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This book provides a comprehensive reference to fuel engineers, researchers and academics on the technological developments involved in improving biodiesel quality and production capacity that are crucial to the future of the industry. Initial sections systematically review feedstock resources and vegetable oil formulations, including the economics of vegetable oil conversion to diesel fuel, with additional coverage of emerging energy crops for biodiesel production. Further sections review the transesterification process, including chemical (catalysis) and biochemical (biocatalysis) processes, with extended coverage of industrial process technology and control methods, and standards for biodiesel fuel quality assurance. Final chapters cover the sustainability, performance and environmental issues of biodiesel production, as well as routes to improve glycerol by-product usage and the development of next-generation products.

Biodiesel, an environmentally degradable and renewable biofuel derived from organic matter, has exhibited its capacity as a viable and sustainable substitute for traditional diesel fuel. Numerous comprehensive investigations have been conducted to assess the effects of biodiesel on internal combustion engines (ICEs), with particular emphasis on diesel engine performance metrics, combustion dynamics, and emission profiles. Biodiesel demonstrates a significant decrease in emissions of particulate matter (PM), hydrocarbon (HC), and carbon monoxide (CO) in diesel engines. The addition of biodiesel has shown a minor decrease in power output and a slight increase in fuel consumption and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Nevertheless, the extensive implementation of biodiesel, despite its potential to effectively reduce detrimental emissions, has encountered obstacles stemming from external influences including restricted availability of feedstock, volatile petroleum oil prices, and inadequate governmental backing. This review presents a concise summary of significant advancements in the global adoption of biodiesel from a sustainability perspective. This review provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with the advancement of sustainable biofuel technologies by synthesizing the current state of palm biodiesel and examining global trends in biodiesel implementation. The wider adoption of biodiesel can be facilitated by addressing concerns pertaining to feedstock availability, price stability, and policy support. This would allow for the realization of significant environmental advantages and contribute to a more environmentally friendly and sustainable biofuel.

Biodiesel is an alternative source of fuel for various automotive applications. Because of the increasing demand for energy and the scarcity of fossil fuels, researchers have turned their attention to biodiesel production from various sources in recent years. The production of biofuels from organic materials and waste components allows for the use of these waste resources in transporting resources and people over long distances. As a result, developing sustainable measures for this aspect of life is critical, as knowledge of appropriate fuel sources, corresponding emissions, and health impacts will benefit the environment and public health assessment, which is currently lacking in the literature. This study investigates biodiesel’s composition and production process, in addition to biodiesel emissions and their associated health effects. Based on the existing literature, a detailed analysis of biodiesel production from vegetable oil crops and emissions was undertaken. This study also considered vegetable oil sources, such as food crops, which can have a substantial impact on the environment if suitable growing procedures are not followed. Incorporating biodegradable fuels as renewable and sustainable solutions decreases pollution to the environment. The effects of biodiesel exhaust gas and particulates on human health were also examined. According to epidemiologic studies, those who have been exposed to diesel exhaust have a 1.2–1.5 times higher risk of developing lung cancer than those who have not. In addition, for every 24 parts per billion increase in NO2 concentration, symptom prevalence increases 2.7-fold. Research also suggests that plain biodiesel combustion emissions are more damaging than petroleum diesel fuel combustion emissions. A comprehensive analysis of biodiesel production, emissions, and health implications would advance this field’s understanding.

Biodiesel, a renewable and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, has garnered significant attention as a potential solution to the growing energy crisis and environmental concerns. The review commences with a thorough examination of feedstock selection and preparation, emphasizing the critical role of feedstock quality in ensuring optimal biodiesel production efficiency and quality. Next, it delves into the advancements in biodiesel applications, highlighting its versatility and potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. The heart of the review focuses on transesterification, the key process in biodiesel production. It provides an in-depth analysis of various catalysts, including homogeneous, heterogeneous, enzyme-based, and nanomaterial catalysts, exploring their distinct characteristics and behavior during transesterification. The review also sheds light on the transesterification reaction mechanism and kinetics, emphasizing the importance of kinetic modeling in process optimization. Recent developments in biodiesel production, including feedstock selection, process optimization, and sustainability, are discussed, along with the challenges related to engine performance, emissions, and compatibility that hinder wider biodiesel adoption. The review concludes by emphasizing the need for ongoing research, development, and collaboration among academia, industry, and policymakers to address the challenges and pursue further research in biodiesel production. It outlines specific recommendations for future research, paving the way for the widespread adoption of biodiesel as a renewable energy source and fostering a cleaner and more sustainable future.

