Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Man Zhao, Yanan Wang, Wenting Zhou, Wei Zhou, Zhiwei Gong
Summary: Microbial lipid production from low-cost substrates by oleaginous yeasts, such as crude glycerol, shows great potential for commercial success in biodiesel production. The supplementation of additional nutrients and the co-valorization of crude glycerol and other low-cost substrates have been emphasized as strategies to achieve high lipid production. Furthermore, the co-fermentation of glycerol and lignocellulosic sugars has shown synergistic effects for lipogenesis. Integration of crude glycerol-based pretreatment and glycerol/lignocellulosic hydrolysates co-utilization can lead to the development of a novel biodiesel industry. The produced lipids exhibit similar profiles to vegetable oils and possess high-quality biodiesel properties, offering both economic and environmental benefits.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mohsin Raza, Abrar Inayat, Basim Abu-Jdayil
Summary: Biodiesel as an emerging substitute for petroleum products is ecologically safe and sustainable, but its high production cost is linearly related to its feedstock. The processing and disposal of its by-product, crude glycerol, poses a major challenge in the biodiesel industry. Utilizing crude glycerol in thermochemical conversion processes to produce valuable products could potentially reduce the production cost of biodiesel.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Taha Attarbachi, Martin D. Kingsley, Vincenzo Spallina
Summary: The global community's efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels have led to an oversupply of crude glycerol due to the increased production of biodiesel. This review paper provides an overview of the global glycerol market, discusses advanced crude glycerol purification technologies, and highlights the challenges and potential solutions for industrial implementation. The results suggest that membrane-based separation technologies driven by pressure, heat, and electrochemistry can effectively purify glycerol, but hybrid solutions may be necessary to address impurities from waste-based feedstocks in biodiesel production.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Yingchuan Zhang, Heng Yi Teah, Feixiang Xu, Tao Zhou, Zhengxiao Guo, Liqun Jiang
Summary: In this study, crude glycerol derived from biodiesel production was used for pretreatment to enhance the pyrolytic saccharification of sugarcane bagasse. The pretreatment process improved the production of levoglucosan and reduced the formation of light oxygenates and lignin monomers in the bio-oil. Life cycle assessment demonstrated that the integrated process had lower environmental impacts compared to traditional acid pretreatment and petroleum-based processes, particularly in terms of acidification and global warming potential. This study provides a green and efficient approach to biorefinery and waste management.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Dominika Gyuranova, Vladimir Krasnan, Ivan Spanik, Martin Rebros
Summary: This study successfully expressed recombinant enzymes to degrade biodiesel contaminants using high cell-density fermentation with crude glycerol. The optimized fermentation conditions achieved a biomass concentration of 30 g/l with comparable specific activity to pure glycerol production. The expression of inclusion bodies was eliminated by increasing the induction temperature. The produced enzymes efficiently hydrolyzed biodiesel contaminants and achieved 100% conversion. This approach of utilizing waste carbon recycling for beneficial enzyme production aligns with the concept of sustainable circular bioeconomy.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hyunguk Kwon, Yuan Xuan
Summary: In this study, the initial pyrolysis of alkyl-substituted 1,3-dioxolanes at high temperatures was investigated using ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulations. It was found that the sooting tendency of the fuels is influenced by the molecular structure of the alkyl side-chain, and the decomposition pathways can be used to develop chemical kinetic models for biodiesel components. The insights provided by ReaxFF simulations can be utilized to design new fuel molecules with more desired properties.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jianan Zhang, Yuesen Wang, Valerie L. Muldoon, Sili Deng
Summary: Biodiesels are crucial in achieving low-carbon transportation as renewable fuels. The utilization of crude glycerol, a waste byproduct, to produce glycerol for fuel purposes is an affordable and direct approach. Combining crude glycerol with solid fuels can improve combustion performance, while glycerol as an oxygenated fuel additive lowers NOx emissions.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Yuan Liu, Shiliang Wu, Huiyan Zhang, Rui Xiao
Summary: Combining torrefaction with fast pyrolysis is a feasible method for producing long-chain ether precursors. Structural characterization results showed that torrefaction led to a decrease in crystallinity index and the elimination of hydroxyls, ether bonds, etc., but an increase in carbonyls. The production of small-molecule gases was reduced after torrefaction, while the yield of targeted compounds in bio-oil significantly improved, with 240CS providing the highest carbon yield.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Lalit R. Kumar, Rajwinder Kaur, R. D. Tyagi, Patrick Drogui
