Synthetic fuels

The density ρ, viscosity η, refractive index n and dielectric constant ε s of binary mixture of Allyl Chloride (AC) with n-Butanol including those of the pure liquids, were measured over the complete composition range at 298K. The experimental data is used to calculate excess molar volumes (v E), excess permittivity (ε s E), excess viscosity (η E), excess refractive index, molar refraction, excess molar polarization and Dunstan's constant. The variations of these parameters with composition and the effect of bonding in the binary mixture are discussed from the point of view of intermolecular interactions in these mixtures. The positive value of excess molar volume (v E) is attributed to the breaking of H-bonded associated species formed between unlike molecule at 298K.

The ESA contained much more than just the legislation to create the SFC. John Deutch, under secretary of the Department of Energy during the Carter administration, argues that it passed because it contained "something for everyone" and because the windfall profits tax funded almost everything in the ESA. As an example, it was probably the first legislation to authorize and fund a study of the climate effects of greenhouse gases: Title VII-Acid Precipitation Program and Carbon Dioxide Study.

Toshiba has been developing the steam electrolysis system with tubular cells using solid-oxide electrolyte for hydrogen production over a temperature range of 800 to 900 degree C. Fifteen tubular electrolysis cells assembly unit, which 15 cells are installed in a casing and divided into three blocks of every five for electric supply individually to each block and parallel connection of all the cells was carried out, has been manufactured. Each cell is set on a pedestal via glass, which works for seal between hydrogen side and oxygen side and also works for electrical isolation. Experimental results were obtained from the unit. The measured open-cell potential, OCV, of the unit at 800 degrees C was mostly in agreement by 3 blocks, and further in agreement also with the theoretical value. Moreover, the area-specific resistance, ASR, was almost as same for every block. It was confirmed that there was almost no performance variation during a block. And the measured hydrogen production rate was mostly in agreement with the theoretical value, which was predicted from the current density. The hydrogen production rate of the unit of 130 Nl/h was checked to design value 100 Nl/h. It was confirmed that the unit, which consisted cells, seals, electrical isolations, electric supplies and so on, worked well from the result. This paper describes the development of the solid oxide electrolyte tubular cell for steam electrolysis, and the performance of single tubular cell and 15 electrolysis cells assembly unit.

Biodiesel production from abundant bio-sources has drawn the attention of the academic as well as the industrial communities in recent years. However, one of the most serious obstacles for using biodiesel as an alternative fuel is the complicated and costly purification processes involved in its production. The difficulties involved in the separation of glycerine and other un-reacted reactants and by-products necessitate the development of new competent low cost separation processes for this purpose. In this work, a low cost quaternary ammonium salt–glycerine-based ionic liquid is proposed as a solvent for extracting glycerine from the transesterification biodiesel product. The separation technique was tested on palm oil-based produced biodiesel with KOH as a reaction catalyst. The study investigated the effect of DES:biodiesel ratio and the DES composition on the efficiency of the extraction process. The lab scale purification experiments proved the viability of the separation technique with a best DES:biodiesel molar ratio of 1:1 and a DES molar composition of 1:1 (salt:glycerine). The purified biodiesel fulfilled the EN 14214 and ASTM D 6751 standard specifications for biodiesel fuel in terms of glycerine content. A continuous separation process is suggested for industrial scale application.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is a domestic energy resource with the potential to provide a significant amount of energy to meet US liquid fuel requirements. MSW is defined as household waste, commercial solid waste, nonhazardous sludge, conditionally exempt, small quantity hazardous waste, and industrial solid waste. It includes food waste, residential rubbish, commercial and industrial wastes, and construction and demolition debris. It has an average higher heating value (HHV) of approximately 5100 btu/lb (as arrived basis).

