Liquid Biofuels: Fluid Properties to Optimize Feedstock Selection, Processing, Refining/Blending, Storage/Transportation, and Combustion

Abstract

As the availability of petroleum-based liquid fuels is becoming increasingly problematic, alternative renewable biofuels attract growing research and development (R&D) and industry interest. The focus is to produce fuels with desired properties in both technically and economically attractive ways to support sustainability and protect the environment. While abundant, the variety of biomass feedstocks brings a great deal of incompatibility of various biofuels and the combustion engines. A consistent theme is that better knowledge of fuel properties would lead to better designs and shorter development times of everything from fuel production facilities to emission control systems. Thermophysical properties of biofuels are required to efficiently design the processes involved in their production, distribution, and utilization. These properties are also needed to develop and validate physicochemical models, the tools employed in process design, product development, or academic research. To date, the connection between the expertise in fluid properties and an integrating knowledge of where and how these properties are employed has not been adequately developed. Accordingly, the main goal of this review is to unite and set out the potential for synergy between all of the essential steps of fuel production and applications (from feedstock selection to the end use) with the properties of the fuel at each step. An integrating approach on a broad scale is helpful for the increasing number of fuel researchers, process engineers, entrepreneurs, and end users. This review discusses the main driving forces that are likely to encourage further development and move the emerging biofuel technologies from promising ideas to competitive solutions.

Emulsions of Crude Glycerin from Biodiesel Processing with Fuel Oil for Industrial Heating

“…Biodiesel-derived FFA was not available at the time of these experiments but would normally be available in the acidulation step in purification of glycerin. 1,32 Generally, we have found that ionic surfactants are more likely to be affected by the ash (ion) content of the crude glycerin. Weakly ionic carboxylate surfactants (such as TOFA) are negatively affected by high levels of ionic salts, which serve to counter dissociation of the surfactants.…”

Chemical kinetic and combustion characteristics of transportation fuels

“…But the implementation and scale up of any candidate requires assessments of health [41], ground water contamination, biochemical/thermal stability [23], physical properties, blending compatibility with petroleum products [37,51,52], fuel system materials compatibility, and environmental reactivity [53]. Given past controversies in the United States over methyl tertbutyl ether (MTBE) [http://www.epa.gov/mtbe/] as a gasoline additive, it appears prudent to consider these matters prior to investing significantly in detailed fundamental and applied combustion research or production scale-up economics.…”

Photoionization Study of Soot Precursor Nanoparticles in Laminar Premixed Ethylene/Ethanol Flames

“…Given the different chemical composition of biofuels as compared to conventional petroleum-based fuels, soot aerosols may differ in terms of size, chemistry, morphology, reactivity to oxidation, and toxicological effects (Fukagawa et al, 2013;Lapuerta et al, 2012;Szybist et al, 2007). For instance, it is widely demonstrated that biofuels can change both the combustion dynamics and the formation of pollutants such as soot particles or nitrogen oxides (Abassi and Abassi, 2010; Anitescu et al, 2012;KohseHöinghaus et al, 2010;Lapuerta et al, 2008;Szybist et al, 2007). While the use of biofuels has been widely reported to reduce both soot particle volume fraction and sizes, and to increase the reactivity to oxidation, the modification of the soot nano-and microstructure is still under debate.…”