• Energy Research

The properties of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) obtained from Tunisian oleaginous seeds, grown in arid places with no need of supplementary water, are studied to assess their potential use as bi...

The properties of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) obtained from Tunisian oleaginous seeds, grown in arid places with no need of supplementary water, are studied to assess their potential use as bi...

Abstract Coconut and palm kernel oils have been transesterified with methanol by the classical homogeneous basic catalysis method with good yields. The FAME’s have been subjected to fractional distillation at vacuum, and the low boiling point fractions have been blended with two types of fossil kerosene, a straight-run atmospheric distillation cut (hydrotreated) and a commercial Jet A1. The blends of palm kernel biokerosene and Jet A1 meet some specifications selected for study of the ASTM D1655 standard: smoke point, density, flash point, viscosity at −20 °C and freezing point and they do not comply with the low calorific value by a very narrow margin. On the other hand, the blends of palm kernel biokerosene and atmospheric distillation fossil kerosene only met the density and viscosity at −20 °C parameters. The blends of coconut biokerosene and atmospheric distillation fossil kerosene meet the following specifications: density, viscosity at −20 °C and lubricity. It is especially noticeable that all the blends of 5 vol.% of biokerosene and fossil kerosenes do not meet the low calorific value by a very narrow margin, less than 1.0 MJ kg −1 . With these preliminary results, we can conclude that it would be feasible to blend coconut and palm kernel biokerosenes prepared in this way with commercial Jet A1 up to 10 vol.% of the former, if the IATA organization relaxes very slightly its standards.

Abstract Coconut and palm kernel oils have been transesterified with methanol by the classical homogeneous basic catalysis method with good yields. The FAME’s have been subjected to fractional distillation at vacuum, and the low boiling point fractions have been blended with two types of fossil kerosene, a straight-run atmospheric distillation cut (hydrotreated) and a commercial Jet A1. The blends of palm kernel biokerosene and Jet A1 meet some specifications selected for study of the ASTM D1655 standard: smoke point, density, flash point, viscosity at −20 °C and freezing point and they do not comply with the low calorific value by a very narrow margin. On the other hand, the blends of palm kernel biokerosene and atmospheric distillation fossil kerosene only met the density and viscosity at −20 °C parameters. The blends of coconut biokerosene and atmospheric distillation fossil kerosene meet the following specifications: density, viscosity at −20 °C and lubricity. It is especially noticeable that all the blends of 5 vol.% of biokerosene and fossil kerosenes do not meet the low calorific value by a very narrow margin, less than 1.0 MJ kg −1 . With these preliminary results, we can conclude that it would be feasible to blend coconut and palm kernel biokerosenes prepared in this way with commercial Jet A1 up to 10 vol.% of the former, if the IATA organization relaxes very slightly its standards.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are pollutants of concern due to their carcinogenic and mutagenic activity. Their emissions are mainly related with the combustion or pyrolysis of the organic matter, such as in fossil fuels combustion. It is important to characterize PAHs in the combustions of biofuels due to their increasing importance in the actual energetic setting. There is a lot of research focused in PAHs emission due to the combustion in diesel engines; but only few of them have analyzed the effect of raw material and type of alcohol used in the transesterification process. Different raw materials (i.e. animal fat, palm, rapeseed, linseed, peanut, coconut, and soybean oils) have been used for obtaining FAME and FAEE. A method for measuring PAHs generated during combustion in a bomb calorimeter has been developed. Combustion was made at different oxygen pressures and the samples were taken from the bomb after each combustion. Samples were extracted and the PAHs amounts formed during combustion were analyzed by GC-MS. This research shows the statistical relationships among the 16 PAHs of concern, biodiesel composition and oxygen pressure during combustion.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are pollutants of concern due to their carcinogenic and mutagenic activity. Their emissions are mainly related with the combustion or pyrolysis of the organic matter, such as in fossil fuels combustion. It is important to characterize PAHs in the combustions of biofuels due to their increasing importance in the actual energetic setting. There is a lot of research focused in PAHs emission due to the combustion in diesel engines; but only few of them have analyzed the effect of raw material and type of alcohol used in the transesterification process. Different raw materials (i.e. animal fat, palm, rapeseed, linseed, peanut, coconut, and soybean oils) have been used for obtaining FAME and FAEE. A method for measuring PAHs generated during combustion in a bomb calorimeter has been developed. Combustion was made at different oxygen pressures and the samples were taken from the bomb after each combustion. Samples were extracted and the PAHs amounts formed during combustion were analyzed by GC-MS. This research shows the statistical relationships among the 16 PAHs of concern, biodiesel composition and oxygen pressure during combustion.

The increase in energy demand and the decrease in oil reserves encourage the search for alternative energy resources. Biodiesel composed of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) is a promising alternative fuel. The more extended use of fatty acid methyl esters over FAEEs comes from the higher cost of ethanol compared to methanol. But the genetic development of microorganisms able to produce bioethanol in extensive quantities or directly FAEEs omitting the transesterification process can diminish the cost of FAEEs and make them competitive. This work shows how to predict the cold flow properties and the oxidation stability of biodiesel composed of FAEEs using only some milligrams of the sample. Prediction of the cloud point, the pour point, and the cold filter plugging point has been made with a multiple linear correlation using the total percentage of unsaturated compounds and the average length of the carbon chains and with a simple linear correlation using the crystallization onset temperature. The oxidation ...

The increase in energy demand and the decrease in oil reserves encourage the search for alternative energy resources. Biodiesel composed of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) is a promising alternative fuel. The more extended use of fatty acid methyl esters over FAEEs comes from the higher cost of ethanol compared to methanol. But the genetic development of microorganisms able to produce bioethanol in extensive quantities or directly FAEEs omitting the transesterification process can diminish the cost of FAEEs and make them competitive. This work shows how to predict the cold flow properties and the oxidation stability of biodiesel composed of FAEEs using only some milligrams of the sample. Prediction of the cloud point, the pour point, and the cold filter plugging point has been made with a multiple linear correlation using the total percentage of unsaturated compounds and the average length of the carbon chains and with a simple linear correlation using the crystallization onset temperature. The oxidation ...

Babassu and camelina oils have been transesterified with methanol by the classical homogeneous basic catalysis method with good yields. The babassu fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) has been subjected to fractional distillation at vacuum, and the low boiling point fraction has been blended with two types of fossil kerosene, a straight-run atmospheric distillation cut (hydrotreated) and a commercial Jet-A1. The camelina FAME has been blended with the fossil kerosene without previous distillation. The blends of babassu biokerosene and Jet-A1 have met some of the specifications selected for study of the ASTM D1655 standard: smoke point, density, flash point, cloud point, kinematic viscosity, oxidative stability and lower heating value. On the other hand, the blends of babassu biokerosene and atmospheric distillation cut only have met the density parameter and the oxidative stability. The blends of camelina FAME and atmospheric distillation cut have met the following specifications: density, kinematic viscosity at −20 °C, and lower heating value. With these preliminary results, it can be concluded that it would be feasible to blend babassu and camelina biokerosenes prepared in this way with commercial Jet-A1 up to 10 vol % of the former, if these blends prove to accomplish all the ASTM D1655-09 standards.