Technology for the production of syngas from coal and its subsequent conversion to synthetic crude oil has existed for a number of years with somewhat limited commercial implementation. This indirect coal liquefaction process was analysed to provide a preliminary assessment of its economic feasibility in Australia. Analysis was enabled through Aspen Plus simulation of coal preparation, gasification, syngas conditioning, Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis and syncrude refining processes. This model was run with four Australian thermal coals as feedstock, specifically selected as their individual characteristics represent a wide range of coal types and because they have previously been subject to pilot scale gasification trials. Simulation results showed that coal type significantly affects the volume of FT liquid fuels produced, with production ranging from 21,000bbl/day to 43,000bbl/day. High carbon content coals yielded the highest fuel volumes and lowest relative CO2 production, although this is still significant at 3.9 kg CO2/kg fuel produced.
Economic analysis of the modelled process was facilitated by simulation data, commodity price predictions and capital cost estimates for a reference CTL plant of similar size. Analysis showed that, for all the scenarios considered, the project offered a large, negative net present value and low internal rate of return ranging from 2.3% to 7.4%. This indicates that the process under consideration is not viable under the current market conditions in Australia. Breakeven prices required for crude oil to yield a viable process varied between $120- $160/bbl depending on the coal feedstock. Process economics were shown to be most sensitive to product prices received, therefore crude oil prices would significantly affect the project viability. Results also showed that high carbon content coals offer the lowest breakeven fuel prices and highest returns, as the price premium for their higher heating value is more than offset by the additional fuel production achieved. However, none of the coals trialled offered a viable Australian CTL process and this appears to remain the case unless sustained increases in crude oil prices are experienced.

This report examines the feasibility of potential technologies that could enable coal-based fuels to meet the requirements of the DoD consistent with section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 (Public Law 110-140). The report also discusses research on those technologies that are most promising for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, capture of carbon, and other approaches that could enable coal-based fuels to be procured under section 526 of the EISA 2007.

In biodiesel production, downstream purification is an important step in the overall process. This article is a critical review of the most recent research findings pertaining to biodiesel refining technologies. Both conventional refining technologies and the most recent biodiesel membrane refining technology are reviewed. The results obtained through membrane purification showed some promise in term of biodiesel yield and quality. Also, membranes presented low water consumption and less wastewater discharges. Therefore, exploration and exploitation of membrane technology to purify crude biodiesel is necessary. Furthermore, the success of membrane technology in the purification of crude biodiesel could serve as a boost to both researchers and industries in an effort to achieve high purity and quality biodiesel fuel capable of replacing non-renewable fossil fuel, for wide range of applications.

Densities, viscosities, and refractive indices of mixing of methyl ethyl ketone with 1-pentanol, 2-pentanol, and 3-pentanol have been measured as a function of composition range at temperatures (298.15, 308.15, and 318.15) K and ambient pressure. Excess molar volumes V m E , viscosity deviations ∆η, and refractive index deviations ∆n D were calculated and correlated by the Redlich-Kister-type function to derive the coefficients and estimate the standard error. From the experimental data, partial molar volumes, V j m,i , and partial molar volumes at infinite dilution, V j m,i 0 , were also calculated. The latter values are interesting from a theoretical point of view since at infinite dilution the only interactions present are solute-solvent interactions. The effect of temperature and -OH group position of pentanol isomers on the excess molar volumes, viscosity, and refractive index deviations of its mixtures with methyl ethyl ketone is discussed in terms of the nature and type of intermolecular interactions in binary mixtures.

An industrial grade acidic crude palm oil (ACPO) pre-treatment process was carried out using ethanesulfonic acid (ESA) as a catalyst in the esterification reaction. ESA was used in different dosages to reduce free fatty acid (FFA) to a minimum level for the second stage of biodiesel production via alkaline transesterification reaction. Different process operating conditions were optimized such as ESA dosage (0.25-3.5% wt/wt), methanol to ACPO molar ratio (1:1-20:1), reaction temperature (40-70°C), and reaction time (3-150 min). This study revealed the potential use of abundant quantities of ACPO from oil palm mills for biodiesel production. The lab scale results showed the effectiveness of the pre-treatment process using ESA catalyst. Three consecutive catalyst recycling runs were achieved without significant degradation in its performance. Second and third reuse runs needed more reaction time to achieve the target level of FFA content. Esterification and transesterification using ESA and KOH respectively is proposed for biodiesel industrial scale production. The produced biodiesel meets the international standards specifications for biodiesel fuel (EN 14214 and ASTM D6751).

