that these values are comparable to the biodiesel blends with pure petrodiesel. At 60%, 80%, and full load condition the BTE of microemulsion diesel/colza oil is increasing while at 40%, 80%, and full load the BSFC is decreasing. Emissions reported by the various researchers, however, have a positive attribute with respect to NOx, CO, and UHC. At full load CO is decreasing and at all load conditions the value of UHC is decreasing. The paper concludes with a discussion on future research directions, emphasizing the need for continued innovation to address emerging issues and optimize the performance of CI engines for a sustainable and energy‐efficient future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equilibrium swelling test was employed to determine the swelling response of Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) with various acrylonitrile (ACN) contents, and the three-dimensional solubility parameter (HSP) and modified Flory–Huggins interaction parameter (χHSP) were used to establish the prediction model of the oil-resistant property. The results indicate that the energy difference (Ra) between NBR and solvents calculated by HSP values can be correlated with the swelling response qualitatively with an inversed "S-shape", and high swelling response occurs at Ra < 8 MPa1/2 for NBR. For the purpose of establishing the prediction model, the new modified χHSP value has been calculated and fitted with the swelling response using exponential and logarithmic fittings, respectively. Two prediction models considering all the possible influencing factors have been obtained to determine the swelling response and oil resistance of NBR-based rubber products in bio-fuels, represented by the bio-diesel and IRM 903 test oil in this work. The swelling response of NBR can be evaluated precisely, and high swelling regions can be predicted and avoided in the new emerging fuels through the prediction models. Thus, the oil resistance of NBR-based rubber products, such as seals, holes and gaskets can be well predicted now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current concern over the decrease in the use of fossil fuels has led to the study of various options as an alternative to replace them in the transportation and industrial sectors. Different materials, such as agricultural products, lignocellulosic residues, solid wastewater products, and algae, can be used in the production of biochar and, through a sulfonation process, it can be converted it into a heterogeneous acid catalyst. The purpose of this study was employed coconut mesocarp as lignocellulosic biomass feedstock, obtaining sulfonated biochar (BACS), and evaluates its use in biodiesel production, comparing it with a KOH catalyst. The methodology included the pyrolysis of coconut mesocarp and the activation with H2SO4 for BACS production. BACS was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, BET surface area analysis and elemental analysis. The biodiesel obtained by BACS and biodiesel obtained by KOH were compared using international biodiesel standards. An activated sulfonated biochar with a sulfonation percentage of 15.23% was successfully obtained, providing a higher FAME conversion percentage than the KOH catalyst. During the characterization of the biodiesel obtained with both catalysts, it was found that KOH meets the specified standards, while the BACS catalyst requires variations in reaction temperature or blending with diesel to comply with the biodiesel characteristics. Additionally, it was observed that the coconut mesocarp-based catalyst showed a 2.78% reduction after the first working cycle, allowing for its reuse without the need for a new sulfonation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the effect of a biodiesel blend (Bio20) substitute for diesel on methanol dual-fuel HCCI engine performance. In this work, the existing CI engine is modified into a dual-fuel HCCI engine by attaching the carburetor to the inlet manifold for the supply of methanol. Fuel Jet No. 60 in the carburetor was used to provide a predetermined amount of methanol fuel. The mixture of methanol and air is ignited by diesel/Bio20 injection at the end of the compression stroke. Experimental results showed that methanol with diesel increased ignition delay (ID) and reduced NOX. However, HC, smoke opacity and CO emissions increased drastically compared to a conventional diesel engine. Conversely, methanol with Bio20 reduced ID and promoted combustion helping to reduce smoke opacity, HC and CO emissions. In terms of brake thermal efficiency (BTE) Bio20 instead of diesel gave better performance for a methanol dual-fuel HCCI engine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to enhance engine combustion and emissions, inclusion of nano additives containing hydrogen is recommended due to the high viscosity, poor calorific value, atomization, and vaporization issues of biodiesel. Transesterification was used to transform sunflower oil into methyl ester. Sunflower biodiesel of 20% by volume was blended with diesel fuel, and CeO 2 nanoparticles of 100 ppm were added to blends. Hydrogen was introduced by 5 and 10 lpm from intake manifold. Diesel engine operated at 2000 rpm and loads of 15, 30, 45, and 60 N m. BSFC was decreased by 1.77%, 4.71%, and 7.19% but BTE was improved by 1.39%, 4.04%, and 7.01% when cerium oxide, 5, and 10 lpm