An Experimental Investigation to Use the Biodiesel Resulting from Recycled Sunflower Oil, and Sunflower Oil with Palm Oil as Fuels for Aviation Turbo-Engines

The paper is presenting the experimental analysis of the use of biodiesel from waste sunflower oil and a blend of sunflower oil with palm oil as fuel for aviation turbo-engines. A comparative analysis for fuel mixtures made of Jet A + 5% Aeroshell 500 Oil (Ke) with 10%, 30%, and 50% for each bio-fuel type has been performed and Ke has been used as reference. Firstly, the following physical and chemical properties were determined: density, viscosity, flash point, freezing point, calorific power. Then, elemental analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis were conducted for Ke, biodiesel obtained from recycled sunflower oil (SF), biodiesel obtained from blending recycled sunflower oil, and recycled palm oil (SFP), and for each fuel blend. Secondly, experimental tests of the blends have been conducted on the Jet Cat P80® micro-turbo engine (Gunt Hamburg, Barsbüttel, Germany). The tests have been conducted at different engine working regimes as follows: idle, cruise, intermediate, and maximum. For each regime, a one-minute testing period was chosen, and the engine parameters have been monitored. The turbo engine instrumentation recorded the temperature after the compressor and before the turbine, the fuel consumption and air flow, pressure inside the combustion chamber, and generated thrust. The burning efficiency and the specific consumption have been calculated for all four above-mentioned regimes and for all fuel blends. Two accelerometers have been installed on the engine’s support to register radial and axial vibrations allowing the assessment of engine stability.

Energy Valorisation of Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge through Thermal Gasification: An Economic Perspective

The technical-economic analysis was carried out for the production of sludge-derived fuel from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The baseline for the analysis consists of a sludge drying plant, processing 6 m3 of sludge per day and producing a total of about 1 m3 of combustible material with 8% of moisture and a higher calorific power of 18.702 MJ/kg. The transformation of biofuel into energy translates into an electricity production of about 108 kW per 100 kg of sludge. The project in the baseline scenario demonstrated feasibility with a payback time of about six years.

Caracterização da biomassa de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar com vistas energéticas

A utilização de biomassas residuais de plantas utilizadas na agroindústria tem sido crescente. O bagaço de cana-de-açúcar se destaca nesse cenário, já que a cultura da planta é muito difundida, gerando grandes quantidades desse resíduo. Neste contexto é necessário entender as características dessa biomassa para poder otimizar a geração de energia. Diante do exposto, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar e avaliar o potencial energético da biomassa de cana-de-açúcar por meio da análise dos principais parâmetros que influenciam esse processo. Foram realizadas análises de poder calorífico superior, análises químicas imediatas, infravermelho e análise elementar, com o intuito de avaliar o potencial energético desse material. Observou-se bom nível de poder calorífico superior, 4309,50 kcal kg-1, além de teores baixos de cinzas, 0,95%, fatores que podem explicar a grande utilização da biomassa de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar para a geração de energia direta, principalmente na indústria. Palavras-chave: Resíduos. Cana-de-açúcar. Fonte de energia. Characterization of sugar cane bagasse biomass with energy views Abstract The use of residual biomass from plants used in agribusiness has been increasing. The sugarcane bagasse stands out in this scenario, since the plant's culture is very widespread, generating large amounts of this residue. In this context, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of this biomass in order to optimize the energy generation. With the above, the present study had as objective characterize and evaluate energy potential of sugarcane biomass through the analysis of the main parameters that influence the process. Analyzes of superior calorific power, immediate chemical analyzes, infrared and elementary analysis were carried out, in order to evaluate the energetic potential of this material. A good level of higher calorific value was observed, 4309.50 kcal kg-1, in addition to low ash content, 0.95%, factors that may explain the great use of sugarcane bagasse for direct energy generation, mainly in industry. Keywords: Waste. Sugarcane. Energy source.

