13 Altemative energy supplies (biofuels and bioconversion energy)

energy conversion system offering nearly zero emissions, flexibility of operation and high conversion efficiency. Another area of growing interest in energy systems is the use of biomass as a replacement for fossil fuels. In this study, atmospheric gasification technology was selected rather than pressurized gasification, used on most analysis, because the latter is considered not fully developed and a wide spread consensus has yet to be reached for medium-small application. A hot gas clean-up process was selected to prevent any liquid waste streams from leaving the plant and any steam from condensation in the syngas. Type and amount of impurities, chosen for the study, cover a broad range of practical interest. This paper analyses an atmospheric gasifier system coupled with an MCFC through a specifically tailored high temperature clean-up process. Tar removal, gas clean-up and syngas compression are the major process blocks involved in such a process. The investment costs estimated are higher than previously published data due to the complexity involved. Further optimization of the steam gasifier to maximize H e + C O content and to minimize tar formation is recommended to render the process more economical attractive. were lower at 45-50C. Daytime collection efficiencies of about 60% and overall efficiencies of about 40% were obtained. Tests were conducted with and without stratification. Night radiation losses were reduced by use of a screen insulation.

06/02321 Stoichiometric analysis of biological hydrogen production by fermentative bacteria

Chert, X. et al. International Journal of IIydrogen Energy, 2006, 31, (4), 539-549. In this study, biohydrogen production from glucose by two fermentative bacteria (Clostridium butyricum, a typical strictly anaerobic bacterium, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, a well-studied facultative anaerobic and nitrogen-fixing bacterium) are stiochiometrically analysed according to energy (ATP), reducing equivalent and mass balances. The theoretical analysis reveals that the maximum yield of hydrogen on glucose by Clostridium butvricum is 3.26 tool/tool when all acetyl-CoA entering into the acetate pathway (c~ = 1), which is higher than that by Klebsiella pneumoniae under strictly anaerobic conditions. In the latter case~ the maximum yield by Klebsiella pneumoniae is 2.86 tool hydrogen per tool glucose when five sevenths of acetyl-CoA is transformed to acetate. However, under microaerobic condition the maximum yield of hydrogen on glucose by Klebsiella pneumoniae could reach 6.68 tool/tool if all acetyl-CoA entered into tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle (2/= 1) and a quantity of 53% of the reducing equivalents generated in the metabolism were completely oxidized by molecular oxygen. On the other hand, the relationship between hydrogen production and biomass formation is distinct by Clostridium buO, ricum from that by Klebsiella pneumoniae. The former yield of hydrogen on glucose increases as biomass. In contrast, the latter one decreases as biomass in a certain range of molar fraction of acetate in total acetylCoA metabolism (5/7 > ~ > 0). Microaerobic condition is favorable for high hydrogen production with low biomass formation by Klebsiella pneumoniae in a certain range of the molar fraction of all reducing equivalents oxidized completely by molecular oxygen (0.53 < 6 < 0.83).

06102317 Invention of outdoor closed type photobioreactor for microalgae

Sato, T. et al. Energy Colzversion and Management, 2006, 47, (6), 791799. For efficient mass production of microalgae, the authors invented a novel photobioreactor that uses aeration for mixing. To select better chamber shapes for a photobioreactor, two aspects of its performance were numerically simulated, mixing and light reception. Two shapes survived the computational filters and were tested b~ cultivating Chlorocoeum littorale. One of them attained 20.5 g/re-/day in dry weight in the winter days in Japan. Recently. this figure was overwritten by the performance of 37.3 g/me/day for Chaetoceros ealcitrans with the maximum cell density of 2.5 g/L.

06/02318 Numerical and experimental analysis of heat and moisture content transfer in a lean-to greenhouse
Chen, W. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2006, 38, (2), 99-104. In this paper, heat transfer and moisture content in a lean-to passive solar greenhouse has been studied. A mathematical model based on energy equilibrium and a one-dimensional mathematical model for the unsaturated porous medium have been founded and developed to predict the temperature and moisture content in soil and the enclosed air temperature in the greenhouse. On the condition that plant and massive wall is neglected, the air is mainly heated by the soil surface in the greenhouse, which absorbs the incident solar radiation. With increase in depth, the variation of the temperature and moisture content in soil decreases on account of ambient, and the appearance of the peak temperature in soil postpones. All results should be taken into account for a better design and run of a greenhouse.

