Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Chemistry. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

M. Tech. Mechanical Engineering. / Biodiesel, produced from the transesterification of vegetable oils or animal fats with simple alcohol in the presence of a catalyst, is well positioned to replace petroleum-based diesel. Biodiesel is a non-toxic, biodegradable and renewable fuel. Despite its advantages, the chemical nature of biodiesel makes it more susceptible to oxidation compared to mineral diesel during long-term storage. The production of Croton Oil Methyl Ester (COME), Moringa Oil Methyl Ester (MOME) and Jatropha Oil Methyl Ester (JOME) was therefore carried out. Also, a determination of the fuel related properties and investigation of oxidation stability of the methyl esters produced without and with antioxidants and its blends with mineral diesel were conducted. The results showed that most of the measured fuel related properties of produced methyl esters fulfilled the minimum requirements of EN 14214 and ASTM 6751 biodiesel standards. However, COME and MOME did not meet EN 14214 oxidation stability standards (6 h) while JOME displayed very high oxidation stability (10.43 h) well within specified oxidation stability standards. Overall, the biodiesel derived from non-edible oils of African origin such as COME, MOME and JOME can be utilized as a partial substitute for mineral diesel. This study recommends that PY and PG antioxidants be used for safeguarding biodiesel fuel from the effects of autoxidation during storage.

As algae-derived biofuel is a promising renewable energy source, it is well-established that micro-algae have the potential to make a significant contribution to transportation fuel demand. Although it has many advantages including high areal productivity, there are many negative factors. One of these factors is the predation of algae by amoebas, protozoans, ciliates and rotifers, particularly in open pond systems. For example, the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis, is able to eat as much as 12,000 algae cells per hour and can be responsible for an entire pond crash within days. Thus, these higher organisms need to be controlled in order to satisfy large-scale algae crop and biofuel production demand. One method of predation control involves the introduction of a toxic chemical to an algal culture that the predator has a higher sensitivity to with respect to algae. Ideally, predation could be minimized or eliminated without a substantial effect on the algal culture growth. Chlorella kessleri was used as the algal culture and Brachionus calyciflorus as the source of predation. Research was conducted in five stages. First, chlorine dissipation tests were carried out using spring water, distilled water, Bolds Basal Medium (BBM), and three different dry weights of algal suspension in order to analyze the dissipation rate of the residual chlorine. The results showed that chlorine in distilled water and spring water rarely dissipated while chlorine concentration in algal suspension rapidly decreased by a maximum of 90% within the second hour. Second, acute chlorine toxicity tests were conducted in order to find the 24-hr LC50 of B. calyciflorus. The 24-hr LC50 of the test animal was 0.198 mg Cl/L. Third, chlorine toxicity tests were conducted in order to find the LC50 of Chlorella kessleri. The 24-hr LC50 of C. kessleri was 0.321 mg Cl/L. Based on these results, the test animal was more sensitive to chlorine than the test algae; therefore chlorine may be used to avoid algae pond crashes by B. calyciflorus. Fourth, C. kessleri and B. calyciflorus were combined into one test to determine how long it would take to observe an algal culture crash. The result demonstrated that the higher the population of predators in algal suspension, the faster it crashed. Finally, chlorine, C. kessleri, and B. calyciflorus were combined into one test to determine what chlorine concentration and dosing interval was needed to significantly reduce predation without significantly reducing algae growth. The results of the fifth experiment showed that the effective intermittent chlorine concentration was between 0.45 and 0.60 mg Cl/L, and a short interval of chlorine dosing was effective in inhibiting rotifers in algal suspension. Even though the rotifers in algal suspension were inhibited by 0.45 to 0.60 mg Cl/L, algae growth was greatly inhibited by chlorine. In this respect, future work is needed to reduce the effect on algae by chlorine or alternative chemicals.