Use of carbonized corn cob biomass to reduce acidity of residual frying oil

The objective of this work was to evaluate the ability of CCC as an adsorbent material for the acidity removal of RFO, aiming at the application of the oil in biodiesel production. For that, a RCCD was used for FFA removal by applying the CCC and CAC for comparative purposes. In the RCCD removal assays the effect of the Temperature, Agitation and Mass factors were assessed over acidity removal of the oil. Under the best conditions from RCCD, an evaluation of adsorption kinetics was performed, wherein it was observed the equilibrium was reached within 4 h, for the CCC. Also, the influence of the adsorbent dosage was performed. It was verified that 4 g was sufficient to allow the system to reach the maximum FFA removal. Overall, the CCC presented results approximately twice as high than those obtained by the CAC, mainly due to the pore size distribution which led to a “molecular sieving effect” for the CCC adsorbent. It allowed the major diffusion of the FFA molecules inside its narrow-distributed pores, whereas the CAC with a wider pore distribution (up to 260 Å) resulted in the larger molecules competition for the active sites inside the porous structure. The adsorbents’ characterization also evidenced that CCC adsorbent presented a higher content of oxygenated groups in its surface which acted as potential active sites for the FFA molecules resulting in an enhanced adsorbent-adsorbate affinity. Lastly, the wastes generated in the adsorption experiments, were evaluated as to their calorific power resulting in a value of 31,933 J g-1, suggesting that it could be further used for energetic purposes, such as a solid fuel for boilers and furnaces to generate thermal energy. Based on these results, the CCC stands out as a promising material for RFO acidity removal.

Thermal Oxidative Stability of Biodiesel/Petrodiesel Blends by Pressurized Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Its Calculated Cetane Index

Diesel fuel mixtures with high concentrations of biodiesel have been investigated to analyze the technical feasibility of their use in diesel cycle engines regarding thermal and oxidative properties. The results of combined techniques of oxidative stability, high Pressurized Differential Scanning Calorimetry (P-DSC), Calculated Cetane Index (CCI), and calorific power were used to verify the effect of the thermal-oxidative stability as a function of the percentage of biodiesel in the mixtures. The obtained results evidenced that the thermal and oxidative stability decreased with the addition of biodiesel from 50 to 5% v/v. Low stability fuels require rapid use as the oxidation compounds degrade the product and impair vehicle performance, as well as lead to corrosion and clogging problems in various mechanical systems.

Tannin quantification and chemical-energetic characterization of biomass residues of Bertholletia spp. and Lecythis’ spp. fruits

ABSTRACT Biomass residues originated from agroforestry systems has been demonstrating great usage potential for the pharmaceutical, textile and energy industries. In the Amazon region, the use of these materials can stimulate the sustainable economic development of extractive communities and agroforestry systems. However, for a better use of this material, it is necessary to quantify and qualify the chemical components present in these residues. Keeping that in mind, our research aimed to quantify the presence of condensed and hydrolysable tannins, and to chemically and energetically characterize the Bertholletia excelsa and Lecythis pisonis’ fruit residues, with the intent to assess the usage potential for this biomass resource in different industries. The studied material was collected from local extractives and merchants. Tannin quantification was performed through thin layer chromatography (TLC) method and the total values of extractives, lignin and holocellulose were also quantified. The energy potential was determined by the variables of apparent density, gravimetric yield, superior calorific power and charcoal’s immediate chemistry (the charcoal was produced at 450 ºC). The associations between variables were determined by a linear correlation. The TLC for condensed tannin was positive for B. excelsa. As for the TLC of hydrolysable tannins, the results were negative for both materials. The high levels of lignin and extractives in fruit’s residues of both species demonstrate the energy potential of this material. Our results may favor the use of B. excelsa’s residues for the production of polymers and adhesives, as well as other non-wood residues with high content of lignin, fixed carbon and calorific power in energetic products.

Calorific Power Improvement of Wood by Heat Treatment and Its Relation to Chemical Composition

Chemical composition influences the calorific power of wood, mainly due to the calorific power of structural compounds and extractives. Heat treatment changes the chemical composition of treated wood. This work studies the relationship between chemical composition and calorific power improvement by heat treatment. Samples were heat-treated by the ThermoWood process ® for 1 h and 2 h. High heating value (HHV) and chemical composition; lignin, cellulose, hemicelluloses and extractives in dichloromethane, ethanol, and water were determined. The HHV of untreated wood ranged between 18.54–19.92 MJ/kg and increased with heat treatment for all the tested species. A positive linear correlation was found between HHV and Klason lignin (R2 = 0.60). A negative trend was observed for holocellulose, cellulose, and hemicelluloses content against HHV, but with low determination coefficients for linear regression. The best adjust for polysaccharides was found for hemicelluloses content. A positive correlation could be found for dichloromethane extractives (R2 = 0.04). The same was obtained in relation to ethanol extractives with R2 = 0.20. For water and total extractives, no clear positive or negative trends could be achieved. The results showed that the HHV of wood increased with heat treatment and that this increase was mainly due to the increase in lignin content.