0602322 Technical aspects of biodiesel production by transesterification - a review

Meher, L. C. et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2006, 10, (3), 248-268. Biodiesel is gaining more and more importance as an attractive fuel due to the depleting fossil fuel resources. Chemically biodiesel is monoalkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from renewable feed stock like vegetable oils and animal fats. It is produced by transesterification in which, oil or fat is reacted with a monohydric alcohol in presence of a catalyst. The process of transesterification is affected by the mode of reaction condition, molar ratio of alcohol to oil, type of alcohol, type and amount of catalysts, reaction time and temperature and purity of reactants. In the present paper various methods of preparation of biodiesel with different combination of oil and catalysts have been described. The technical tools and processes for monitoring the transesterification reactions like TLC, GC, HPLC, GPC, 1H N M R and NIR have also been summarized. In addition, fuel properties and specifications provided by different countries are discussed.

06/02319 Ozonized vegetable oil as pour point depressant for neat biodiesel
Soriano, N. U. et al. Fuel, 2006, 85, (1), 25-31. The use of ozonized vegetable oils as pour point depressant for neat biodiesel was evaluated. Ozonized vegetable oils (1-1.5% by weight) were effective in reducing the pour point of biodiesel prepared from sunflower oil, soybean oil and rapeseed oil to -24, - 1 2 and -30C, respectively. Cloud point however remained unaffected. In the case of palm oil biodiesel, significant reduction was observed in cloud point but not in pour point. Statistical analyses showed that neat biodiesel and biodiesel treated with ozonized vegetable oils showed no significant difference in other properties including density and viscosity. Although ozonized vegetable oils increase the flash point of biodiesel, the values are still within the limits set by the standards in the USA and Europe. Lowest reduction in pour point was observed in cases where the biodiesel and the ozonized samples were prepared from the same vegetable oil. Hence, a correlation may exist between the nature of the biodiesel and ozonized oil. Microscopic analysis at low temperature revealed that ozonized vegetable oil impede agglomeration of biodiesel into network of solidified material giving crystals with sizes around 10 mm.

06/02323 Temperature effects on biohydrogen production in a granular sludge bed induced by activated carbon carriers
Lee, K.-S. et al. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2006, 31, (4), 465 472. Temperature effects on He production performance of a novel carrierinduced granular sludge bed (CIGSB) reactor were investigated. Using sucrose-based synthetic wastewater as the feed, the CIGSB system was operated at 30-45C to identify the optimal working temperature. It was found that H2 production was the most efficient at 40C, especially when it was operated at a low hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 0.5 h. The overall maximal hydrogen production rate and yield were 7.66 l/h/1 and 3.88 tool H_,/mol sucrose, respectively, both of them occurred at 40C. The biomass content tended to decrease as the temperature was increased, suggesting that granular sludge formation may be inhibited at high temperatures. However, increasing temperature gave better specific H2 production rate, signifying that the average cellular activity for H z production may be enhanced as the temperature was increased. The He yield and gas phase He content did not vary considerably regardless of changes in temperature and HRT. This reflects that the CIGSB was a relatively stable He-producing system. The major soluble products from hydrogen fermentation were butyric acid and acetic acid, accounting for 463% and 28J_2% of total soluble microbial products (SMP), respectively. Thus, the dominant He producers in the mixed culture belonged to acidogenie bacteria that underwent butyrate-type fermentation.

0602320 Performance evaluation of an integrated solar water heater as an option for building energy conservation
Dharuman, C. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2006, 38. (3), 214-219. Since a majority of residential and industrial building hot water needs are around 50C, an integrated solar water heater could provide a bulk source that blends collection and storage into one unit. This paper describes the design, construction and performance test results of one such water-heating device. The test unit has an absorber area of 1.3 mand can hold 170 i of water, of which extractable volume per day is 1001. Its performance was evaluated under various typical operating conditions. Every morning at about 7:00 am, 100 1 of hot water were drawn from the sump and replaced with cold water from the mains. Although, during most of the days, the peak temperatures of water obtained are between 50 and 60C, the next morning temperatures

Fuel and Energy Abstracts September 2006

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