Serious environmental concerns regarding the use of fossil-based fuels have raised awareness regarding the necessity of alternative clean fuels and energy carriers. Biodiesel is considered a clean, biodegradable, and non-toxic diesel substitute produced via the transesterification of triglycerides with an alcohol in the presence of a proper catalyst. After initial separation of the by-product (glycerol), the crude biodiesel needs to be purified to meet the standard specifications prior to marketing. The presence of impurities in the biodiesel not only significantly affects its engine performance but also complicates its handling and storage. Therefore, biodiesel purification is an essential step prior to marketing. Biodiesel purification methods can be classified based on the nature of the process into equilibrium-based, affinity-based, membrane-based, reaction-based, and solid-liquid separation processes. The main adverse properties of biodiesel – namely moisture absorption, corrosiveness, and high viscosity – primarily arise from the presence of oxygen. To address these issues, several upgrading techniques have been proposed, among which catalytic (hydro)deoxygenation using conventional hydrotreating catalysts, supported metallic materials, and most recently transition metals in various forms appear promising. Nevertheless, catalyst deactivation (via coking) and/or inadequacy of product yields necessitate further research. This paper provides a comprehensive overview on the techniques and methods used for biodiesel purification and upgrading.

Triglycerides are the main constituents of lipids, which are the fatty acids of glycerol. Natural organic triglycerides (viz. virgin vegetable oils, recycled cooking oils, and animal fats) are the main sources for biodiesel production. Biodiesel (mono alkyl esters) is the most attractive alternative fuel to diesel, with numerous environmental advantages over petroleum-based fuel. The most practicable method for converting triglycerides to biodiesel with viscosities comparable to diesel fuel is transesterification. Previous research has proven that biodiesel–diesel blends can operate the compression ignition engine without the need for significant modifications. However, the commercialization of biodiesel is still limited due to the high cost of production. In this sense, the transesterification route is a crucial factor in determining the total cost of biodiesel production. Homogenous base-catalyzed transesterification, industrially, is the conventional method to produce biodiesel. However, this method suffers from limitations both environmentally and economically. Although there are review articles on transesterification, most of them focus on a specific type of transesterification process and hence do not provide a comprehensive picture. This paper reviews the latest progress in research on all facets of transesterification technology from reports published by highly-rated scientific journals in the last two decades. The review focuses on the suggested modifications to the conventional method and the most promising innovative technologies. The potentiality of each technology to produce biodiesel from low-quality feedstock is also discussed.

The viability of algae-based biodiesel industry depends on the selection of adequate strains in regard to profitable yields and oil quality. This work aimed to bioprospecting and screening 12 microalgae strains by applying, as selective criteria, the volumetric lipid productivity and the fatty acid profiles, used for estimating the biodiesel fuel properties. Volumetric lipid productivity varied among strains from 22.61 to 204.91 mg l −1  day −1 . The highest lipid yields were observed for Chlorella (204.91 mg l −1  day 1 ) and Botryococcus strains (112.43 and 98.00 mg l −1  day −1 for Botryococcus braunii and Botryococcus terribilis , respectively). Cluster and principal components analysis analysis applied to fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) profiles discriminated three different microalgae groups according to their potential for biodiesel production. Kirchneriella lunaris , Ankistrodesmus fusiformis , Chlamydocapsa bacillus, and Ankistrodesmus falcatus showed the highest levels of polyunsaturated FAME, which incurs in the production of biodiesels with the lowest (42.47–50.52) cetane number (CN), the highest (101.33–136.97) iodine values (IV), and the lowest oxidation stability. The higher levels of saturated FAME in the oils of Chlamydomonas sp. and Scenedesmus obliquus indicated them as source of biodiesel with higher oxidation stability, higher CN (63.63–64.94), and lower IV (27.34–35.28). The third group, except for the Trebouxyophyceae strains that appeared in isolation, are composed by microalgae that generate biodiesel of intermediate values for CN, IV, and oxidation stability, related to their levels of saturated and monosaturated lipids. Thus, in this research, FAME profiling suggested that the best approach for generating a microalgae-biodiesel of top quality is by mixing the oils of distinct cell cultures.