Investigating the Use of Recycled Pork Fat-Based Biodiesel in Aviation Turbo Engines

This paper presents an analysis of the possibility of using recycled pork fat-based biodiesel as fuel for aviation turbo-engines. The analysis consists of the assessment of four blends of Jet A kerosene with 10%, 30%, 50%, and 100% biodiesel and pure Jet A that was used as reference in the study. The first part of the paper presents the physical-chemical properties of the blends: density, viscosity, flash point, freezing point, and calorific power. Through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, a benchmark was performed on the mixtures of Jet A with 10%, 20%, 30%, 50%, and 100% biodiesel compared with Jet A. The second part of the paper presents the test results of these blends used for fuelling a Jet Cat P80 turbo engine at the Turbo Engines Laboratory of the Aerospace Engineering Faculty of Polyethnic University of Bucharest. These functional tests were performed using different operating regimes as follows: idle, cruise, intermediate, and maximum. For each regime, a testing period of around 1 min was selected and the engine parameters were monitored during the test execution. The burning efficiency was calculated for the maximum regime for all mixtures. To evaluate the functioning stability of the turbo engine using biodiesel, two accelerometers were mounted on the engine support that recorded the radial and axial vibrations. Moreover, to assess the burning stability and to identify other acoustic spectral components when biodiesel is used, two microphones were placed near the jet region. A comparative analysis between blends was made by taking the Jet A fuel as reference.

QUALIDADE ENERGÉTICA DE CAVACOS DE Pinus spp. EM DIFERENTES CONDIÇÕES DE ARMAZENAMENTO

QUALIDADE ENERGÉTICA DE CAVACOS DE Pinus spp. EM DIFERENTES CONDIÇÕES DE ARMAZENAMENTO DOUGLAS EDSON CARVALHO1, RAMIRO FARIA FRANÇA2, FELIPE SCHROEDER3, DIMAS AGOSTINHO DA SILVA4 1Departamento de Engenharia e Tecnologia Florestal, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Prefeito Lothário Meissner, 632 - Jardim Botânico, CEP 80210-170, Curitiba - PR, Brasil. [email protected] 2Departamento de Engenharia e Tecnologia Florestal, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Prefeito Lothário Meissner, 632 - Jardim Botânico, CEP 80210-170, Curitiba - PR, Brasil. [email protected] 3Engenheiro Florestal. Rua Joseph Strenzel, Vila Nova, CEP 89295-000, Rio Negrinho, SC, Brasil. [email protected] 4Departamento de Engenharia e Tecnologia Florestal, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Prefeito Lothário Meissner, 632 - Jardim Botânico, CEP 80210-170, Curitiba - PR, Brasil. [email protected] RESUMO: O desempenho energético de biomassas de madeira é uma condição preponderante para sua aplicação em escala industrial. Conhecer as condições de armazenamento que aprimorem seu uso é necessário. Nesse sentido, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi caracterizar os parâmetros energéticos do cavaco de madeira de Pinus spp.. A metodologia aplicada consistiu na utilização dos seguintes tratamentos: (T1) solo desnudo e sem cobertura; (T2) solo coberto e sem cobertura; (T3) solo coberto e com cobertura. Foram coletados dados climatológicos do local do experimento e avaliados os seguintes parâmetros do material: teor de umidade do cavaco (TU), análise química imediata (AQI), teor de carbono orgânico total (TCO) e poder calorífico útil (PCU). Ao final do experimento o menor valor de teor de umidade foi obtido para o T3 (10%). O armazenamento do material com cobertura foi determinante para este resultado. Foram constatadas reduções no teor de voláteis e aumento no teor de cinzas e no teor de carbono fixo para todos os tratamentos. A estocagem da biomassa isolada do solo e com cobertura (T3) é um procedimento para aprimorar as qualidades energéticas do cavaco atribuindo poder calorífico útil de 4.017 Kcal.kg-1, adequado para o uso na geração de energia. Palavras-chave: Teor de umidade, teor de carbono, poder calorífico, qualidade da biomassa. Pinus spp. ENERGY QUALITY OF UNDER DIFFERENT STORAGE CONDITIONS ABSTRACT: The energy performance of wood biomass is a major condition for its application on an industrial scale. Knowing the storage conditions that enhance its use is required. This study aimed to characterize the energetic parameters of Pinus spp. in different storage methods. The applied methodology consisted of using the following treatments: (T1) bare soil and without cover; (T2) covered and uncovered soil; (T3) Covered and covered ground. Climatological data were collected from the experiment site and the following material parameters were evaluated: chip moisture content, immediate chemical analysis (ICA), total organic carbon content and superior calorific useful (SCU). At the end of the experiment the lowest moisture content value was obtained for T3 (10%). The storage of the covered material was crucial for this result. Reductions in volatile content and increase in ash content and fixed carbon content were observed for all treatments after the time of the experiment. The storage of biomass isolated from the soil and with cover (T3) is a procedure to improve the energetic chip qualities, attributing a useful calorific power of 4.017 Kcal.kg-1, suitable for use in power generation. Keywords: Moisture content, carbon content, calorific value, biomass quality.