2024-03-29T06:42:50Z
https://www.biofueljournal.com/?_action=export&rf=summon&issue=1741
Biofuel Research Journal
BRJ
2015
2
3
Editorial Board
2015
09
01
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_10544_781187fa5f0a7488f91a49e466eb7705.pdf
Biofuel Research Journal
BRJ
2015
2
3
The status of biofuels...
Yusuf
Chisti
2015
09
01
253
253
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_10543_821776a6d0b4465d31e57a5d8d7df592.pdf
Biofuel Research Journal
BRJ
2015
2
3
A multi-factor evaluation of Jatropha as a feedstock for biofuels: the case of sub-Saharan Africa
Raphael M.
Jingura
Reckson
Kamusoko
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a geographical region consisting of 49 countries, out of which, 39 countries have experiences with the cultivation of Jatropha curcas L. Since the year 2000 Jatropha production escalated in the region and peaked in around 2007/2008. The major drivers of this trend were claims made about Jatropha including include its ability to grow on marginal lands, high seed and oil yields, and drought tolerant, amongst other attributes. However, the reality has shown that these attributes have not been realised. The objective of the present paper is to analyse the performance of Jatropha as a biofuel feedstock in SSA based on agronomic, economic, social and environmental factors involved in its production. Evidences in SSA show that the major challenge with Jatropha cultivation has been low seed yields, ranging between 0.1 and 2 t/ha. This in turn has led to oil yields which are not sufficiently viable for use in production of biofuels such as biodiesel. There have also been reported challenges with production on wastelands, low use of inputs, unimproved planting materials and vulnerability to pests and diseases. These have negatively affected the performance of Jatropha causing the original claims made about this energy crop not materialised in the SSA.
Biofuel
Feedstock
Jatropha
Energy crop
performance
Sub-Saharan Africa
2015
09
01
254
257
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_10149_2cd5aa36e2297a217aa10738aa2652ac.pdf
Biofuel Research Journal
BRJ
2015
2
3
Recent trends in biodiesel production
Meisam
Tabatabaei
Keikhosro
Karimi
Ilona
Sárvári Horváth
Rajeev
Kumar
This article fully discusses the recent trends in the production of one the most attractive types of biofuels, i.e., biodiesel.with a focus on the existing obstacles for its large scale production. Moreover, recent innovations/improvements under three categories of upstream, mainstream, and downstream processes are also presented. Upstream strategies are mainly focused on seeking more sustainable oil feedstocks and/or enhancing the quality of waste-oriented ones. The mainstream strategies section highlights the numerous attempts made to enhance agitation efficiency including chemical and/or mechanical strategies. Finally, the innovative downstream strategies basically dealing with 1) separation of biodiesel and glycerin, 2) purification of biodiesel and glycerin, and 3) improving the characteristics of the produced fuel, are comprehensively reviewed.
Biofuels Production
Recent trends
Biodiesel
Economizing
Upstream strategies
Downstream strategies
2015
09
01
258
267
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_10417_1289a507b56fd24e3705a7b0d25661a4.pdf
Biofuel Research Journal
BRJ
2015
2
3
A review of conversion processes for bioethanol production with a focus on syngas fermentation
Mamatha
Devarapalli
Hasan K.
Atiyeh
Bioethanol production from corn is a well-established technology. However, emphasis on exploring non-food based feedstocks is intensified due to dispute over utilization of food based feedstocks to generate bioethanol. Chemical and biological conversion technologies for non-food based biomass feedstocks to biofuels have been developed. First generation bioethanol was produced from sugar based feedstocks such as corn and sugar cane. Availability of alternative feedstocks such as lignocellulosic and algal biomass and technology advancement led to the development of complex biological conversion processes, such as separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF), simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF), consolidated bioprocessing (CBP), and syngas fermentation. SHF, SSF, SSCF, and CBP are direct fermentation processes in which biomass feedstocks are pretreated, hydrolyzed and then fermented into ethanol. Conversely, ethanol from syngas fermentation is an indirect fermentation that utilizes gaseous substrates (mixture of CO, CO2 and H2) made from industrial flue gases or gasification of biomass, coal or municipal solid waste. This review article provides an overview of the various biological processes for ethanol production from sugar, lignocellulosic, and algal biomass. This paper also provides a detailed insight on process development, bioreactor design, and advances and future directions in syngas fermentation.
