Renewable biofuel additives from the ozonolysis of lignin

Abstract

In this investigation ozonolysis in the presence of ethanol was used to depolymerise lignin, resulting in a low conversion of oxygenated aromatics over short reaction times, or a range of saturated esters over 24 h. Short chain oxygenates can be used as fuel additives, displacing a percentage of a hydrocarbon fuel while leading to improvement in some of the fuel properties. The utility of the resulting bio-oils was therefore assessed by blending with a range of fuels. Guaiacol, a potential antioxidant, was formed over short reaction times and was found to be completely miscible with low-sulphur petrol (ULSP), diesel, aviation kerosene and rapeseed methyl ester. The mainly aliphatic proportion of the bio-oil produced over 24 h could be blended with the fuels replacing a maximum of 12-17 wt.% of the hydrocarbon fuel.

Ozonolysis

“…Ozonolysis in the presence of ethanol resulted in a low conversion of oxygenated aromatics over short reaction times, or a range of saturated esters over 24 h. Short chain oxygenates can be used as fuel additives, displacing a percentage of a hydrocarbon fuel while leading to improvements in some of the fuel properties. The use of the resulting bio-oils was therefore assessed by blending them with a range of fuels [67].…”

Depolymerization of polysaccharides from Opuntia ficus indica: Antioxidant and antiglycated activities

“…The degradation of polysaccharides was achieved by enzymatic (pectinase [11], pectin methyl esterase, polygalacturonase [12]), chemical (acid hydrolysis [13], ozonolysis [14], free radical depolymerization [15]), physical (sonochemistry [16], microwave, irradiation [17], etc.) and thermal processes [17].…”

An overview of the effects of fuel molecular structure on the combustion and emissions characteristics of compression ignition engines

“…22,23 Many methods of combined thermal, chemical and biological treatment of lignocellulosic biomass can produce ketones, short-chain fatty acid esters, acids, furans, methane and phenols. [24][25][26][27][28][29][30] With the development of various controlled processes for the conversion of renewable energy sources to liquid fuels for compression ignition engines, in contrast with current fossil diesel, at the point of production these future fuels will likely consist of a relatively small and discrete range of species, thereby enhancing the importance of the molecular structures of the compounds present to the overall fuel characteristics. This paper therefore presents a concise review of the effects of the molecular structures of fuels on the combustion characteristics and the exhaust emissions of NO x and Table 1.…”