Advances in nanocatalysts design for biofuels production

The exploitation of nanocatalysts, at the boundary between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, is tracking new efficient ways to produce renewable biofuels in environmentally friendly conditions. Their solid state makes them recyclable, and their nanomateric particle size enables high activities approaching those offered by homogeneous catalysts, as well as novel and unique catalytic behaviors not accessible to solids above the nanometer range. Furthermore, the use of magnetically active materials has led to the development of nanocatalysts easily recoverable through the application of magnetic fields. In this mini-review, latest achievements in the production of advanced biofuels using stable, highly active, cheap and reusable nanocatalysts are described. Specifically, biodiesel and high density fuels have been chosen as major topics of research for the design of catalytic nanomaterials

Microwave irradiation application in biodiesel production from promising biodiesel feedstock: Microalgae (Chlorella protothecoides)

2012 World Congress on Engineering and Computer Science, WCECS 2012 -- 24 October 2012 through 26 October 2012 -- -- 137503Microwave irradiation effect on transesterification reaction of the new generation biofuel resource, microalgae, was studied. Experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the effects of reaction variables such as catalyst amount (1-1.5% w/w), oil:methanol molar ratio (1:6-1:10), and time (5-20 min) on methyl ester content of biodiesel. A comparative study on heating system was performed to show energy-efficiency of microwave-accelerated transesterification reaction. Suitable transesterification reaction conditions were determined as 65C, 1 wt.% KOH, 5 min, 1:8 microalgae oil:methanol molar ratio using microwave heating system. At these conditions fatty acid methyl ester content was determined as 96.54%. The results show that microwave heating has effectively reduced the reaction time from 210 min to 5 mi

Finite subquandles of sphere

WOS: 000278737800012In this work finite subquandles of sphere are classified by using classification of subgroups of orthogonal group O(3). For any subquandle Q of sphere there is a subgroup G(Q) of O(3) associated with Q. It is shown that if Q is a finite (infinite) subquandle, then G(Q) is a finite (infinite) subgroup. Finite subquandles of sphere are obtained from actions of finite subgroups of SO(3) on sphere. It is proved that the finite subquandles Q(1) and Q(2) of sphere whose all elements are not on the same great circle are isomorphic if and only if the subgroups G(Q1) and G(Q2) of O(3) are isomorphic by which finite subquandles of sphere are classified

Extraction Parameters and Analysis of Apricot Kernel Oil

WOS: 000300464200020Apricot kernel is an alternative raw material for fixed oil, which is used in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. It can be utilized I in place of almond oil because of similarities in fatty acid compositions. Turkey has the largest potential in producing apricot among all other countries in the world. Different varieties [sweet (Hacihaliloglu and Kabaasi) and bitter] of kernel oils (37.9-47.8 %) were obtained by Soxhlet extraction and crude protein contents of the kernels (22.3-26.5 %) were determined by Kjeldahl method. Also, suitable extraction parameters (extraction time, solvent system, solid/solvent ratio) of the oils were investigated. Fatty acid compositions of the kernel oils were determined by GC analysis in methyl esters form and major components were found to be oleic acid (63.3-72.8 %), linoleic acid (21.3-29.0 %), palmitic acid (4.0-5.7 %), stearic acid (1.2-1.5 %) and palmitoleic acid (0.5-0.8 %). Density (0.849-0.936), refractive index (1.4665-1.4700), acid value (0.39-2.06), iodine value (82.2-95.8), saponification value (161.58-178.72) and unsaponifiable matter (1.12-2.87 %) of the oils were determined

Energy consumption of biodiesel production from microalgae oil using homogeneous and heterogeneous catalyst

World Congress on Engineering and Computer Science, WCECS 2012 -- 24 October 2012 through 26 October 2012 -- San Francisco, CA -- 102283Transesterification reaction of the new generating biofuel resource, microalgae was conducted. In order to evaluate the effects of reaction variables such as catalyst type (KOH, NaOH), catalyst amount (1-1.5 % w/w), oil:methanol molar ratio (1:6-1:10), and time (5-20 min) on the methyl ester content of biodiesel. Suitable transesterification reaction conditions were determined as 65 C, 1 wt % catalyst amount, 5 min, 1:8 microalgae oil:methanol molar ratio using microwave heating system for both homogeneous catalysts. At these conditions fatty acid methyl ester content was determined as 96.54 and 96.82 % for KOH and NaOH, respectively. The results show that microwave heating has effectively reduced the reaction time from 210 min (for conventional heating) to 5 min. Electric energy consumption for microwave heating in this accelerated transesterification reaction was only 28.22 % of estimated minimum heat energy demand. Heterogeneous base catalyst, KOH/Al2O3, was also used to investigate the reaction activity due to growing interest in transesterification. According to slow reaction rate of heterogeneously catalyzed reactions, time, oil:methanol molar ratio and catalyst amount were increased as 35 min, 1:12 and 3 % w/w, respectively. Biodiesel conversion was found to be 97.79 % at these condition

Microwave Irradiation Application in Biodiesel Production from Promising Biodiesel Feedstock: Microalgae (Chlorella protothecoides)

World Congress on Engineering and Computer Science -- OCT 24-26, 2012 -- San Francisco, CAWOS: 000398980000008Microwave irradiation effect on transesterification reaction of the new generation biofuel resource, microalgae, was studied. Experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the effects of reaction variables such as catalyst amount (1-1.5% w/w), oil:methanol molar ratio (1:6-1:10), and time (5-20 min) on methyl ester content of biodiesel. A comparative study on heating system was performed to show energy-efficiency of microwave-accelerated transesterification reaction. Suitable transesterification reaction conditions were determined as 65 degrees C, 1 wt.% KOH, 5 min, 1:8 microalgae oil:methanol molar ratio using microwave heating system. At these conditions fatty acid methyl ester content was determined as 96.54%. The results show that microwave heating has effectively reduced the reaction time from 210 min to 5 min.Int Assoc Eng

The space of irreducible SU(2) representations of the twist knots

WOS: 000221804400003In this work we classify the space of irreducible SU(2) representations of the groups of the twist knots by means of a geometric method which is generalizable to all the 2-bridge knots