Bioethanol
Conversion processes
Syngas fermentation
2015
09
01
268
280
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_10157_e9821baeeb2ddb2316606358cc15c30a.pdf
Biofuel Research Journal
BRJ
2015
2
3
Microwave-assisted methyl esters synthesis of Kapok (Ceiba pentandra) seed oil: parametric and optimization study
Awais
Bokhari
Lai Fatt
Chuah
Suzana
Yusup
Junaid
Ahmad
Muhammad Rashid
Shamsuddin
Meng Kiat
Teng
The depleting fossil fuel reserves and increasing environmental concerns have continued to stimulate research into biodiesel as a green fuel alternative produced from renewable resources. In this study, Kapok (Ceiba pentandra) oil methyl ester was produced by using microwave-assisted technique. The optimum operating conditions for the microwave-assisted transesterification of Kapok seed oil including temperature, catalyst loading, methanol to oil molar ratio, and irradiation time were investigated by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on Central Composite Design (CCD). A maximum conversion of 98.9 % was obtained under optimum conditions of 57.09 °C reaction temperature, 2.15 wt% catalyst (KOH) loading, oil to methanol molar ratio of 1:9.85, and reaction time of 3.29 min. Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FT-IR) spectroscopy was performed to verify the conversion of the fatty acid into methyl esters. The properties of Kapok oil methyl ester produced under the optimum conditions were characterized and found in agreement with the international ASTM D 6751 and EN 14214 standards.
Microwave
Kapok (Ceiba pentandra) seed oil
Biodiesel
Response Surface Methodology
2015
09
01
281
287
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_10507_279810492bb8c58ff8cf0939b946eb6c.pdf
Biofuel Research Journal
BRJ
2015
2
3
Evaluation of the cultivation conditions of marine microalgae Chlorella sp. to be used as feedstock in ultrasound-assisted ethanolysis
Mateus S.
Amaral
Carla C.
Loures
Patrícia C.M.
Da Rós
Sara A.
Machado
Cristiano E. R.
Reis
Heizir F.
de Castro
Messias B.
Silva
A total of 8 assays was conducted to study the influence of different variables namely, light intensity, CO2 level, NaNO3 concentration and aeration rate, on the cultivation of the marine microalgae Chlorella sp. to enhance the biomass feedstock availability for biodiesel. The experiments were designed using a Taguchi L8 experimental array set at two levels of operation, having light intensity (0.85 and 14.5 klux), CO2 (5 and 10%), NaNO3 (0.025 and 0.075 g L-1) and aeration rate (3:33 and 1.67 vvm) as independent variables and considering biomass productivity and lipid content as response variables. All the experiments were performed in six photobioreactor vessels connected in series with a total volume of 8.4 L and working volumes of 2 L and 4 L, depending on the conditions assessed. The highest biomass productivity was 210.9 mg L-1day-1, corresponding to a lipid content of 8.2%. Such results were attained when the culture conditions were set at 0.85 klux light intensity, 5% CO2 and 0.075 g L-1 NaNO3. The aeration rate showed no significant influence on the biomass productivity. On the other hand, the highest lipid content was achieved when the cultures were grown using the lowest concentration of NaNO3 (0.025 g L-1) and an aeration rate of 1.67 vvm, while the other factors had no statistical significance. Under these conditions, the lipid content obtained was 19.8%, at the expense of reducing the biomass productivity to 85.9 mg L-1day-1.The fatty acid profile of the lipid material characterized by gas chromatography identified fourteen fatty acids with carbon chain ranging from C8 to C20 in which most of the fatty acids present were saturated (58.7 %) and monounsaturated (36.1%) fatty acids. Those obtained at higher proportions were the oleic (22.8%), palmitic (20.7%) and lauric (17.7 %) acids, indicating a suitable composition for fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) synthesis. This was confirmed by acid catalysis performed under ultrasound irradiations reaching a conversion rate of 78.4% within only 4 h.
Chlorella sp
Experimental Design
Microalgal oil
Transesterification
Fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE)
2015
09
01
288
294
https://www.biofueljournal.com/article_10392_ee1782678bf4d1762d8fbc4b7b6198bd.pdf