An experimental study is under way to assess the performance of solid-oxide cells operating in the steam electrolysis mode for hydrogen production over a temperature range of 800 to 900ºC. Results presented in this paper were obtained from a ten-cell planar electrolysis stack, with an active area of 64 cm 2 per cell. The electrolysis cells are electrolyte-supported, with scandia-stabilized zirconia electrolytes (~140 µm thick), nickel-cermet steam/hydrogen electrodes, and manganite air-side electrodes. The metallic interconnect plates are fabricated from ferritic stainless steel. The experiments were performed over a range of steam inlet mole fractions (0.1 -0.6), gas flow rates (1000 -4000 sccm), and current densities (0 to 0.38 A/cm 2 ). Steam consumption rates associated with electrolysis were measured directly using inlet and outlet dewpoint instrumentation. Cell operating potentials and cell current were varied using a programmable power supply. Hydrogen production rates up to 90 Normal liters per hour were demonstrated. Values of area-specific resistance and stack internal temperatures are presented as a function of current density. Stack performance is shown to be dependent on inlet steam flow rate.

This paper presents experimental results carried out to evaluate the brake power, specific fuel consumption (SFC) and exhaust gas emissions when running on an unmodified diesel engine with fuel additive blended biodiesel. The multi-functional fuel additive was added (in mass basis) with B20 (20% biodiesel and 80% ordinary diesel fuel) in a special manner to increase engine brake power. For comparisons three fuels were tested in this investigation which are (1) B20X where X is the percentage of fuel additive, (2) B20 and (3) BO (0% biodiesel and 100% ordinary diesel fuel). The stationary engine test bed used consists of a multi-cylinder diesel engine, eddy current dynamometer with computer control data acquisition system and exhaust emissions analyzer. The exhaust emissions such as CO, HC, and NOx were measured using exhaust gas analyzer. It is found that B20X produces higher performance (brake power) with reduction in exhaust emissions and fuel consumption as compared to B20 and BO fuels. Fuel "B20X" could be a 'breakthrough' and the real solution as an alternative fuel for existing unmodified diesel engine. Detail results including B20X fuel's physicochemical properties are presented with discussions. © 2006 IEEE.

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/ielx5/4107286/4107287/04107322.pdf?tp=&arnumber=4107322&isnumber=4107287

A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model has been created to model high-temperature coelectrolysis of steam and carbon dioxide in a planar solid oxide electrolyzer (SOE) using solid oxide fuel cell technology. A research program is under way at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to simultaneously address the research and scale-up issues associated with the implementation of planar solid-oxide electrolysis cell technology for syngas production from CO 2 and steam. The CFD model represents a single cell as it would exist in an electrolysis stack. Details of the model geometry are specific to a stack that was fabricated by Ceramatec , Inc. and tested at the Idaho National Laboratory. Mass, momentum, energy, and species conservation and transport are provided via the core features of the commercial CFD code FLUENT. A solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) model adds the electrochemical reactions and loss mechanisms and computation of the electric field throughout the cell. The FLUENT SOFC user-defined subroutine was modified to allow for operation in the SOEC mode. Model results provide detailed profiles of temperature, Nernst potential, operating potential, anodeside gas composition, cathode-side gas composition, current density and hydrogen production over a range of stack operating conditions. Mean CFD model results are shown to compare favorably with results obtained from a one-dimensional co-electrolysis model and with experimental results obtained from an actual ten-cell stack tested at INL over a range of operating conditions.

The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports , 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number, PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: REPORT U b. ABSTRACT U c. THIS PAGE U 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT uu 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 168 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON Yaa-Yin Fong, Director of Research Services 19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER /Include area code! (808)956-9081 Standard Form 298 (Rev 8/98)

An industrial grade acidic crude palm oil (ACPO) pre-treatment process was carried out using ethanesulfonic acid (ESA) as a catalyst in the esterification reaction. ESA was used in different dosages to reduce free fatty acid (FFA) to a minimum level for the second stage of biodiesel production via alkaline transesterification reaction. Different process operating conditions were optimized such as ESA dosage (0.25–3.5% wt/wt), methanol to ACPO molar ratio (1:1–20:1), reaction temperature (40–70 °C), and reaction time (3–150 min). This study revealed the potential use of abundant quantities of ACPO from oil palm mills for biodiesel production. The lab scale results showed the effectiveness of the pre-treatment process using ESA catalyst. Three consecutive catalyst recycling runs were achieved without significant degradation in its performance. Second and third reuse runs needed more reaction time to achieve the target level of FFA content. Esterification and transesterification using ESA and KOH respectively is proposed for biodiesel industrial scale production. The produced biodiesel meets the international standards specifications for biodiesel fuel (EN 14214 and ASTM D6751).► Acidic crude palm oil is proposed as a raw material for biodiesel production. ► Ethanesulfonic acid is introduced as a new esterification catalyst. ► The acid was recycled for three batches with insignificant lose in efficiency. ► The produced biodiesel meets the international standards for biodiesel fuel.