hydrogen were added to B20, respectively. When methyl ester mixture was combined with nano additive and H 2 at 5 and 10 lpm, respectively, EGT was reduced by 2.62, 4.77, and 6.73%. B20+ CeO 2 and B20+ CeO 2 + 5 lpm, and B20+ CeO 2 + 10 lpm showed decreases of 46.51%, 56.59%, and 63.57% in CO emissions but the declines in NO x were 6.34, 13.6% and 20.71%, respectively compared to diesel oil. Inclusion of nano-doped hydrogen at 5 and 10 lpm reduced HC emissions by 12.09% and 28.57%, respectively, about diesel. Hydrogen addition of 5 and 10 lpm to CeO 2 -doped B20 improved the in-cylinder pressures by 3% and 3.52% but the maximum heat release rate increases were 3% and 3.52% respectively compared to diesel. Biodiesel from sunflower oil with 100 ppm CeO 2 with hydrogen shows reductions in emissions and combustion enhancement. [Display omitted] • Nano additive improved heat transfer and thermal conductivity capabilities. • The addition of CeO 2 shortened the ignition delay time compared to B20. • Burning fuels with H 2 content releases more energy than fuels with a much LHV. • H 2 addition enhanced ignition and combustion characteristics. • Increased gas diffusivity caused a decrease in BSFC due to the hydrogen ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main challenges with using biodiesel in CI engines are higher NOx emissions and reduced brake thermal efficiency. These biodiesel-related issues can be handled by concurrently introducing gaseous fuels along with primary fuel into CI engines. This study examines the effects of hydrogen in a dual fuel mode operation with diesel and Calophyllum inophyllum biodiesel blend (B20) at different compression ratios on the engine's performance, combustion, and emission characteristics. A single-cylinder, 4-stroke, variable compression ratio engine operating at 1500 rpm was used for the research. A standard compression ratio (SCR) of 17.5 and a modified compression ratio (MCR) of 15.5 at a constant hydrogen flow rate of 6 L per minute (lpm) were used with diesel and B 20. The addition of hydrogen with diesel and B20 resulted in higher cylinder pressure and heat release rate when compared to pure diesel and B20 operation. This resulted in a shorter delay period (by an average of 9.4 % and 7.1 %) with lower peak pressure than pure diesel and B20 operation. During the dual fuel mode of H 2 with B 20 at a modified compression ratio, the maximum heat release rate was decreased and its occurrence was retarded. NO x , UBHC, and CO emissions of the engine were decreased significantly by an average of 20.8% 43.7, %, and 22 % respectively with 37.7 % increase in smoke opacity. The increase in NOx emission with the use of H 2 with diesel was reduced by operating H 2 with B20 and at a reduced compression ratio. This lower emission was achieved with a compromise of a marginal decrease in engine brake thermal efficiency. • The performance of hydrogen-enriched biodiesel and diesel at varied compression ratios. • Methodology to reduce the increased NOx emission resulting from the operation of hydrogen with diesel and biodiesel. • Reduction in NOx emission with hydrogen during dual fuel operation with biodiesel blend at reduced compression ratio. • B20 blend of Calophyllum inophyllum as promising alternative fuel along with hydrogen in dual fuel mode. • Reduction in UBHC, and CO emissions with hydrogen during dual fuel mode with biodiesel blend at reduced compression ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT To curb environmental pollution emanating from the exhausts of engines using fossil diesel fuel (DF), studies on the use of biodiesel from renewable energy source are ongoing. However, engine components have been observed to corrode easily in biodiesels. In this study, a comparative study of the corrosion rate of aluminum coupon (AC) in biodiesel from waste cooking oil over chicken eggshell‐supported alumina catalyst (WCOB) and fossil DF was executed. Weight loss method was used to examine the corrosion rate. Highest corrosion rates of 0.0381 and 0.0052 mm year−1 were recorded for AC in WCOB and DF, respectively. The developed mathematical models proved effective for corrosion rate prediction. At optimum prediction, the minimum corrosion rates for the AC in WCOB and DF were 1.822 × 10−3 and 1.222 × 10−3 mm year, respectively. Characterization revealed pits formation and presence of oxygen and carbon on AC surface with loss of Al ions from the AC surface into WCOB and DF after corrosion. In conclusion, all results revealed high corrosion rates of AC in WCOB than DF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work investigated the combustion efficiency of biodiesel engines under diverse ratios of compression (15.5, 16.5, 17.5, and 18.5) and different biodiesel fuels produced from apricot oil, papaya oil, sunflower oil, and tomato seed oil. The combustion process of the biodiesel fuel inside the engine was simulated utilizing ANSYS Fluent v16 (CFD). On AV1 diesel engines (Kirloskar), numerical simulations were conducted at 1500 rpm. The outcomes of the simulation demonstrated that increasing the compression ratio (CR) led to increased peak temperature and pressures in the combustion chamber, as well as elevated levels of CO2 and NO mass fractions and decreased CO emission values under the same biodiesel fuel type. Additionally, the findings revealed that the