• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.38-43
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• 2012

Biodiesel is non-petroleum based fuel produced from vegetable oils or animal fats through transesterification. The compositions of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in the feedstocks are important factors for biodiesel quality in terms of low-temperature fluidity and oxidative stability. The goal of this study is to improve the cold flow property of biodiesel from vegetable and animal origin containing highly saturated methyl esters (approx. 50%). In this purpose poly-saturated methyl esters in palm and tallow biodiesel were removed via urea-based fractionation and then the recovered fractions (enriched unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters) were supplemented with cold flow improvers. The highest concentration of unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters (93.8%) was obtained using a urea/fatty acid ratio of 3:1 at the crystallization temperature of $0^{\circ}C$ for 17 hours in incubation, with recovery of 71% and the addition of cold flow improver (Flozol$^{(R)}$ 515, 3,000 ppm) to the enriched poly-unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters reduced the CFPP(cold filter plugging point) of palm biodiesel from $12^{\circ}C$ to $-42^{\circ}C$. In tallow biodiesel both the enrichment of unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters (93.71%) and the addition of cold flow improver (Infineum R408, 3,000ppm) reduced the CFPP from $10^{\circ}C$ to $-32^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.421-431
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• 2019

In this study, the formation, microstructure, and wear properties of Colmonoy 88 (Ni-17W-15Cr-3B-4Si wt.%) + Stellite 1 (Co-32Cr-17W wt.%) coating layers fabricated by high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) spraying are investigated. Colmonoy 88 and Stellite 1 powders were mixed at a ratio of 1:0 and 5:5 vol.%. HVOF sprayed self-fluxing composite coating layers were fabricated using the mixed powder feedstocks. The microstructures and wear properties of the composite coating layers are controlled via a high-frequency heat treatment. The two coating layers are composed of ${\gamma}-Ni$, $Ni_3B$, $W_2B$, and $Cr_{23}C_6$ phases. Co peaks are detected after the addition of Stellite 1 powder. Moreover, the WCrB2 hard phase is detected in all coating layers after the high-frequency heat treatment. Porosities were changed from 0.44% (Colmonoy 88) to 3.89% (Colmonoy 88 + ST#1) as the content of Stellite 1 powder increased. And porosity is denoted as 0.3% or less by inducing high-frequency heat treatment. The wear results confirm that the wear property significantly improves after the high-frequency heat treatment, because of the presence of well-controlled defects in the coating layers. The wear surfaces of the coated layers are observed and a wear mechanism for the Ni-based self-fluxing composite coating layers is proposed.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 2021

The present study aimed to determine the effect of co-pyrolysis of sawdust biomass and scrap tyre waste employing different blending ratios of sawdust to waste tyre such as 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100. The thermochemical characterization of feedstocks was carried out by employing the proximate, ultimate analysis, and thermogravimetric (TGA) analyses, calorific values, and scanning electron microscope coupled with energy dispersive x-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) to select the blending ratio having better bioenergy potential amongst the studied ratios. The blending ratio of 25:75 (sawdust to waste tyre) was selected for the co-pyrolysis study in a fixed-bed pyrolysis reactor system based on its solid biofuels properties such as heating value (30.18 MJ/kg), and carbon (71.81 wt%) and volatile matter (63.82 wt%) contents. The pyrolysis temperatures were varied as 500, 600 and 700 ℃ while the other parameters such as heating rate and nitrogen flowrate were maintained at 30 ℃/min and 0.5 L/min respectively. The bio-oil yields as 31.9, 47.1 and 61.2 wt%, bio-char yields as 34.5, 34.2 and 31.4 wt% and gaseous product yields as 33.6, 18.60 and 7.3 wt% at the pyrolysis temperatures of 500, 600 and 700 ℃ respectively were obtained. The blends of sawdust and waste tyres showed the improved energy characteristics which could provide the solution for the beneficial management of sawdust and scrape tyre wastes via co-pyrolysis processing.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.382-391
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• 2019