: This report examines the feasibility of potential technologies that could enable coal-based fuels to meet the requirements of the DoD consistent with section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 (Public Law 110-140). The report also discusses research on those technologies that are most promising for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, capture of carbon, and other approaches that could enable coal-based fuels to be procured under section 526 of the EISA 2007.

Prepared by: the National Renewable Energy Laboratory 1617 Cole Boulevard Golden, Colorado 80401-3393 A national laboratory of the US Department of Energy Operated by Midwest Research Institute Under Contract No. DE-AC36-83CH10093 ... From 1978 to 1996, the US ...

The Hybrid Energy Systems Testing (HYTEST) Laboratory at the Idaho National Laboratory was established to develop and test hybrid energy systems with the principal objective of reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels. A central component of the HYTEST is the slurry bubble column reactor (SBCR) in which the gas-to-liquid reactions are performed to synthesize transportation fuels using the Fischer Tropsch (FT) process. These SBCRs operate in the churn-turbulent flow regime, which is characterized by complex hydrodynamics, coupled with reacting flow chemistry and heat transfer. Results Our team is developing a research tool to aid in understanding the physicochemical processes occurring in the SBCR. A robust methodology to couple reaction kinetics and mass transfer into a four-field model (consisting of the bulk liquid, small bubbles, large bubbles and solid catalyst particles) consisting of thirteen species, which are CO reactant, H 2 reactant, hydrocarbon product, and H 2 O product in small bubbles, large bubbles, and the bulk fluid plus catalyst is outlined. Mechanistic submodels for interfacial momentum transfer in the churn-turbulent flow regime are incorporated, along with bubble breakup/coalescence and two-phase turbulence submodels. The absorption and kinetic models, specifically changes in species concentrations, have been incorporated into the mass continuity equation. The reaction rate is based on the macrokinetic model for a cobalt catalyst developed by Yates and Satterfield. The model includes heat generation produced by the exothermic chemical reaction, as well as heat removal from a constant temperature heat exchanger. A property method approach is employed to incorporate vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) in a robust manner. Physical and thermodynamic properties as functions of changes in both pressure and temperature are obtained from VLE calculations performed external to the CMFD solver. The novelty of this approach is in its simplicity, as well as its accuracy over a specified temperature and pressure range.

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing this collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188). 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway. Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS,

Executive Summary Rationale. The catalytic conversion of coal-derived syngas to C2+ alcohols and oxygenates has attracted great attention due to their potential as chemical intermediates and fuel components. This is particularly true of ethanol, which can serve as ...

In biodiesel production, downstream purification is an important step in the overall process. This article is a critical review of the most recent research findings pertaining to biodiesel refining technologies. Both conventional refining technologies and the most recent biodiesel membrane refining technology are reviewed. The results obtained through membrane purification showed some promise in term of biodiesel yield and quality. Also, membranes presented low water consumption and less wastewater discharges. Therefore, exploration and exploitation of membrane technology to purify crude biodiesel is necessary. Furthermore, the success of membrane technology in the purification of crude biodiesel could serve as a boost to both researchers and industries in an effort to achieve high purity and quality biodiesel fuel capable of replacing non-renewable fossil fuel, for wide range of applications.

: This project attempted to determine the kerosene and Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel lubricity requirements of Delphi DPA rotary fuel injection pumps and Detroit Diesel unit injectors. A test stand was configured to operate a rotary fuel injection pump and a stand configured to operated four unit injectors simultaneously, with data acquisition and control systems for logging data. Results suggest that synthetic kerosene fuel adversely impacts rotary fuel injection pump performance and durability. Synthetic diesel fuel can be blended with petroleum diesel fuel and fuel lubricity additives to provide the same protection as F-76 diesel fuel in rotary fuel injection pumps. The unit injectors are less sensitive to the low lubricity fuels than the rotary fuel injection pumps.