The excessive reliance on fossil fuels has resulted in an energy crisis, environmental pollution, and health problems, calling for alternative fuels such as biodiesel. Here, we review computational chemistry and machine learning for optimizing biodiesel production from waste. This article presents computational and machine learning techniques, biodiesel characteristics, transesterification, waste materials, and policies encouraging biodiesel production from waste. Computational techniques are applied to catalyst design and deactivation, reaction and reactor optimization, stability assessment, waste feedstock analysis, process scale-up, reaction mechanims, and molecular dynamics simulation. Waste feedstock comprise cooking oil, animal fat, vegetable oil, algae, fish waste, municipal solid waste and sewage sludge. Waste cooking oil represents about 10% of global biodiesel production, and restaurants alone produce over 1,000,000 m3 of waste vegetable oil annual. Microalgae produces 250 times more oil per acre than soybeans and 7–31 times more oil than palm oil. Transesterification of food waste lipids can produce biodiesel with a 100% yield. Sewage sludge represents a significant biomass waste that can contribute to renewable energy production.

Synthesis of surface modified/multi-functional nanoparticles has become a vital research area of material science. In the present work, iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles prepared by solvo-thermal method were functionalized by polydopamine. The catechol groups of polydopamine at the surface of nanoparticles provided the sites for the attachment of Aspergillus terreus AH-F2 lipase through adsorption, Schiff base and Michael addition mechanisms. The strategy was revealed to be facile and efficacious, as lipase immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles grant the edge of ease in recovery with utilizing external magnet and reusability of lipase. Maximum activity of free lipase was estimated to be 18.32 U/mg/min while activity of Fe3O4-PDA-Lipase was 17.82 U/mg/min (showing 97.27% residual activity). The lipase immobilized on polydopamine coated iron oxide (Fe3O4_PDA_Lipase) revealed better adoptability towards higher levels of temperature/pH comparative to free lipase. The synthesized (Fe3O4_PDA_Lipase) catalyst was employed for the preparation of biodiesel from waste cooking oil by enzymatic transesterification. Five factors response surface methodology was adopted for optimizing reaction conditions. The highest yield of biodiesel (92%) was achieved at 10% Fe3O4_PDA_Lipase percentage concentration, 6:1 CH3OH to oil ratio, 37 °C temperature, 0.6% water content and 30 h of reaction time. The Fe3O4-PDA-Lipase activity was not very affected after first four cycles and retained 25.79% of its initial activity after seven cycles. The nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR (Fourier transfer infrared) Spectroscopy, XRD (X-ray diffraction) and TEM (transmission electron microscopy), grafting of polydopamine on nanoparticles was confirmed by FTIR and formation of biodiesel was evaluated by FTIR and GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) analysis.

Faced with the depletion of fossil fuels and increasingly serious environmental pollution, finding an environmentally friendly renewable alternative fuel has become one of the current research focuses. In order to find new alternative fuels, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, improve air quality, and promote sustainable development goals, castor biodiesel was produced through transesterification, and mixed with diesel in a certain proportion. The engine performance and emissions were compared and analyzed under fixed load and different speeds of agricultural diesel engines. Biofuel, as a fuel containing oxygen, promotes complete combustion to a certain extent. As the proportion of castor biodiesel in the mixed fuel increases, the emissions of pollutants such as CO, HC, and smoke show a decreasing trend. The lowest CO, HC, and smoke emissions were observed in the B80 blend at 1800 rpm, at 0.3%, 23 ppm, and 3%, respectively. On the contrary, the CO2 and NOx emissions of the B80 blend are higher than those of 2.7 diesel, reaching 2.5% and 332 ppm respectively at 1800 rpm. The lower calorific value and higher viscosity of biodiesel result in a decrease in BTE and an increase in the BSFC of the blends. Higher combustion temperatures at high speeds promote oxidation reactions, resulting in reduced HC, CO, and smoke emissions, but increased CO2 and NOx emissions. At high speeds, fuel consumption increases, BSFC increases, and BTE decreases. Overall, castor biodiesel has similar physical and chemical properties to diesel and can be mixed with diesel in a certain proportion for use in CI engines, making it an excellent alternative fuel.