Many poultry eggs are discarded worldwide because of infection (i.e., avian flu) or presence of high levels of pesticides. The possibility of adopting egg yolk as a source material to produce polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymer was examined in this study. Cupriavidus necator Re2133/pCB81 was used for the production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) or poly(3HHx), a polymer that would normally require long-chain fatty acids as carbon feedstocks for the incorporation of 3HHx monomers. The optimal medium contained 5% egg yolk oil and ammonium nitrate as a nitrogen source, with a carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio of 20. Time course monitoring using the optimized medium was conducted for 5 days. Biomass production was 13.1 g/l, with 43.7% co-polymer content. Comparison with other studies using plant oils and the current study using egg yolk oil revealed similar polymer yields. Thus, discarded egg yolks could be a potential source of PHA.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.87-103
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• 2021

Anaerobic digestion (AD) refers to the biological process which can convert organic substrates to biogas in the absence of oxygen. The aim of this study was to determine the capability of feedstock to produce biogas and to quantify the biogas yield from different feedstocks. A co-digestion approach was carried out in a continuous stirred tank reactor operated under mesophilic conditions and at a constant organic loading rate of 0.0756 g COD/ L.day, with a hydraulic retention time of 25 days. For comparison, mono-digestion was also included in the experimental work. 2 L working volumes were used throughout the experimental work. The seed culture was obtained from composting as substrate digestion. When the feedstock was added to seeding, the biogas started to emit after three days of retention time. The highest volume of biogas was observed when the seeding volume used for 1000mL. However, the lowest volume of biogas yield was obtained from both co-digestion reactors, with a value of 340 mL. For methane yield, the highest methane production rate was 0.16 L CH4/mg. The COD with yield was at 8.6% and the lowest was at 0.5%. The highest quantity of methane was obtained from a reactor of Euphorbiaceae peel with added seeding, while the lowest methane yield came from a reactor of Euphorbiaceae stems with added seeding. In this study, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) was used as a buffering solution to correct the pH in the reactor if the reactor condition was found to be in a souring or acidic condition.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.1384-1389
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• 2023

This work aimed to evaluate the feasibility of biohydrogen production from Barley Straw and Miscanthus. The primary obstacle in plant biomass decomposition is the recalcitrance of the biomass itself. Plant cell walls consist of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, which make the plant robust to decomposition. However, the hyperthermophilic bacterium, Caldicellulosiruptor bescii, can efficiently utilize lignocellulosic feedstocks (Barley Straw and Miscanthus) for energy production, and C. bescii can now be metabolically engineered or isolated to produce more hydrogen and other biochemicals. In the present study, two strains, C. bescii JWCB001 (wild-type) and JWCB018 (ΔpyrFA Δldh ΔcbeI), were tested for their ability to increase hydrogen production from Barley Straw and Miscanthus. The JWCB018 resulted in a redirection of carbon and electron (carried by NADH) flow from lactate production to acetate and hydrogen production. JWCB018 produced ~54% and 63% more acetate and hydrogen from Barley Straw, respectively than its wild-type counterpart, JWCB001. Also, 25% more hydrogen from Miscanthus was obtained by the JWCB018 strain with 33% more acetate relative to JWCB001. It was supported that the engineered C. bescii, such as the JWCB018, can be a parental strain to get more hydrogen and other biochemicals from various biomass.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.2-10
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• 2023

The current mandatory domestic biodiesel blending ratio is 3.5%, which is planned to be gradually increased to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The aim of this study was to improve domestic self-sufficiency in biodiesel raw oil by conducting a technical review on the possibility of utilizing waste oils, such as soup oil, chicken oil, and leather oil, as biodiesel feedstocks. These waste oils have an acid value that is too high to be converted directly into biodiesel. Therefore, a pretreatment to reduce the acid value is necessary. The neutralization process was examined as a potential technology for reducing the acid value. The oil recovery rate of the soup oil after neutralization was significantly low at 37.6 wt%. The oil recovery rates of leather oil and chicken oil were 66.49 wt% and 79.08 wt%, respectively. Based on biodiesel conversion experiment using waste oil with a reduced acid value, the conversions were analyzed as 89 wt%, 91.1 wt%, and 90.5 wt% for soup oil, leather oil, and chicken oil, respectively. Thus, it is technically possible to use soup oil, leather oil, and chicken oil as raw materials for producing biodiesel.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.340-360
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• 2010