An industrial grade acidic crude palm oil (ACPO) pre-treatment process was carried out using ethanesulfonic acid (ESA) as a catalyst in the esterification reaction. ESA was used in different dosages to reduce free fatty acid (FFA) to a minimum level for the second stage of biodiesel production via alkaline transesterification reaction. Different process operating conditions were optimized such as ESA dosage (0.25-3.5% wt/wt), methanol to ACPO molar ratio (1:1-20:1), reaction temperature (40-70°C), and reaction time (3-150 min). This study revealed the potential use of abundant quantities of ACPO from oil palm mills for biodiesel production. The lab scale results showed the effectiveness of the pre-treatment process using ESA catalyst. Three consecutive catalyst recycling runs were achieved without significant degradation in its performance. Second and third reuse runs needed more reaction time to achieve the target level of FFA content. Esterification and transesterification using ESA and KOH respectively is proposed for biodiesel industrial scale production. The produced biodiesel meets the international standards specifications for biodiesel fuel (EN 14214 and ASTM D6751).

This project was on the impacts of the new sulphur emission regulations that came into force in January 2015 in North Western Europe and their effects on coastal dry bulk shipping. This has been achieved by identifying the means of implementation along with their drawbacks, with particular attention paid to scrubbers. This was done by contacting European coastal dry bulk companies and port authorities to evaluate the situation and then, using available information, looking at the environmental impact of the reduction in sulphur emissions and what is expected to happen in the future. From here, the future of the coastal dry bulk market was analysed, with projections and possible scenarios of what is to be expected. From this, it was concluded that although coastal shipping will survive, smaller companies will struggle to stay afloat over the next decade, with the rise of capital-costs and operational costs push-ing up freight rates and making other modes of transport more attractive over sea-based transportation.

An industrial grade acidic crude palm oil (ACPO) pre-treatment process was carried out using ethanesulfonic acid (ESA) as a catalyst in the esterification reaction. ESA was used in different dosages to reduce free fatty acid (FFA) to a minimum level for the second stage of biodiesel production via alkaline transesterification reaction. Different process operating conditions were optimized such as ESA dosage (0.25-3.5% wt/wt), methanol to ACPO molar ratio (1:1-20:1), reaction temperature (40-70°C), and reaction time (3-150. min). This study revealed the potential use of abundant quantities of ACPO from oil palm mills for biodiesel production. The lab scale results showed the effectiveness of the pre-treatment process using ESA catalyst. Three consecutive catalyst recycling runs were achieved without significant degradation in its performance. Second and third reuse runs needed more reaction time to achieve the target level of FFA content. Esterification and transesterification using ESA and KOH respectively is proposed for biodiesel industrial scale production. The produced biodiesel meets the international standards specifications for biodiesel fuel (EN 14214 and ASTM D6751). © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

http://ac.els-cdn.com/S096085241101025X/1-s2.0-S096085241101025X-main.pdf?_tid=94bdf038-0ca1-11e4-905d-00000aab0f27&acdnat=1405485065_c5dc472305b417258ef704d5ecf5cda6 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21855329 
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096085241101025X