Summary: By conducting energy balance and economic assessment of crude glycerol valorization for B10 biodiesel and polyhydroxy-butyrate (PHB) production, it was found that producing B10 biodiesel is more economically favorable than PHB production when utilizing crude glycerol as substrate.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Muhammad Harussani Moklis, Shou Cheng, Jeffrey S. Cross
Summary: Crude glycerol, the main byproduct of biodiesel manufacturing, presents opportunities for valorization into higher value-added chemicals. However, it often contains impurities that require expensive refining processes for industrial usage. This review explores thermo-, bio-, physico-, and electrochemical approaches for upgrading crude glycerol, highlighting the underdeveloped potential of electrochemical technology as a major upgrading technique due to its simplicity, low maintenance cost, and ambient condition operation.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Eduardo Ramos Braga, Rafael Ramos Braga, Luiz Antonio Magalhaes Pontes
Summary: This paper proposes a new process for the production of acrylonitrile using crude glycerol, showing its economic viability and competitiveness compared to the current route. This new route supports the development of further studies in this area.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
P. U. Okoye, D. M. Arias, B. H. Hameed, P. J. Sebastian, Sanxi Li, Wang Song
Summary: This study explores the thermochemical utilization of glycerol derived from biodiesel production, including pyrolysis, gasification, combustion, and other pathways. It finds that glycerol can be converted into hydrogen with a yield of up to 70% using catalysts. The study also highlights the potential of supercritical water reforming for sustainable fuel production and CO2 reduction. Further economic analysis is needed to optimize the production of fuels from glycerol.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Merve Gordesel Yildiz, Ozgu Yoruk, Duygu Uysal, Ozkan Murat Dogan, Bekir Zuhtu Uysal
Summary: This study investigated the electrochemical reforming of glycerol for hydrogen production. The performance of the system under different operating conditions was evaluated, and the optimum conditions were determined. The effects of membrane type, pre-treatment procedure, and temperature were studied. The results showed that the maximum hydrogen production was achieved using the Zn/Zn electrode pair, 0.4 M glycerol, and 0.04 M H2SO4 at the anode side, 0.04 M H2SO4 at the cathode side, and pre-treated Nafion XL membrane under room temperature and 2 V potential.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Vishal Naranje, R. Swarnalatha, Ojas Batra, Sachin Salunkhe
Summary: The aim of this research is to develop an integrated approach for glycerol valorization and biodiesel production, and simulate the process using Aspen Plus software. The results show that the process achieves the expected outcomes in terms of mass flow rate and energy recovery.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Abu Hassan Noor Armylisas, Seng Soi Hoong, Tuan Noor Maznee Tuan Ismail
Summary: This study characterized crude glycerol and glycerol pitch samples from Malaysian palm oil refineries and compared them with pure glycerol. The results showed that both crude glycerol and glycerol pitch have high glycerol content, making them suitable for bioconversion and chemical or thermal treatment as feedstock.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
P. Manara, A. Zabaniotou
WASTE AND BIOMASS VALORIZATION
(2016)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sharif H. Zein, Benjamin Asenso Gyamera, Vasiliki K. Skoulou
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Guozhao Ji, Anthe George, Vicky Skoulou, Graham Reed, Marcos Millan, Kamel Hooman, Suresh K. Bhatia, Joao C. Diniz da Costa
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2018)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Roberto Volpe, Anastasia A. Zabaniotou, Vasiliki Skoulou
Article
Thermodynamics
P. Manara, S. Bezergianni, U. Pfisterer
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2018)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Martin J. Taylor, Hassan A. Alabdrabalameer, Vasiliki Skoulou
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
I. Vaskalis, V. Skoulou, G. Stavropoulos, A. Zabaniotou
Article
Energy & Fuels
Martin J. Taylor, Apostolos K. Michopoulos, Anastasia A. Zabaniotou, Vasiliki Skoulou
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Martin J. Taylor, Hassan A. Alabdrabalameer, Apostolos K. Michopoulos, Roberto Volpe, Vasiliki Skoulou
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Kin Wai Cheah, Suzana Yusup, Adrian Chun Minh Loy, Bing Shen How, Vasiliki Skoulou, Martin J. Taylor
Summary: This review summarizes the research progress in the past decade on upgrading plant oils and fatty acids to diesel-like hydrocarbons using catalytic deoxygenation (CDO) technologies. It focuses on the fundamental chemistry, reaction mechanism, and kinetic modeling, and discusses the key process parameters that may affect the product yields/selectivity. The review also addresses the technical barriers, challenges, and prospects of CDO technologies.
