Extraction and Characterization of Pequi Seed Oil for Biodiesel Production: A Green Management of Waste to Biofuel Using Ethanol and Heterogeneous Catalysis

This work reports the characterization of a vegetable oil extracted from pequi seeds, an agroindustrial residue, and its biodiesel production using ethanol and heterogeneous catalysis. The pequi seeds showed 40.73 wt.% of extractive content, which represents a large amount of the biomass composition. The crude oil extracted from the pequi seeds with ethanol as solvent presented a high content of free fatty acids (FFAs), mainly oleic (54.14%) and palmitic (36.71%) acids, resulting in an acidity value of 13.8 ± 0.1 mg KOH g-1. The esterification/transesterification process was performed using two ion exchange resins as heterogeneous catalysts, a commercial protonic form (assigned as PR) and a zirconium-exchanged (assigned as PRZr). Conversions of 87.1 and 91.4% were achieved for PR and PRZr as catalysts, respectively, at optimal conditions (1:6 oil-to-alcohol molar ratio, 25 wt.% of catalyst, 100 ºC and 1 h). These results indicated that heterogeneous acid catalysts can be successfully applied in biodiesel production from fatty acidrich oils, such as the one extracted from pequi seeds. Also, a simultaneous process involving both oil extraction and biodiesel production was tested using PRZr as catalyst (25 wt.% of catalyst and 100 ºC), but due to the greater amount of ethanol necessary for the oil extraction (1:16 oil to alcohol mass ratio) the conversion reached only 51.5% after 5 h. For that reason, this work proposes a two stage system for biodiesel production that integrates oil extraction (stage one) and the esterification/transesterification reaction (stage two) to achieve a greener process, waste-to-bioenergy.

Advanced Engineering Solutions to Achieve Best in Class Performance in Drilling Extended Reach Dual Lateral Wells in the Sultanate of Oman

A Large Omani Operator successfully achieved best in class performance in drilling extended reach dual-lateral wells in Oman. Turning the legs to achieve the required separation distance and continue drilling to the required depth through a thin fractured reservoir resulted in complex well trajectories and harsh drilling environment. This paper will focus on the newly innovative designs, engineering optimizations and utilizing lean methodology to overcome drilling risks and achieve best in class performance. Rotary Steerable system was utilized to drill the extended reach drilling (ERD) in 3D with continuous proportional steering technology. Advance modeling including lateral shocks, Torque and Drag and BHA design were as well key enablers. Logging while drilling tools supported reservoir mapping and real-time well placement decisions. To excel in lateral applications and overcome harsh drilling environment, a shallow cone tip profile with High Performance cutter bit technology was selected. A focus optimization project using lean tools was performed to map out the undercut process, visualize possible waste, perform root causes analysis and implement countermeasures to eliminate the process waste Regional benchmark showed that the performance of 11 wells drilled since the start of the campaign is located within the best 10% of the benchmark data which is marked as best in class performance. Due to the continues improvement, the campaign manages to reach a learning curve of 30%. Furthermore, the actual production from the wells was 300% more than the forecast. Using the advanced RSS and bit technologies resulted in reducing the Torque values in the lateral section by 30% which effectively increased the reservoir drilled interval by 22%. The designed BHA also managed to complete wells including multi undercuts (up to 6) in one run. One trip Whipstock System for creating the second leg is used as part of the well design. The Whipstock system which is uniquely set in the horizontal tangent section has achieved 100% success rate in setting and retrieving operations. The undercut activities have improved by 50% as a direct result of the optimization Lean project. In addition, utilizing lean methodology resulted in reducing the cost impact of the additional sidetracks (undercuts) which enabled having best reservoir quality and achieving savings over the total cost of ownership TCO. Extended Reach Dual lateral well design was utilized for the first time in PDO operations during this drilling campaign. This paper will present how advance modelling can enable the industry to deliver complex well designs. Additionally, it will introduce the company innovation in implementing the Lean philosophy to optimize the drilling operation.