As the oil reserves are depleting the need of an alternative fuel source is becoming increasingly apparent. One prospective method for producing fuels in the future is conversion of biomass into bio-oil and then upgrading the bio-oil over a catalyst, this method is the focus of this review article. Bio-oil production can be facilitated through flash pyrolysis, which has been identified as one of the most feasible routes. The biooil has a high oxygen content and therefore low stability over time and a low heating value. Upgrading is desirable to remove the oxygen and in this way make it resemble crude oil. Two general routes for bio-oil upgrading have been considered: hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) and zeolite cracking. HDO is a high pressure operation where hydrogen is used to exclude oxygen from the bio-oil, giving a high grade oil product equivalent to crude oil. Catalysts for the reaction are traditional hydrodesulphurization (HDS) catalysts, such as Co-MoS 2 /Al 2 O 3 , or metal catalysts, as for example Pd/C. However, catalyst lifetimes of much more than 200 h have not been achieved with any current catalyst due to carbon deposition. Zeolite cracking is an alternative path, where zeolites, e.g. HZSM-5, are used as catalysts for the deoxygenation reaction. In these systems hydrogen is not a requirement, so operation is performed at atmospheric pressure. However, extensive carbon deposition results in very short catalyst lifetimes. Furthermore a general restriction in the hydrogen content of the bio-oil results in a low H/C ratio of the oil product as no additional hydrogen is supplied. Overall, oil from zeolite cracking is of a low grade, with heating values approximately 25% lower than that of crude oil. Of the two mentioned routes, HDO appears to have the best potential, as zeolite cracking cannot produce fuels of acceptable grade for the current infrastructure. HDO is evaluated as being a path to fuels in a grade and at a price equivalent to present fossil fuels, but several tasks still have to be addressed within this process. Catalyst development, understanding of the carbon forming mechanisms, understanding of the kinetics, elucidation of sulphur as a source of deactivation, evaluation of the requirement for high pressure, and sustainable sources for hydrogen are all areas which have to be elucidated before commercialisation of the process.

In biodiesel production, downstream purification is an important step in the overall process. This article is a critical review of the most recent research findings pertaining to biodiesel refining technologies. Both conventional refining technologies and the most recent biodiesel membrane refining technology are reviewed. The results obtained through membrane purification showed some promise in term of biodiesel yield and quality. Also, membranes presented low water consumption and less wastewater discharges. Therefore, exploration and exploitation of membrane technology to purify crude biodiesel is necessary. Furthermore, the success of membrane technology in the purification of crude biodiesel could serve as a boost to both researchers and industries in an effort to achieve high purity and quality biodiesel fuel capable of replacing non-renewable fossil fuel, for wide range of applications.

Biodiesel production from abundant bio-sources has drawn the attention of the academic as well as the industrial communities in recent years. However, one of the most serious obstacles for using biodiesel as an alternative fuel is the complicated and costly purification processes involved in its production. The difficulties involved in the separation of glycerine and other un-reacted reactants and by-products necessitate the development of new competent low cost separation processes for this purpose. In this work, a low cost quaternary ammonium salt-glycerine-based ionic liquid is proposed as a solvent for extracting glycerine from the transesterification biodiesel product. The separation technique was tested on palm oil-based produced biodiesel with KOH as a reaction catalyst. The study investigated the effect of DES:biodiesel ratio and the DES composition on the efficiency of the extraction process. The lab scale purification experiments proved the viability of the separation technique with a best DES:biodiesel molar ratio of 1:1 and a DES molar composition of 1:1 (salt:glycerine). The purified biodiesel fulfilled the EN 14214 and ASTM D 6751 standard specifications for biodiesel fuel in terms of glycerine content. A continuous separation process is suggested for industrial scale application.

The U.S. military has been investing in drop-in alternative fuels production research and development, and testing and evaluation (in laboratories and test engines), for decades. As the Department predominantly consumes jet fuel, the Department of Defense's alternative fuel efforts largely follows the work of the commercial aviation industry.  This talk will provide an update on alternative drop-in fuel qualification efforts being pursued by ASTM and the Military Services; recently codified DoD policies that impact the Department's investments in and usage of alternative fuels; the Defense Production Act Advanced Drop-in Biofuels Production Project (ADBPP), in which DoD and DOE are investing in construction of commercial biofuel production facilities; the Navy's Great Green Fleet initiative and Farm-to-Fleet partnership with USDA to support procurement of drop-in biofuels for the Navy; and findings from a recent GAO report on the DoD's alternative fuel initiatives.

