The theme for this week’s sustainability research is BIOFUELS
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Research in Details
Research #1
Anode-Driven Controlled Release of Cathodic Fuel via pH Response for Smart Enzymatic Biofuel Cell
Highlights
A smart membrane-less enzymatic biofuel cell was fabricated
Anode-driven controlled cathodic acceptor release was engineered by pH-responsive nanocarriers
The pH-responsive strategy was realized based on [Fe(CN)6]3-@ZIF-8 nanocarriers
Authors: Panpan Gai, Cheng cheng Gu, Xinke Kong, Feng Li
Date of publication: 26 JUNE 2020
Summary
Enzymatic biofuel cells (EBFCs) with or without a membrane to separate the anodic and cathodic compartments generally suffered from high internal resistance or interactive interference, both of which restricted the improvement of their performance. Herein, a smart membrane-less EBFC was engineered based on anode-driven controlled release of cathodic acceptor via pH-responsive metal-organic framework ([Fe(CN)6]3-@ZIF-8) nanocarriers. The glucose anodic oxidation would produce gluconic acid accompanied by the change in pH value from neutral to the acidic case, which could drive the degradation of [Fe(CN)6]3-@ZIF-8 nanocarriers and further realize the controlled release of cathodic acceptor [Fe(CN)6]3-. More importantly, compared with controlled EBFC with or without membrane, the power output of the as-proposed EBFC enhanced at least 700 times due to the seamless electronic communication. Therefore, the ingenious strategy not only realized the successful engineering of the membrane-less EBFC but also provided an appealing idea for constructing smart devices.
Keywords: Biofuel, Energy Systems, Energy Storage
Research #2
Biofuel production and utilization through smart and sustainable biowaste management
Highlights:
Focus of sustainable waste management in Zagreb is source-separation.
Reduction of biodegradable fraction is one of the priorities.
High recycling rate can be achieved through the citizen’s involvement.
Waste management has a potential of being source for renewable energy production.
Biofuel produced from organic waste can substitute current natural gas consumption.
Authors: Neven Voca, Bojan Ribic
Date of publication: 20 JUNE 2020
Summary
EU member states are facing many challenges in order to fulfil different legal obligations linked with the sustainable waste management. The EU legislation related to environmental protection, already implemented in the national legislation of the Republic of Croatia, aims to introduce a system of integrated and sustainable waste management. This puts a focus on material and energy utilization of different waste streams produced in urban areas. Therefore, this requirement represents main challenge for many municipalities, mostly due to various binding targets in waste collection and treatment. Some of them are: reduction of waste generation and disposal, increase of the separately collected waste amounts and recycling rates. Source-separation of biowaste combined with biofuel production is one of the key priorities for many cities, combined with biofuel production in urban areas and its distribution via existing gas grids. The objective of this research is to present environmental benefits of such concept for city of Zagreb. First step is involvement of citizens and assessment of available organic waste. Hence, the conducted analysis has been performed as a survey in order to understand their behaviour and to successfully assess the energy potential of organic fraction from municipal solid waste. The presented research show that 84% of citizens are willing and motivated to participate in biowaste separation. An estimation of energy potential through the anaerobic digestion of organic waste has been presented and calculated to 1,900 t of biomethane based on the analysis which can be utilized through almost 70 CNG busses. This paper proposed concrete solution for the biofuel consumption, and gave an overview of the required land demand for digestate utilization. Also, presented SWOT analysis is giving an overview and confirming the sustainability of proposed concept.
Keywords: Biofuel, Citizens, Renewable energy, Waste management, Sustainability
Research #3
Influence of the preparation method on the performance of Ni-based bifunctional catalysts in the one-pot conversion of γ-valerolactone to valeric biofuel
Highlights
Nucleophilic addition of pentanol to γ-valerolactone requires Lewis and Brønsted acidity.
Pentyl-2-pentenoate is hydrogenated fast to pentyl valerate over Ni/SiO2-Al2O3.
