Editorial Board
text
article
2017
eng
Biofuel Research Journal
Alpha Creation Enterprise
2292-8782
4
v.
3
no.
2017
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_49777_200d9db769201887e3671bbb366f89f9.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.18331/BRJ2017.4.3.1
Beyond the conventional “life cycle” assessment
Yi
Yang
CSRA Inc., USA
author
text
article
2017
eng
Biofuel Research Journal
Alpha Creation Enterprise
2292-8782
4
v.
3
no.
2017
637
637
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_49778_65c885c4107135387cc8f7353b3ae0f8.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.18331/BRJ2017.4.3.2
Attributional and consequential environmental assessment of using waste cooking oil- and poultry fat-based biodiesel blends in urban buses: a real-world operation condition study
Mohammad
Rajaeifar
Department of Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
author
Meisam
Tabatabaei
Biofuels Research Team (BRTeam), Karaj, Iran.
author
Reza
Abdi
Department of Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
author
Ali Mohammad
Latifi
Applied Biotechnology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
author
Fatemeh
Saberi
Applied Biotechnology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
author
Mohammad
Askari
Tehran Bus Co., Tehran, Iran.
author
Ali
Zenouzi
Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST), Tehran, Iran.
author
Mahan
Ghorbani
Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural resources, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
author
text
article
2017
eng
Urban public transportation sector in general is heavily dependent on fossil-oriented fuels, e.g., diesel. Given the fact that a major proportion of urban pollution and the consequent threats towards public health are attributed to this sector, serious efforts at both technical and political levels have been being made to introduce less-polluting fueling regimes, e.g., partial replacement of diesel with biodiesel. In line with that, the present study was aimed at evaluating the emissions attributed to 5% blends of waste cooking oil (WCO) and poultry fat (PF) biodiesel fuels (i.e., B5-WCO and B5-PF fuel blends) when used in urban buses during idle operation mode. Moreover, the attributional and consequential environmental impacts of using these fuel blends were also investigated through a well to wheel life cycle assessment (LCA) by considering the real-world condition combustion data using ten urban buses. The findings of the ALCA revealed that the application of 1 L B5-WCO fuel blend could potentially reduce the environmental burdens in human health, ecosystem quality, and resources damage categories compared with using the B5-PF fuel blend. The situation was opposite for climate change damage category in which using 1 L B5-PF fuel blend had a lower impact on the environment. Overall, the environmental hotspots in the B5-WCO and B5-PF life cycles were identified as the combustion stage as well as the diesel production and transportation. From the consequential perspective, using 1 L B5-WCO fuel blend could potentially decrease the environmental burdens in human health, ecosystem quality, and resources damage categories. While, the situation was different for climate change damage category where using 1 L B5-PF fuel blend could have a lower impact on the environment. In conclusion, using B5-WCO fuel blend as an alternative for diesel could be an environmentally-friendly decision for the Iranian urban transportation sector at the policy level as long as the marginal suppliers of oil would be the same as the countries considered herein, i.e., Malaysia and Argentina.
Biofuel Research Journal
Alpha Creation Enterprise
2292-8782
4
v.
3
no.
2017
638
653
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_49779_a0b5af59bfa210a63d59e598f241937b.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.18331/BRJ2017.4.3.3
Second-generation bioethanol from industrial wood waste of South American species
María E.
Vallejos
Programa de Celulosa y Papel - Instituto de Materiales de Misiones (CONICET-UNaM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales, Félix de Azara 1552 (3300), Misiones, Argentina.
author
Julia
Kruyeniski
Programa de Celulosa y Papel - Instituto de Materiales de Misiones (CONICET-UNaM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales, Félix de Azara 1552 (3300), Misiones, Argentina.
author
Maria Cristina
Area
Programa de Celulosa y Papel - Instituto de Materiales de Misiones (CONICET-UNaM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales, Félix de Azara 1552 (3300), Misiones, Argentina.
author
text
article
2017
eng
There is a global interest in replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources of energy. The present review evaluates the significance of South-American wood industrial wastes for bioethanol production. Four countries have been chosen for this review, i.e., Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay, based on their current or potential forestry industry. It should be noted that although Brazil has a global bioethanol market share of 25%, its production is mainly first-generation bioethanol from sugarcane. The situation in the other countries is even worse, in spite of the fact that they have regulatory frameworks in place already allowing the substitution of a percentage of gasoline by ethanol. Pines and eucalyptus are the usually forested plants in these countries, and their industrial wastes, as chips and sawdust, could serve as promising raw materials to produce second-generation bioethanol in the context of a forest biorefinery. The process to convert woody biomass involves three stages: pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification, and fermentation. The operational conditions of the pretreatment method used are generally defined according to the physical and chemical characteristics of the raw materials and subsequently determine the characteristics of the treated substrates. This article also reviews and discusses the available pretreatment technologies for eucalyptus and pines applicable to South-American industrial wood wastes, their enzymatic hydrolysis yields, and the feasibility of implementing such processes in the mentioned countries in the frame of a biorefinery.
Biofuel Research Journal
Alpha Creation Enterprise
2292-8782
4
v.
3
no.