The world today is faced with serious global warming and environmental pollution. Besides, fossil fuel will become rare and faces serious shortage in the near future. This has triggered the awareness to find alternative energy as their sustainable energy sources. Biodiesel as a cleaner renewable fuel has been considered as the best substitution for diesel fuel due to it being used in any compression ignition engine without any modification. The main advantages of using biodiesel are its renewability and better quality of exhaust gas emissions. This paper reviews the production, performance and emission of palm oil, Jatropha curcas and Calophyllum inophyllum biodiesel. Palm oil is one of the most efficient oil bearing crops in terms of oil yield, land utilization, efficiency and productivity. However, competition between edible oil sources as food with fuel makes edible oil not an ideal feedstock for biodiesel production. Therefore, attention is shifted to non-edible oil like Jatropha curcas and Calophyllum inophyllum. Calophyllum inophyllum oil can be transesterified and being considered as a potential biodiesel fuel. Compared to Palm oil and Jatropha biodiesel industry, biodiesel from Calophyllum inophyllum is still in a nascent state. Therefore, long term endurance research and tribological studies need to be carried out before Calophyllum inophyllum oil base biodiesel can become an alternative fuel in future. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032111002085 
http://ac.els-cdn.com/S1364032111002085/1-s2.0-S1364032111002085-main.pdf?_tid=14763bb2-a9c6-11e3-afcc-00000aab0f6b&acdnat=1394615576_311fed79a4b33575025c565d6c2d2edb

The application of the fundamental principles of the oxide mechanism of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis which emphasizes the relation between metal-oxygen bond strengths and catalyst activity, has resulted in a new series of highly active Fischer-Tropsch catalysts. These systems may point the way to future syngas catalyst development. The unique structural features of these catalysts have demonstrated the importance of surface structure and its relationship to catalyst composition and activity.

Fixed-bed fast pyrolysis experiments have been conducted on a sample of rape seed to determine particularly the effects of pyrolysis temperature, particle size, heating rate and sweep gas flow rate on the pyrolysis yields and their chemical compositions. The maximum oil yield of 68% was obtained at the final pyrolysis temperature of 550°C, particle size range of 0.6-0.85 mm, with a heating rate of 300°C min − 1 and a sweep gas flow rate of 100 cm 3 min − 1 (N 2) in a well-swept fixed-bed reactor. Chromatographic and spectroscopic studies on the pyrolytic oil showed that the oil obtained from rape seed can be used as a renewable fuel and chemical feedstock.

The goal of this project is to develop a novel methodology for the formation of engineered particulates of energy-relevant material. Specifically, we aim to control interparticle cohesion in such a way as to generate macro-particles or agglomerates of several differing types of primary particles in specific proportions such that they would be of utility for co-firing applications. In Phase I of this project, we used a combination of experimentation and simulation to validate theoretically derived mixing/segregation rules for cohesive granular materials in static systems, flowing systems, and gas-solid systems.

Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) of compacted 2TiO 2-Mg-4Al powder blends was used to fabricate in situ magnesium aluminate spinel-TiAl/Ti 3 Al interpenetrating phase composites. The combustion wave propagation and thermal explosion modes of SHS, as well as thermal explosion under uniaxial pressure (reactive forging) were investigated, with the samples' temperature closely monitored in the course of processing. SHS in 2TiO 2-Mg-4Al blend was found to proceed in two stages, the leading reaction being the reaction between Mg and TiO 2 with the formation of MgTiO 3. Wave-like propagation of both leading and lagging reactions was observed during thermal explosion. The application of a moderate 60-80 MPa pressure during reactive forging at 800-900°C yielded near fully dense (up to 98% of the theoretical density) MgAl 2 O 4 spinel-TiAl/Ti 3 Al composites with fine micrometer/submicrometer scale interpenetrating ceramic and intermetallic networks. The aluminide component had a very fine γ ϩ α 2 lamellar structure that should beneficially affect the toughness of the material synthesized.

This is a preprint of a paper intended for publication in a journal or proceedings. Since changes may be made before publication, this preprint should not be cited or reproduced without permission of the author. This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, or any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for any third party's use, or the results of such use, of any information, apparatus, product or process disclosed in this report, or represents that its use by such third party would not infringe privately owned rights. The views expressed in this paper are not necessarily those of the United States Government or the sponsoring agency.