A highly efficient auxin-producing bacterial strain and its effect on plant growth

Background Various bacteria promote plant root growth in the rhizosphere, as a measure of securing and enlarging their ecological niche. These interactions are mediated by plant growth regulators (PGRs) such as auxin, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is one of the physiologically active auxin. In this study, we isolated an unusual bacterial strain from food process waste with high efficiency and demonstrated its effects on plant rooting and early-stage growth. Results The efficiency of this bacterial strain in producing IAA was 16.6 mg/L/h in Luria-Bertani broth containing 0.05% l-tryptophan (Trp) at room temperature (24 ± 2 °C). Its IAA production was highly dependent on the presence of precursor, Trp. This bacterium was identified as Ignatzschineria sp. by 16S rDNA sequencing. Its bacterial culture supernatant (BCS) enhanced plant root initiation, root growth, and plant growth in the early stages. The root mass formed BCS-treated in apple mint cuttings was twofold of that formed in the control. The root number and length were 46% and 18% higher, respectively, in BCS-treated chrysanthemum cuttings than in the control. Conclusions These results show that the BCS of Ignatzschineria sp. CG20001 isolate obtained in this study can be used for agricultural applications. In addition, the novelty of this strain makes it a valuable genetic resource for biotechnological applications.

Mass Integration for Rigorous Process Modelling: A Sequential Approach for Direct Recycling

Mass integration has been used for reducing the amount of process waste and environmental impact. Despite its long history, new challenges constantly arise with the use of process simulation tools offering platforms for rigorous process models. Therefore, the typical mass integration framework requires modifications to accurately account for the process performance. In this work, a novel sequential methodology is presented to realize a recycle network with rigorous process models. Initially, under the hypothesis of constant compositions of the process sources, an optimal ranking of the process sinks is determined. The optimal recycling network thus obtained is then used for a sequential methodology considering rigorous process models. The violations of process constraints are handled at each sequential step through the concept of “tightening constant”. The application of the sequential methodology to two case studies proves its ability to provide good approximations of the global optima with low computational effort.

Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Mengolah Minyak Jelantah di Desa Cihideung Ilir, Kecamatan Ciampea, Kabupaten Bogor untuk Menjaga Kelestarian Lingkungan

Culinary business is currently increasingly widespread, especially in the new normal era. One of the villages where part of the community is engaged in culinary business is Cihideung Ilir Village, Ciampea District, Bogor Regency, which is located near the IPB University campus. The culinary business produces used cooking oil which can pollute the environment if it is disposed of directly into the environment. Therefore, community service activities were carried out to provide understanding to the community in processing the waste produced, especially used cooking oil as a form of environmental conservation. The purpose of this community service activity is to empower the community to process waste into useful products so that the resulting impact is not only for the environment but for the community itself. This activity is carried out in September-October 2021. The method of activity is in the form of socialization and hands-on practice of making soap and candles. From the activity, it was found that used cooking oil can be processed into soap and candles. These products can be used alone or sold to increase income.

Mobile Nuclear-Hydrogen Synergy in NATO Operations

An uninterrupted chain of energy supplies is the core of every activity, without exception for the operations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A robust and efficient energy supply is fundamental for the success of missions and a guarantee of soldier safety. However, organizing a battlefield energy supply chain is particularly challenging because the risks and threats are particularly high. Moreover, the energy supply chain is expected to be flexible according to mission needs and able to be moved quickly if necessary. In line with ongoing technological changes, the growing popularity of hydrogen is undeniable and has been noticed by NATO as well. Hydrogen is characterised by a much higher energy density per unit mass than other fuels, which means that hydrogen fuel can increase the range of military vehicles. Consequently, hydrogen could eliminate the need for risky refuelling stops during missions as well as the number of fatalities associated with fuel delivery in combat areas. Our research shows that a promising prospect lies in the mobile technologies based on hydrogen in combination with use of the nuclear microreactors. Nuclear microreactors are small enough to be easily transported to their destinations on heavy trucks. Depending on the design, nuclear microreactors can produce 1–20 MW of thermal energy that could be used directly as heat or converted to electric power or for non-electric applications such as hydrogen fuel production. The aim of the article is to identify a model of nuclear-hydrogen synergy for use in NATO operations. We identify opportunities and threats related to mobile energy generation with nuclear-hydrogen synergy in NATO operations. The research presented in this paper identifies the best method of producing hydrogen using a nuclear microreactor. A popular and environmentally “clean” solution is electrolysis due to the simplicity of the process. However, this is less efficient than chemical processes based on, for example, the sulphur-iodine cycle. The results of the research presented in this paper show which of the methods and which cycle is the most attractive for the production of hydrogen with the use of mini-reactors. The verification criteria include: the efficiency of the process, its complexity and the residues generated as a result of the process (waste)—all taking into account usage for military purposes.