highest cylinder temperature was 1007.32 K and the highest cylinder pressure was 7.3 MPa, achieved by biodiesel derived from apricot oil at an 18.5% compression ratio. Meanwhile, the highest NO and CO2 mass fraction values were 0.000257524 and 0.040167679, respectively, obtained from biodiesel derived from papaya oil at an 18.5% compression ratio. This study explained that the apricot oil biodiesel engine had the highest combustion efficiency with high emissions at a compression ratio of 18:5. On the other hand, tomato seed oil biodiesel engines had low combustion performance and low emissions of NO and CO2 at a compression ratio of 15:5. The current study concluded that apricot oil biodiesel may be a suitable alternative to diesel fuel operated at a CR of 18:1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preliminary objective of the present work is to evaluate the performance and emission characteristics for different CR and engine loads using diesel and Moringa oleifera biodiesel blends as fuel. In the present work mono cylinder, 4-stroke, CRDI-VCR type, CI engine tested using diesel and Moringa oleifera biodiesel blend MB10, MB20, and MB30to investigate the performance and emission behavior of an engine concerning CR at the different loading conditions (0.88, 1.75, 2.66 and 3.5 kW). The experiment was performed at four different CRs 15:1, 16:1, 17:1, and 18:1 at fixed IT 23°bTDCand IP 600 bar. The results of the experiment show that the highest BTE for diesel and biodiesel blend MB30 is reported at 27.26% and 28.26% at the higher CR of the present investigation 18:1 and 100% load condition. The increase in load and CR shows the reduction in the BSFC and BSEC of an engine for all tested fuels and the minimum BSFC and BSEC reported among the entire fuel blend is 0.30 kg/kWh and 12.9 MJ/kWh for MB30 fuel blend at higher CR of present investigation 18:1 and 100% load condition. The minimum emission of CO and HC reported for MB30 fuel at higher CR of present investigation 18:1 and 100% load condition is 0.04 % vol and 8 ppm. In the present investigation, the highest CR of 18:1 and 100% load condition offers the minimum emission of NOx reported as 522 ppm for the biodiesel blend MB20 among entire fuel blends. The results reveal that the NOx emission of the MB20 fuel blend is about 11.97% less than recorded for diesel. The emission of smoke is almost zero for all the fuel blends at the higher CR 17:1 and 18:1 up to 50% loading condition. The highest emission of smoke was observed at lower CR 15:1 and 100% loading conditions for all the tested fuel blends. Moringa oleifera biodiesel blend MB30 shows an enhancement in thermal performance by increasing BTE and decreasing BSFC while improving emission characteristics by reducing emissions of pollutants such as CO, HC, smoke, and NOx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing effective catalysts that can selectively hydrogenate C=C bonds in biodiesel samples is vital as it tackles the major problem of oxidative stability, which greatly limits the utilization of biodiesel as an alternative fuel. In this work, Co, Ni, and Pd catalysts stabilized with the bidentate nitrogen ligands N-(3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl)pyridin-2-ylmethylimine and N-(3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl)picolinamide were synthesized, characterized, and used as pre-catalysts in the transfer hydrogenation of C=C bonds in fatty acid methyl esters. The active catalysts from the Co, Ni, and Pd complexes sequentially hydrogenate the C18:2 chains to C18:1, which is further converted to C18:0 in the FAMEs of both methyl linoleate and jatropha biodiesel. The hydrogenation process was kinetically controlled, and after 3 h it yielded a biodiesel sample that contained 25.83% C16:0, 12.52% C18:2, 41.54% C18:1, 14.47% C18:0 and 3.0% C18:2 isomers. The un-hydrogenated jatropha diesel, hydrogenated jatropha diesel, and a B20 blend of jatropha were tested for susceptibility to oxidation reactions using the Rancimat method and FTIR spectroscopy, and the partial hydrogenation had improved the induction period by 3 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiesel is seen as more environmentally benign than petroleum-based fuels. It is also cheaper and capable of creating cleaner energy, which has a good impact on increasing the bioeconomy. An investigation was conducted on a novel heterogeneous catalyst system utilized in the synthesis of eco-friendly biodiesel from date seed oil, a non-edible feedstock obtained through the calcination of desiccated camel manure at varying temperatures. