sustainability-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Biofuels Production and Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Resources and Sustainable Utilization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 19215

Special Issue Editors

Chemical Engineering Department, UAE University, AlAin 15551, United Arab Emirates
Interests: enzymatic technology; biofuels; wastewater treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Interests: enzymatic technology; biofuels; wastewater treatment
Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Interests: lipids transformation; enzymatic catalysis; biofuels
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Chemical Engineering, Khalifa University, UAE
Interests: Biofuel production; Processes intensification; Green technologies; (supercritical fluids, ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents); Algal biomass production; Oil spills clean-up

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global demand for energy is mainly met by fossil fuels, which are unsustainable on one hand and their combustion emissions are harmful to the environment on the other. With the increasing energy demand, finding sustainable and safer alternative energy sources becomes crucial. Biofuels, derived from renewable biomass, are among the most promising renewable energy sources. Besides being renewable, they are CO2 neutral and their combustion emissions are less harmful than those of fossil fuels. In addition, biofuels appear to be the closest alternative to replace fossil fuels in various applications, particularly in the transportation sector, which is a main fossil fuel consumer and a major contributor to global environmental pollution. However, for biofuels to realistically replace fossil fuels, they need to be produced in competitive quantities and costs, which will require advancement in their production technologies and diversification of their feedstock.

This Special Issue aims to present cutting edge research concerning the production of biofuels from various feedstock. Research work on all types of biofuels, such as biodiesel, biojet, bioethanol, biobutanol, biogas, bioil and biohydrogen are considered. The issue also covers topics related to cultivations of new biofuel crops. Topics of interest include but are not restricted to:

  • Biodiesel crops development
  • Biofuels from waste materials
  • Biofuels production technologies
  • Catalysts and biocatalysts development

Prof. Dr. Sulaiman Al-Zuhair
Prof. Dr. Luqman Chuah Abdullah
Assoc. Prof. Wei Du
Dr. Hanifa Taher
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Biofuels
  • Biomass
  • Energy crops
  • Biorefinery

Published Papers (5 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 4428 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Modelling of Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Oil Using Lipase Immobilized on Zeolite
by Aysha Al Qayoudi and Sulaiman Al-Zuhair
Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8399; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148399 - 08 Jul 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1395
Abstract
Immobilization has been proposed as a way to simplify the separation and repeated reuse of enzymes, which is essential for their feasible application at industrial scales. However, in their immobilized form, enzyme activity is fully utilized, due primarily to the additional diffusion limitations. [...] Read more.
Immobilization has been proposed as a way to simplify the separation and repeated reuse of enzymes, which is essential for their feasible application at industrial scales. However, in their immobilized form, enzyme activity is fully utilized, due primarily to the additional diffusion limitations. Here, the immobilization of lipase on zeolite and its use in catalyzing oil hydrolysis is studied. Adsorption isotherms were investigated, and the data identified the model that best describes the process, which is the Sips model. The adsorption capacity of zeolite was determined as 62.6 mg/g, which is relatively high due to the high porosity of the support. The rate of enzymatic hydrolysis of olive oil, using the immobilized lipase, was determined at a pH of 7 and a temperature of 40 °C and was compared to that when using free enzymes. The results determined the parameters for a diffusion-reaction model. The effects of both the surface reaction and diffusion were found to be significant, with a slightly higher effect from surface reactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofuels Production and Sustainability)
Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 823 KiB  
Article
Rheological Properties of the Jojoba Biofuel
by Mamdouh T. Ghannam and Mohamed Y. E. Selim
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6047; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116047 - 27 May 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2224
Abstract
Jojoba oil biofuel is a potential alternative to diesel fuel with attractive properties, but its flow behavior under the operating conditions of a diesel engine still needs to be clarified. In this study, the rheological properties of the jojoba biofuel are presented in [...] Read more.
Jojoba oil biofuel is a potential alternative to diesel fuel with attractive properties, but its flow behavior under the operating conditions of a diesel engine still needs to be clarified. In this study, the rheological properties of the jojoba biofuel are presented in assessment with diesel fuel to experimentally evaluate both their flow behaviors at different operating temperatures. A Fann-type coaxial cylinder viscometer was employed. The shear stress of the tested biofuel rises considerably with the shear rate in a marginally nonlinear manner on a logarithmic scale. Rheograms indicate that the flow behavior decreases gradually and considerably in the temperature range of 30–90 °C. The viscosity of the jojoba oil biofuel declines considerably with the decreasing applied shear rate and temperature. Based on the experimental results, a suitable model is developed for predicting the viscosity characteristics of the tested biofuel during the heating and cooling cycles of a diesel engine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofuels Production and Sustainability)
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1357 KiB  
Article
Techno-Economic Assessment of On-Farm Anaerobic Digestion System Using Attached-Biofilm Reactor in the Dairy Industry
by Jia Boh Tan, Nur Syakina Jamali, Wei En Tan, Hasfalina Che Man and Zurina Zainal Abidin
Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 2063; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042063 - 14 Feb 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3405
Abstract
In this study, a techno-economic assessment of an on-farm biogas system using an anaerobic biofilm reactor utilizing cow manure as a fermentation substrate was evaluated. A projection model was developed using Microsoft Excel software with three outputs, the size and dimension of a [...] Read more.
In this study, a techno-economic assessment of an on-farm biogas system using an anaerobic biofilm reactor utilizing cow manure as a fermentation substrate was evaluated. A projection model was developed using Microsoft Excel software with three outputs, the size and dimension of a bioreactor, experimental microbial kinetic studies, and the economic studies based on the experimental results. Characterization analysis of cow manure wastewater showed the total solid (TS), total volatile solid (TVS), total carbohydrate (TC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and pH values which were 10.95 g/L, 8.65 g/L, 6.65 g/L, 57.80 g/L, and 7, respectively. Using the modified Gompertz equation for the microbial studies, it was found that, at 37 °C and 20 days hydraulic retention time (HRT), the biogas yield was 934.54 mL/gVS, the volume of biogas produced was 11.28 m3/d, and 22.56 kWh of electricity was generated. The Gompertz prediction helps to determine the optimal HRT for the system so that the microorganisms are at their optimum stage to produce biogas. The economic analysis was done, and the results illustrated that, when the rate of cow manure produced was at 55 L/day.cow, the net present value (NPV) was RM 611,936.09, with a 13% internal rate of return (IRR), 0.14 return on investment (ROI), and 7.02 years of payback period (PP). By developing a techno-economic assessment that included all the necessary parameters such as sizing of the bioreactor, microbial kinetic studies, and economics of the plant, farmers could easily implement the system into their farms. This model showed that the anaerobic digestion system utilizing an attached biofilm with cow manure as a fermentation inoculum and substrate was applicable on an industrial scale to generate electricity and reutilize to the farm, at the same time generating additional income from the production of fertilizer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofuels Production and Sustainability)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