Preparation method of Ni/SiO2-Al2O3 impacts strongly on the density of acid sites.
Impregnated Ni/SiO2-Al2O3 is more active than prepared by precipitation-deposition.
Impregnated Ni/SiO2-Al2O3 achieved 87.8% selectivity to pentyl valerate after 24 h.
Authors: Karla G. Martínez Figueredo, Darío J. Segobia, Nicolás M. Bertero
Date of publication: 16 JUNE 2020
Summary
In this work the one-pot production of pentyl valerate (PV) from γ-valerolactone (GVL) and pentanol in liquid phase at 523 K, 10 bar of H2 over Ni-based catalysts supported on SiO2-Al2O3 (SA) was studied. By using incipient wetness impregnation (I) and precipitation-deposition (PD) two different catalysts were prepared, characterized and tested in reaction. With larger Ni0 particles and a significantly higher acid site density, Ni/SA-I was more active and selective to PV, revealing the crucial impact of preparation method on the catalytic performance. After 24 h, a GVL conversion of 83.5% with PV selectivity of 87.8% was reached with Ni/SA-I.
Keywords: Diesel, Cetane, Ether, Acetal, Fusel oil, Bomb calorimetry
Research #4
Potential oxygenated biofuels synthesized from fusel pentanols
Highlights:
Ethers and acetals from fusel alcohols are easily made by acid-catalyzed condensation.
Fusel ethers and acetals combust well in diesel engines.
Fusel ethers have energy densities less than 40 kJ/g.
Authors: Lawrence C. Baldwin, Matthew C. Davis, Josanne–Dee Woodroffe
Date of publication: 15 JUNE 2020
Summary
Domestically produced biofuels may help to reduce dependence on imported oil for powering transportation and infrastructure in the future. In this report, five oxygenated biofuels were synthesized by simple condensation reactions of fusel pentanols, 3-methyl-1-butanol and 2-methyl-1-butanol, forming ethers, acetals and carbonate ester. Basic fuel property testing (melting point, density, kinematic viscosity, derived cetane number and calorific value) of the fusel biofuels were collected. The difusel carbonate was the least useful of the group with the lowest energy content (30.46 kJ/g) and lowest cetane number (22.8). The ether and acetal derivatives appeared useful as diesel fuels or additives with energy content of 35.3–39.94 kJ/g and cetane numbers of 53.5–94. The two ether derivatives had energy content and cetane numbers which surpassed those of biodiesel.
Keywords: Diesel, Cetane, Ether, Acetal, Fusel oil, Bomb calorimetry
Research #5
Comparative review of three approaches to biofuel production from energy crops as feedstock in a developing country
Highlights
The efficiency of farming some energy crops was studied.
Three approaches of biogas, bioethanol, and biodiesel were evaluated.
Biogas from corn silage was the most energy efficient way.
Atlas of annual potential biogas production from corn silage in Iran was provided.
Authors: Amin Nikkhah, MamdouhEl Haj Assad, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Sami Ghnimibe, Sam Van Haute
Date of publication: JUNE 2020
Summary
This study is a comparative evaluation of three approaches to biofuel production from energy crops including biogas, bioethanol and biodiesel to ascertain which one is the most effective and more energy-efficient than the others. Moreover, the potential of biofuel production from the best option was studied. For this purpose, biogas generation from corn silage, bioethanol generation from corn, and biodiesel production from peanuts in Iran (as a case study) were studied. The results revealed that 10,683.36 m3 of biogas, 2.53 m3 of bioethanol and 0.70 m3 of biodiesel could be produced per each hectare of energy crops. The total greenhouse gas emissions for each MJ energy generation of biogas, bioethanol and biodiesel were 0.01, 0.04 and 0.03 kgCO2eq, respectively. Accordingly, the total annual biogas potential from corn silage (as the best option) in Iran is 3953.74 million m3, which is equivalent to 1515.94 million barrels of oil.
Keywords: Biodiesel, Bioethanol, Biogas, Energy crop, Renewable energy