2017
654
667
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_49780_50e9104b8822843a9a5b122c5adcaab0.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.18331/BRJ2017.4.3.4
A comprehensive review on biodiesel purification and upgrading
Hamed
Bateni
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
author
Alireza
Saraeian
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
author
Chad
Able
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA.
author
text
article
2017
eng
Serious environmental concerns regarding the use of fossil-based fuels have raised awareness regarding the necessity of alternative clean fuels and energy carriers. Biodiesel is considered a clean, biodegradable, and non-toxic diesel substitute produced via the transesterification of triglycerides with an alcohol in the presence of a proper catalyst. After initial separation of the by-product (glycerol), the crude biodiesel needs to be purified to meet the standard specifications prior to marketing. The presence of impurities in the biodiesel not only significantly affects its engine performance but also complicates its handling and storage. Therefore, biodiesel purification is an essential step prior to marketing. Biodiesel purification methods can be classified based on the nature of the process into equilibrium-based, affinity-based, membrane-based, reaction-based, and solid-liquid separation processes. The main adverse properties of biodiesel – namely moisture absorption, corrosiveness, and high viscosity – primarily arise from the presence of oxygen. To address these issues, several upgrading techniques have been proposed, among which catalytic (hydro)deoxygenation using conventional hydrotreating catalysts, supported metallic materials, and most recently transition metals in various forms appear promising. Nevertheless, catalyst deactivation (via coking) and/or inadequacy of product yields necessitate further research. This paper provides a comprehensive overview on the techniques and methods used for biodiesel purification and upgrading.
Biofuel Research Journal
Alpha Creation Enterprise
2292-8782
4
v.
3
no.
2017
668
690
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_49781_6928518da9f56be064650fe4436122da.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.18331/BRJ2017.4.3.5
A comprehensive review on the implementation of the biorefinery concept in biodiesel production plants
Christian David
Botero Gutiérrez
Instituto de Biotecnología y Agroindustria, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional de Colombia sede Manizales, Km. 7 vía al Magdalena, Manizales, Colombia.
author
Daissy Lorena
Restrepo Serna
Instituto de Biotecnología y Agroindustria, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional de Colombia sede Manizales, Km. 7 vía al Magdalena, Manizales, Colombia.
author
Carlos Ariel
Cardona Alzate
Instituto de Biotecnología y Agroindustria, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional de Colombia sede Manizales, Km. 7 vía al Magdalena, Manizales, Colombia.
author
text
article
2017
eng
Biodiesel is a promising alternative to petroleum diesel and its production from various generations of feedstocks by using different technologies has been constantly growing globally. However, in spite of such large scale of production, serious considerations should be taken into account to ensure the long-term sustainability of biodiesel production. This issue becomes more of concern given the fact that some generations of feedstocks used for biodiesel production are in clear conflict with food security. The concept of biorefinery has been at the center of attention with an aim to address these challenges by promoting an integral use of biomass to allow the production of multiple products along with biodiesel. Such implementation has been extensively studied over the last years and is expected to lead to economic, environmental, and social advantages over individual processes. The current review first presented an overview on biodiesel, its different feedstocks, and production technologies. Subsequently, the biorefinery concept and its correct implementation was technically discussed. Biodiesel production under the biorefinery scheme was also presented. Finally, techno-economic analysis of biodiesel production under the biorefinery concept by considering palm oil-based biorefinery as case study was investigated.
Biofuel Research Journal
Alpha Creation Enterprise
2292-8782
4
v.
3
no.
2017
691
703
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_49783_8f58de4d3e5f89cb64fd2edf654c8c8b.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.18331/BRJ2017.4.3.6
Recent trends on techno-economic assessment (TEA) of sugarcane biorefineries
Mohsen Ali
Mandegari
Department of Process Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
author
Somayeh
Farzad
Department of Process Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
author
Johann F.
Görgens
Department of Process Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
author
text
article
2017
eng
Sustainability challenges, e.g., climate change, resource depletion, and expanding populations, have triggered a swift move towards a circular bio-economy which is expected to evolve progressively in the coming decades. However, the transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to a bio-based economy requires the exploitation of scientific innovations and step changes in the infrastructure of chemical industry. Biorefineries have been extensively investigated for biofuel production from first and second generation feedstocks, whereas some research activities have been conducted on production of biochemical and biopolymers from renewable resources. Techno-economic evaluation of diverse technologies for production of biofuels and biochemical is a crucial step for decision making in the development of bio-economy. This contribution focuses on the economic studies carried out on biorefineries converting sugarcane bagasse, due to its availability and importance in the South African context, into value-added products. Recent studies on biofuel production via biochemical pathway, e.g., ethanol, butanol, or thermochemical pathway, e.g., methanol and bio jet fuel as well as production of biochemicals with high market demands and diverse applications such as lactic acid, succinic acid, and xylitol have been briefly reviewed. In addition, an overview on the production of biopolymers such as polyl-lactic acid and bio-based monomers, i.e., butanediol, from sugarcane bagasse is reported.
Biofuel Research Journal
Alpha Creation Enterprise
2292-8782
4
v.
3
no.
2017
704
712
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_49787_fa5019b84dc37661b8a76abcd0e99ae0.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.18331/BRJ2017.4.3.7