The depletion of fossil fuels, ecological problems associated with $CO_2$ emissions climate change, growing world population, and future energy supplies are forcing the development of alternative resources for energy (heat and electricity), transport fuels and chemicals: the replacement of fossil resources with $CO_2$ neutral biomass. Several options exist to cover energy supplies of the future, including solar, wind, and water power; however, chemical carbon source can get from biomass only. When used in combination with environmental friend production and processing technology, the use of biomass can be seen as a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical feedstocks. The biorefinery concept is analogous to today's petroleum refinery, which produce multiple fuels and chemical products from petroleum. A biorefinery is a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes and equipment to produce fuels, power, and value-added chemicals from biomass. Biorefinery is the co-production of a spectrum of bio-based products (food, feed, materials, and chemicals) and energy (fuels, power, and heat) from biomass [definition IEA Bioenergy Task 42]. By producing multiple products, a biorefinery takes advantage of the various components in biomass and their intermediates therefore maximizing the value derived from the biomass feedstocks. A biorefinery could, for example, produce one or several low-volume, but high-value, chemical or nutraceutical products and a low-value, but high-volume liquid transportation fuel such as biodiesel or bioethanol. Future biorefinery may play a major role in producing chemicals and materials as a bridge between agriculture and chemistry that are traditionally produced from petroleum. Industrial biotechnology is expected to significantly complement or replace the current petroleum-based industry and to play an important role.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.985-994
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• 2018

Bio-heavy oil for power generation is a product made by mixing animal fat, vegetable oil and fatty acid methyl ester or its residues and is being used as steam heavy fuel(B-C) for power generation in Korea. However, if the fuel supply system of the fuel pump, the flow pump, the injector, etc., which is transferred to the boiler of the generator due to the composition of the raw material of the bio-heavy oi, causes abrasive wear, it can cause serious damage. Therefore, this study evaluates the fuel characteristics and lubricity properties of various raw materials of bio-heavy oil for power generation, and suggests fuel composition of biofuel for power generation to reduce frictional wear of generator. The average value of lubricity (HFRR abrasion) for bio-heavy oil feedstocks for power generation is $137{\mu}m$, and it varies from $60{\mu}m$ to $214{\mu}m$ depending on the raw materials. The order of lubricity is Oleo pitch> BD pitch> CNSL> Animal fat> RBDPO> PAO> Dark oil> Food waste oil. The average lubricity for the five bio-heavy oil samples is $151{\mu}m$ and the distribution is $101{\mu}m$ to $185{\mu}m$. The order of lubricity is Fuel 1> Fuel 3> Fuel 4> Fuel 2> Fuel 5. Bio-heavy oil samples (average $151{\mu}m$) show lower lubricity than heavy oil C ($128{\mu}m$). It is believed that bio-heavy oil for power generation is composed of fatty acid material, which is lower in paraffin and aromatics content than heavy oil(B-C) and has a low viscosity and high acid value, resulting in inhibition of the formation of lubricating film by acidic component. Therefore, in order to reduce friction and abrasion, it is expected to increase the lubrication of fuel when it contains more than 60% Oleo pitch and BD pitch as raw materials of bio-heavy oil for power generation.

• Clean Technology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.141-152
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• 2015

As environmental issues are emerging, bio-plastic suppliers in leading countries have been foreseeing the strong needs for environment-friendly materials such as eco-packing materials due to increased attention and regulation on recycle. To catch up with the demand, various types of bio-plastics based on natural feedstocks were developed and released on a market. These bio-plastic products drew the great attention even in domestic industries. At present, international oil price fluctuation and heavy charge on waste raise the unit cost of production and disposal expense of conventional plastic materials. These conditions make bio-plastic an alternative, because it is not restrained by oil prices and problem in the disposal. It is also expected that bio-plastic will be applied to various types of products including containers, industrial supplies, disposables, and medical supplies. However, the bio-plastic is still in its infancy, thus more research and understanding should be followed to put it to application. Bio-plastic is considered as environment-friendly material with high potential which has the advantages of production and disposal.