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were utilized to characterize this catalyst. As a result of raising the calcination temperature, the results showed that the pore size of the catalyst decreased. The biodiesel production was optimized to be 86% by using the transesterification method. The optimal reaction parameters included a catalyst with 4% loading, a molar ratio of 1:8 between date seed oil and ethanol, and a temperature of 75 °C for a reaction period of three hours. The confirmation of FAME generation was achieved by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The fuel qualities of fatty acid ethyl ester are in accordance with ASTM, suggesting that it is a suitable alternative fuel option. Utilizing biodiesel derived from waste and untamed resources to establish and execute a more sustainable and ecologically conscious energy plan is praiseworthy. The adoption and integration of green energy practices could potentially yield positive environmental outcomes, thereby fostering enhanced societal and economic development for the biodiesel sector on a broader scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiesel is a renewable and sustainable alternative fuel to petrol-derived diesel. Decreasing the operating costs by improving the catalyst's characteristics is an effective way to increase the competitiveness of biodiesel in the fuel market. An aqueous solution of sodium methoxide (CH3ONa), which is a traditional alkaline catalyst, was immersed in nanometer-sized particles of titanium dioxide (TiO2) powder to prepare the strong alkaline catalyst TiO2/CH3ONa. The immersion method was used to enhance the transesterification reaction. The mixture of TiO2 and CH3ONa was calcined in a high-temperature furnace in a range between 150 and 450 °C continuously for 4 h. The heterogeneous alkaline catalyst TiO2/CH3ONa was then used to catalyze the strong alkaline transesterification reaction of palm oil with methanol. The highest content of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), which amounted to 95.9%, was produced when the molar ratio of methanol to palm oil was equal to 6, and 3 wt.% TiO2/CH3ONa was used, based on the weight of the palm oil. The FAMEs produced from the above conditions were also found to have the lowest kinematic viscosity of 4.17 mm2/s, an acid value of 0.32 mg KOH/g oil, and a water content of 0.031 wt.%, as well as the highest heating value of 40.02 MJ/kg and cetane index of 50.05. The lower catalyst amount of 1 wt.%, in contrast, resulted in the lowest cetane index of 49.31. The highest distillation temperature of 355 °C was found when 3 wt.% of the catalyst was added to the reactant mixture with a methanol/palm oil molar ratio of 6. The prepared catalyst is considered effective for improving the fuel characteristics of biodiesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional fuel used to produce electrical energy and the burning of the conventional fuel causes global warming. Also, there is a depletion of these fuel and hence there is a need of alternative fuels. The biodiesel is a renewable fuel and it is a sustainable fuel. The biodiesel can be derived from waste cooking oil (WCO) as it increases the commercial value of the WCO. The biodiesel has lower oxidation stability and hence onion oil which has good anti oxidation value was added with WCO biodiesel. The engine tests were carried with WCO biodiesel added with onion oil shows that the addition of onion oil improves the thermal efficiency and improvement in cylinder pressure and heat release rate. We conclude that the onion oil can be used as additive to the WCO biodiesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiesel is a sustainable and renewable fuel generated from renewable resources, including vegetable oil or animal fats. It is thought to be a non-toxic fuel that degrades gradually and causes no harm to the environment. In the present study, a non-conventional supercritical method for industrial biodiesel production is investigated. The non-conventional method refers to a single-step interesterification reaction between triglycerides and methyl acetate resulting in methyl esters of fatty acids and triacetin as a secondary product. Process flowsheet modeling, using CHEMCAD chemical engineering software, was used as an investigation tool. The production capacity was set to 25,000 kg/h biodiesel. Methyl acetate requested in the biodiesel production is produced from methanol esterification with acetic acid using an intensified reactive distillation unit. Methanol, in turn, is obtained using synthetic gas derived from biomass as a raw material, the process representing a new method at the industrial level to solve problems related to the energy that is required, storage and disposal of residual materials, and pollution through the release of pollutants into the air. The methanol synthesis process is similar to the one based on natural gas, consisting of three main steps, namely: (i) synthesis gas production, followed by (ii) methanol production, and (iii) methanol purification. Acetic acid is an essential chemical product, generated in the proposed approach by a sustainable method with low energy consumption and low air emissions, more exactly methanol carbonylation. All the processes previously mentioned: (i) biodiesel production, (ii) methyl acetate production, (iii) acetic acid production, and (iv) methanol production were modeled and simulated, leading to the desired biodiesel productivity (e.g., 25,000 kg/h) with the obtained purity being higher than 99%. Relevant discussions regarding the design assumptions used, the simulation and validation results, as well as other technical issues (i.e., electricity and thermal energy consumption) for the system being simulated, are provided, leading to the conclusion that the proposed route is well suited for the desired application and can deliver significant results. The simulation outcomes have provided confidence in the feasibility and effectiveness of the chosen process design, making it a viable option for further development and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]