Comparative Analysis of Fuel Composition and Physical Properties of Biodiesel, Diesel, Kerosene, and Jet Fuel

Abstract

Biodiesel is an important alternative fuel synthesized by the trans-esterification of vegetable oils, animal fats, and recycled greases. In this experiment, students prepared biodiesel through the base-catalyzed trans-esterification of several vegetable oils, which were subsequently analyzed in comparison with conventional petroleum-based fuels to assess their physical properties and to obtain a thermochemical profile. The experiment as described here could be employed by university faculty as a project in a major's level laboratory course, but we envision the ideal fit to be a module within an advanced or integrated laboratory course. Students completing the project gain valuable experience in chemical synthesis and in extensive product characterization and analysis. This project reinforces critical skills in isolation of pure products from complex mixtures and in the careful preparation of samples for chemical analysis. Finally, students are afforded the opportunity to compare theoretical predictions from chemical modeling in combination with GC−MS analysis with the practical results gained by performing bomb calorimetry.

Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Biodiesel Derived from Microalgae

“…After extracting and drying the crude FFA mixture, the reaction completion was checked by TLC. The FFAs were then dissolved in ∼30 mL of ethanol and quantified by titration against KOH using a pH meter (SI, p S14), 35 in order to obtain the biodiesel production (SI, p S22). Olive or soybean oil was analyzed in the same way and was used as a positive control.…”

“…As an emerging renewable fuel, biodiesel is an engaging teaching topic, with several activities − and laboratory teaching experiments utilizing a variety of feedstocks, like commercially available petroleum diesel and biodiesel, − fresh and waste cooking oils, − and nonfood crops and waste biomass. − To the best of the authors’ knowledge, only one experiment uses a microalgae feedstock, where over a semester students gain valuable insight into the production cycle of biodiesel. From a teaching viewpoint, the inclusion of biomass cultivation in limited class times is a logistical challenge.…”

Numerical Modeling of a Rectangular Hollow-Core Waveguide for the Detection of Fuel Adulteration in Terahertz Region

“…The produced energy from oil burning has many applications in our daily life such as energy generation of buildings and industries, powering vehicles, household cooking, etc. [44]. Thereby, the monitoring of the quality of petroleum and its derivatives is important to avoid adulteration.…”

“…Thereby, the monitoring of the quality of petroleum and its derivatives is important to avoid adulteration. The most commonly used liquid petroleum oils are petrol, diesel, octane and kerosene, being the petrol and kerosene the most used and demanded liquid fuel oils to the industrial, commercial and residential applications [44]. Additionally, the huge demand for gasoline oil has caused its price to rise rapidly in recent years.…”

Practical Applications of Organic Chemistry: Improving Student Knowledge of GC–MS through Qualitative Analysis of Nicotine in Electronic Cigarette Vapors

“…Chemistry students thrive in a meaningful way when they are given a real-world application to study in the lab . Given its power in aiding unknown identification, many laboratories have been developed that utilize GC–MS to analyze complex and common samples. − GC–MS has been widely used to study nicotine and its fragmentation pattern . Quinoline was added to each sample during injection, where its structural similarities to nicotine allowed for its use as an instrumental injection standard in this study .…”