MOLECULAR CATALYSIS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Dimitris Al. Katsaprakakis, Apostolos Michopoulos, Vasiliki Skoulou, Eirini Dakanali, Aggeliki Maragkaki, Stavroula Pappa, Ioannis Antonakakis, Dimitris Christakis, Constantinos Condaxakis
Summary: This article proposes a mixed action plan for the development of an effective and rational energy transition plan for all sectors and types of onshore energy use in Crete. The plan includes capacity building, energy saving measures, and utilization of local energy resources for electricity generation, heat production, and transition to e-mobility.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Christos D. Argyropoulos, Vasiliki Skoulou, Georgios Efthimiou, Apostolos K. Michopoulos
Summary: The underestimation of airborne dispersion of biological agents and the need for monitoring and analyzing their transmission in building environments is a major challenge. Ventilation systems play a crucial role in the transmission of indoor air pollutants, and computational fluid dynamics modeling can help predict dispersion routes and concentrations. This multidisciplinary review examines the nature of biological agents, their transmission routes, the role of HVAC systems, and computer modeling approaches.
AIR QUALITY ATMOSPHERE AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Waqas Malik, Jorge Pavel Victoria Tafoya, Szymon Doszczeczko, Ana Belen Jorge Sobrido, Vasiliki K. Skoulou, Andrew N. Boa, Qi Zhang, Tomas Ramirez Reina, Roberto Volpe
Summary: Bioderived materials are promising catalyst supports for heterogeneous reactions due to their unique properties. In this study, carbon-encapsulated iron nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using sporopollenin exine capsules as the catalyst support. The structure and morphology of the particles were controlled by adjusting the precursor concentration. Various analysis techniques were used to investigate the porosity and graphitization of the particles, and a reaction mechanism was proposed. Furthermore, SpEC-Fe10% exhibited excellent catalytic performance for a specific reaction under high temperature conditions.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hassan A. Alabdrabalameer, Martin J. Taylor, Juho Kauppinen, Teemu Soini, Toni Pikkarainen, Vasiliki Skoulou
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY & FUELS
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Onome Festus, Vasiliki K. Skoulou, Sharif H. Zein
CURRENT MICROWAVE CHEMISTRY
(2017)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Guanshuai Zhang, Shanjian Liu, Dongmei Bi, Zhisen He, Jia Liu, Yinjiao Liu
Summary: Hydrogen peroxide pretreatment was applied for fast pyrolysis of corn stalks, and it was found that the pretreatment effectively promoted lignin depolymerization and decreased the reaction activation energy. The pretreatment also increased the cellulose content and removed alkali and alkaline earth metals from the biomass. The pH of the hydrogen peroxide solution affected the removal of lignin and ash by the pretreatment, and the composition of bio-oil changed significantly, with a significant increase in the relative content of levoglucosan after pretreatment.
JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL AND APPLIED PYROLYSIS
(2024)