20 pages, 1313 KiB  
Review
Bio-Based Circular Economy and Polygeneration in Microalgal Production from Food Wastes: A Concise Review
by Adewale Giwa, Farah Abuhantash, Bushra Chalermthai and Hanifa Taher
Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10759; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710759 - 29 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1549
Abstract
The production of biofuels from microalgae has gained considerable attention due to the rapid diminution of fossil fuels. Despite major advantages, microalgal biofuels deployment still faces obstacles associated with the cost of biomass production and waste disposal. The production could become more cost-effective [...] Read more.
The production of biofuels from microalgae has gained considerable attention due to the rapid diminution of fossil fuels. Despite major advantages, microalgal biofuels deployment still faces obstacles associated with the cost of biomass production and waste disposal. The production could become more cost-effective and feasible if the wastes in the production processes are recycled/reused and the biofuels produced are co-produced with high-value co-products. The aim of this review is to discuss and analyze the importance of recycling/reusing wastes and co-producing high-value products to be implemented with biofuels from microalgal-based processes. Recent advances in circular economy/integration and polygeneration, as proper strategies, are discussed. Circular economy and integration entail the reuse of food wastes, waste biomass, and wastewater in microalgal conversion processes for producing biofuels. The main focus of the section of this review on circular economy is food waste reuse for microalgal production. Polygeneration is the production of multiple products, including a biofuel as the main product and multiple co-products to ensure process cost reduction. The results reported in relevant studies have shown that microalgal growth and metabolite accumulation could be favored by mixotrophic cultivation using wastes from the conversion processes or reused food wastes. The co-production of high-value products, including pharmaceuticals, proteins, carbohydrates, pigments, bioplastics, pellets, and biofertilizers may also favor the sustainability of biofuel production from microalgae. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofuels Production and Sustainability)
Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 977 KiB  
Review
Microalgae Cultivation in Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) Treatment and Biofuel Production
by Sze Shin Low, Kien Xiang Bong, Muhammad Mubashir, Chin Kui Cheng, Man Kee Lam, Jun Wei Lim, Yeek Chia Ho, Keat Teong Lee, Heli Siti Halimatul Munawaroh and Pau Loke Show
Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3247; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063247 - 16 Mar 2021
Cited by 99 | Viewed by 9129
Abstract
Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is the wastewater produced during the palm oil sterilization process, which contains substantial amounts of nutrients and phosphorous that are harmful to the environment. High BOD and COD of POME are as high as 100,000 mg/L, which endanger [...] Read more.
Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is the wastewater produced during the palm oil sterilization process, which contains substantial amounts of nutrients and phosphorous that are harmful to the environment. High BOD and COD of POME are as high as 100,000 mg/L, which endanger the environment. Effective pre-treatment of POME is required before disposal. As microalgae have the ability of biosorption on nutrients and phosphorous to perform photosynthesis, they can be utilized as a sustainable POME treatment operation, which contributes to effective biofuel production. Microalgae species C. pyrenoidosa has shown to achieve 68% lipid production along with 71% nutrient reduction in POME. In this study, a brief discussion about the impacts of POME that will affect the environment is presented. Additionally, the potential of microalgae in treating POME is evaluated along with its benefits. Furthermore, the condition of microalgae growth in the POME is also assessed to study the suitable condition for microalgae to be cultivated in. Moreover, experimental studies on characteristics and performance of microalgae are being evaluated for their feasibility. One of the profitable applications of POME treatment using microalgae is biofuel production, which will be discussed in this review. However, with the advantages brought from cultivating microalgae in POME, there are also some concerns, as microalgae will cause pollution if they are not handled well, as discussed in the last section of this paper. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofuels Production and Sustainability)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop