Optimizing Microalgal Biomass Feedstock Selection for Nanocatalytic Conversion Into Biofuel Clean Energy, Using Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision Making Processes

Abstract

Biofuel production from microalgae non-food feedstock is a challenge for strengthening Green energy nowadays. Reviewing the current technology, there is still reluctance in investing towards the production of new algal strains that yield more oil and maximize capital gains. In the current work, the microalgal feedstock selection problem is investigated for increased lipid production and nano-catalytic conversion into clean biofuel. For that purpose, a variety of Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision Making processes and a multitude of Optimization criteria spanning to technological, environmental, economic, and social aspects are used. The strains selected for the analysis are Chlorella sp., Schizochytrium sp., Spirulina sp., and Nannochloropsis sp. The methods applied are fuzzy analytic hierarchy process, FTOPSIS (fuzzy technique for the order of preference to the ideal solution), and FCM (fuzzy cognitive mapping). Pairwise comparison matrices were calculated using data from extensive literature review. All aforementioned fuzzy logic methodologies are proven superior to their numeric equivalent under uncertain factors that affect the decision making, such as cost, policy implications, and also geographical and seasonal variation. A major finding is that the most dominant factor in the strain selection is the high lipid content. Moreover, the results indicate that the Chlorella Vulgaris microalgae is ranked as the best choice by the FTOPSIS method followed by the Nannochloropsis strain, and Spirulina Platensis was found to be the last in performance. The best and worst case scenario run with FCM experimentally verify this choice indicating that Chlorella Vulgaris follows this trend of selection mostly with the technological and the economic criteria for both the sigmoid and the hyperbolic tangent deep-learning functions used.

Sustainable Medical Waste Management Using an Intuitionistic Fuzzy-Based Decision Support System

“…Control incineration of HCW residues via thermal treatment and improve volatilization to minimize the effects from the residue disposal in HCW treatment [43][44][45][46].…”

“Nature-like” Cryoimmobilization of Phototrophic Microorganisms: New Opportunities for Their Long-Term Storage and Sustainable Use

“…has been shown. The biomass of these phototrophic microorganisms can also be used as a raw material for the production of fuel and additives to it (ethanol, butanol, biogas, biodiesel, hydrogen) [4,5]. Some microalgae and cyanobacteria can be used in bioindication to assess the level of environmental pollution by aquaculture wastewater [6].…”

Comparative appraisal of nutrient recovery, bio-crude, and bio-hydrogen production using Coelestrella sp. in a closed-loop biorefinery

“…Biomass-based biorefineries have recently been considered as a potential strategy to mitigate environmental pollution and climate change by ensuring sustainable waste management (Venkata Mohan et al, 2020;Hao et al, 2021;Wahab et al, 2022). Bio-based energy production is one sustainable alternative (Amulya et al, 2020;Kokkinos et al, 2021;Kopperi et al, 2021), accounting for 9-10% of the global energy supply (Bagchi et al, 2021). Using nature-inspired processes to design an efficient biorefinery system to produce environmentally-friendly biofuels and chemicals can help to build sustainable bio-refineries and carbon-neutral bioeconomies (Katakojwala and Venkata Mohan, 2021).…”

“…Using nature-inspired processes to design an efficient biorefinery system to produce environmentally-friendly biofuels and chemicals can help to build sustainable bio-refineries and carbon-neutral bioeconomies (Katakojwala and Venkata Mohan, 2021). Microalgae is emerging as a third-generation feedstock for the production of biofuels with high energy density (Galadima, and Muraza, 2018;Mutanda et al, 2020;Bagchi et al, 2021) with in-built bio-sequester (CO 2 ) capability and the accumulation of significant lipids and other value-added products (Chew et al, 2017;Kokkinos et al, 2021;Kuravi and Mohan, 2021). Algal biorefinery is a potential platform that has been studied extensively for the production of a variety of products in a sequential and integrated pathway (Venkata Mohan et al, 2020).…”

“…Thermo-chemical processes such as gasification, pyrolysis, and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) are being considered as efficient routes to rapidly convert biomass to fuels or chemicals (Wang et al, 2018;Kokkinos et al, 2021). HTL has emerged as an economically feasible and environmentally friendly method for biomass conversion.…”