As biofuels were growing in importance, Jatropha curcas has been widely promoted as the best suitable source for biodiesel that can be exploited by developing countries .Whilst there were fears that this development may threaten food security and put a strain on other natural resources there was a view that if well managed, the activity may spur rural economic growth thereby reducing poverty and unemployment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact that growing Jatropha curcas for supplying the biodiesel industry has made on the livelihoods of the households that were involved within the community of Mpaka in Swaziland. The target respondents were all the farmers that had an agreement with D1 Oils Swaziland and actually planted Jatropha curcas based on the Sustainable Livelihoods framework and using qualitative techniques data were collected using documentation, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussion, and some observation. Content analysis was then carried out to document the history of growing Jatropha curcas in Swaziland; map out the vulnerability context for the community of Mpaka; identify the range of assets that create the different livelihood strategies for the different households; determine the effect of policies and institutional conditions; and describe what the stakeholder’s view of growing Jatropha curcas is. The findings of the study revealed that growing Jatropha curcas greatly reduced the households’ vulnerability to drought, crops being browsed by livestock and high cost of farming inputs. However the study also revealed that the activity did not yield the desired outcome of income generation as the project did not continue due to bad publicity coupled with a poor policy environment and lack of coordination between and within government ministries and departments. Whilst it can be concluded that that the activity had a negative impact on the households involved it showed a great potential provided government through the relevant ministries and departments creates an enabling environment of proper policies and institutions and by involving all stakeholders at the right time. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--North Carolina State University. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.C.E.)--University of Toledo, 2008. / Typescript. "Submitted as partial fulfillments of the requirements for The Master of Science in Engineering." "A thesis entitled"--at head of title. Bibliography: leaves 81-92.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, March, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Biological Sciences. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Frente ao cenário de esgotamento das reservas mundiais de petróleo e a demanda mundial por energia renovável, aliado a necessidade de novas tecnologias para produção de biocombustíveis e o potencial energético das palmáceas, o presente trabalho teve por objetivo a síntese de ésteres metílicos, tendo como matéria-prima o óleo da amêndoa de macaúba, a partir da reação de transesterificação empregando o ácido p-toluenossulfônico (95%) como catalisador. Para tanto foi necessário a caracterização do óleo da amêndoa e o estudo e planejamento das variáveis tempo, razão molar óleo:álcool e percentual de catalisador. Em seguida a avaliação do teor de ésteres por termogravimetria dos ensaios de transesterificação, e por fim, com base nestes dados, a obtenção de um modelo matemático que explicasse satisfatoriamente o rendimento em percentual de ésteres em função das variáveis estudadas. Os resultados apontam o ótimo estado de conservação do óleo utilizado bem como sua composição em termos de ácidos graxos, constituída, predominantemente, pelo ácido oleico, composto este, monoinsaturado e formado por uma cadeia carbônica mediana, o que propicia uma boa qualidade ao combustível produzido. Por meio do perfil termogravimétrico e do espectro na região do infravermelho para o óleo da amêndoa de macaúba pôde-se observar a estabilidade térmica do mesmo até cerca de 220ºC, com um único intervalo de volatilização, que ocorreu até a temperatura de 420ºC, bem como bandas características de absorção dos principais grupos funcionais presentes em suas moléculas, que acabaram se deslocando e alterando suas intensidades de absorção para os ésteres transesterificados. Três planejamentos foram realizados para os ensaios de transesterificação, dois fracionários e um terceiro utilizando a metodologia do Delineamento do Composto Central Rotacional com um fatorial 22, que originou o modelo matemático para o sistema. Com base nos dados obtidos dos planejamentos 1, 2 e 3 foi possível concluir que a faixa de tempo reacional ideal para as condições estudadas é de 2 a 4,5 horas. A razão molar óleo:metanol deve ser superior a estequiometria da reação que é de 1:3. O percentual de catalisador deve ser igual ou superior a 11,5 % para que o teor de ésteres atenda ao exigido pela legislação ANP 2014, que é de 96,5%. A melhor condição encontrada para o rendimento em percentual de ésteres metílicos foi processada utilizando 11,5% de catalisador, razão molar óleo:metanol de 1:6, temperatura de 65ºC, 200 rpm de agitação e tempo reacional de 4,25 horas, atingindo um rendimento de 99%. A partir do modelo matemático gerado, foi comprovada a validade deste para as condições experimentais, com um erro percentual médio de 1%. / Against the backdrop of the depletion of world oil reserves and global demand for renewable energy, combined with the need for new technologies for production of biofuels and the energy potential of palm trees, this study aimed to the synthesis of methyl esters, with the matter macaúba the raw almond oil from the transesterification reaction using p-toluenesulfonic acid (95%) as catalyst. Therefore it was necessary to characterize the almond oil and the study and planning between time, molar ratio of oil: alcohol and catalyst percentage. Then, the evaluation of the content by thermogravimetric esters of transesterification trials, and finally, on the basis of these data, obtaining a kinetic model to explain the percentage yield of esters according to the variables. The results show the great oil conservation status used and its composition in terms of fatty acids, consisting predominantly by oleic acid, compound this, monounsaturated and formed by a median carbon chain, which provides a good quality to that produced fuel. By means of thermogravimetric profile and the spectrum in the infrared region for macaúba almond oil could observe the thermal stability of about 220ºC even with a single range of volatilization, which occurred until the temperature of 420ºC and characteristic absorption bands of the main functional groups present in the molecules which eventually moving and changing its absorption intensities for the biodiesel produced. Three schedules were performed for transesterification trials, two and a third fraction using the methodology of the Delineation Central Composite Rotational with a factorial 22, which gave the mathematical model for the system. Based on the data obtained from the plans 1, 2 and 3 it was concluded that the range of reaction time ideal for the conditions studied is 2 to 4,5 hours. The molar ratio of oil: methanol must be greater than the stoichiometry of the reaction is 1:3. The catalyst percentage should be equal to or greater than 11,5% for the income as a percentage of esters meets the required legislation by the ANP in 2014, which is 96,5%. The best condition found for the percentage yield of methyl esters was processed using 11,5% catalyst molar ratio of oil: methanol 1:6, 65°C temperature, 200 rpm agitation and reaction time of 4,25 h, reaching a yield of 99%. From the generated mathematical model has been established for the validity of the experimental conditions, with an average percentage error of 1%.