Sustainable Manufacturing Process in the Context of Wood Processing by Sanding

The aim of this paper is the issue of a sustainable manufacturing process in the context of woodworking by sanding, as one of the most important technological operations before its final treatment, focusing on a selected pillar of sustainable manufacturing process, waste management. The first step of the experiment was to optimize the pressures of the sanding means on the surface. The optimal pressure of 1.04 N·cm−2 was chosen. The second level was to obtain the wear curves of the abrasive means with grain size 80 (evaluated by wood removal) and the optimal pressure in dependence on the sanding direction (along and perpendicular to the wood fibres and in the direction of 60° to the wood fibres) and different types of woods (beech, oak, alder, pine). The set parameters were suitable for beech and were not suitable for alder and pine. By extending the operating life of the sanding belts via appropriate choice of input factor settings it can be influenced metrics of pillar waste management-savings of material and waste minimization.

Meningkatkan Pendapatan Melalui Daur Ulang Limbah Masyarakat

The problem of garbage is a classic problem that repeatedly faced by the surrounding residents, especially in the Village of Peace. Because of the amount and level of danger, waste, especially plastic waste composed of chemicals, is difficult to decompose so that it is dangerous for the environment, so it is necessary to process waste to turn plastic waste into something useful. Based on surveys in the peaceful village area, North Binjai people still mostly do not have a fixed income. The implementation of the results of plastic bottle waste treatment into liquid hand soap packaging products in Damai Village was carried out to raise awareness of residents and provide ideas on how to increase their income. In addition, it can minimize pollution, so that the residents of The Peace Village can be more concerned about environmental cleanliness. The methods used in the program of utilizing plastic waste as packaging products are divided into two, namely the stage of exposure or explanation and the stage of practice to the community. Through training and mentoring the manufacture of hand washing soap and the utilization of plastic bottle waste, residents get insight into business opportunities that can be created through these creative ideas, and residents are already able to make liquid hand soap that can be sold. Through the training program on making hand soap in Damai Village, it is hoped that it can be an alternative to the use of plastic bottle waste which can be a product that can help improve the economy of the surrounding community.

Peningkatan Kemampuan Pustakawan dan Pemuda Kampung Sialang Sakti Melalui Pelatihan Pengolahan Limbah

This service activity aims to provide training on the use of economic value waste to librarians and youth of Siak Sakti village, Siak. This is a continuation of the previous program that has been running, namely screen printing training to provide an alternative source of income for the youth of Sialang Sakti village who have several limitations so that they cannot continue their education to college due to economic factors. Therefore, it is necessary to make efforts to maximize the potential of the area, for example the village library. Sialang Sakti Village already has a Bina Ilmu village library which has been trusted as an inclusive library so that it has the opportunity to empower the community around the village. The target of this activity is to provide skills for librarians to process waste to add to the aesthetics of the library space and advanced screen printing training to the youth of Sialang Sakti village. The output produced is that librarians are able to process various wastes to improve the aesthetic appearance of the library space and the skills of youth to create a creative economy that is being developed by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia. This activity is a collaboration between a team of service lecturers who have expertise in the use of waste-based learning media and experts in screen printing.