Determinations of excess molar volumes in a vibrating densimeter and excess molar heat capacities in a flow calorimeter were carried out at the temperature of 298.15 K for binary mixtures of ethanol with chlorocyclohexane, 1-nitropropane, dibutyl ether, and ethyl acetate. E for binary mixtures of ethanol with chlorocyclohexane, 1-nitropropane, dibutyl ether, and ethyl acetate at the temperature of 298.15 K. The measurements were carried out to provide information about thermodynamic properties of (an alkanol + an aprotic polar compound) systems. We are not aware of any previous investigations of V m E and directly measured C p,m E for the present systems. Experimental Section Materials. The sample liquids were all Wako Pure Chemical Industries Ltd., Special-Grade Reagents. The purification for ethanol was the same as in the previous work (Tanaka et al., 1986). Chlorocyclohexane and 1-nitropropane were distilled under reduced pressure at a temperature controlled between 333 K and 353 K. Dibutyl ether was used as received. Ethyl acetate was dried over 4A molecular sieves and distilled. The mole fraction purities tested by glc analysis were 0.991 for chlorocyclohexane, 0.999 for 1-nitropropane, and 0.999 for dibutyl ether. No impurity was detected for ethyl acetate. Measurements. The mixtures were prepared in specially devised vessels (Takenaka et al., 1980). The error in the mole fraction of ethanol, x, was within (2 × 10-5 for most of the compositions, but for the range of x < 0.01 the uncertainty increased to (2 × 10-4. The excess molar volumes were determined from density measurements. The densities F were measured in a vibrating-tube densimeter (Model 01D, Sodev Inc., Canada). The temperature of the circulating water in the densimeter was controlled within a deviation of (0.0003 K. The uncertainty in F was about (2 × 10-5 g cm-3 , but the imprecision was less than (3 × 10-6 g cm-3. The systematic error in V m E was estimated to be (0.001 cm 3 mol-1 for the compositions of x > 0.01, while it increased to (0.003 cm 3 mol-1 in the range of x < 0.01. The procedure and the test for density measurements have been described previously (Tanaka, 1979; Takenaka et al., 1980). The heat capacity divided by volume (C p /V) for each mixture was determined in a Picker flow calorimeter (Techneurop Inc., Canada). The standard liquid for measurements was heptane for which 1.523 97 J K-1 cm-3 was adopted for C p /V as in our earlier work (Tanaka, 1982). The

This is a preprint of a paper intended for publication in a journal or proceedings. Since changes may be made before publication, this preprint should not be cited or reproduced without permission of the author. This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government.

Biodiesel production from abundant bio-sources has drawn the attention of the academic as well as the industrial communities in recent years. However, one of the most serious obstacles for using biodiesel as an alternative fuel is the complicated and costly purification processes involved in its production. The difficulties involved in the separation of glycerine and other un-reacted reactants and by-products necessitate the development of new competent low cost separation processes for this purpose. In this work, a low cost quaternary ammonium salt-glycerine-based ionic liquid is proposed as a solvent for extracting glycerine from the transesterification biodiesel product. The separation technique was tested on palm oil-based produced biodiesel with KOH as a reaction catalyst. The study investigated the effect of DES:biodiesel ratio and the DES composition on the efficiency of the extraction process. The lab scale purification experiments proved the viability of the separation technique with a best DES:biodiesel molar ratio of 1:1 and a DES molar composition of 1:1 (salt:glycerine). The purified biodiesel fulfilled the EN 14214 and ASTM D 6751 standard specifications for biodiesel fuel in terms of glycerine content. A continuous separation process is suggested for industrial scale application.

Biodiesel production from abundant bio-sources has drawn the attention of the academic as well as the industrial communities in recent years. However, one of the most serious obstacles for using biodiesel as an alternative fuel is the complicated and costly purification processes involved in its production. The difficulties involved in the separation of glycerine and other un-reacted reactants and by-products necessitate the development of new competent low cost separation processes for this purpose. In this work, a low cost quaternary ammonium salt-glycerine-based ionic liquid is proposed as a solvent for extracting glycerine from the transesterification biodiesel product. The separation technique was tested on palm oil-based produced biodiesel with KOH as a reaction catalyst. The study investigated the effect of DES:biodiesel ratio and the DES composition on the efficiency of the extraction process. The lab scale purification experiments proved the viability of the separation technique with a best DES:biodiesel molar ratio of 1:1 and a DES molar composition of 1:1 (salt:glycerine). The purified biodiesel fulfilled the EN 14214 and ASTM D 6751 standard specifications for biodiesel fuel in terms of glycerine content. A continuous separation process is suggested for industrial scale application. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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