scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Author

E. I. Onuh

Bio: E. I. Onuh is an academic researcher from University of KwaZulu-Natal. The author has contributed to research in topics: Biodiesel & Diesel fuel. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 13 publications receiving 64 citations.

Papers
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compared the properties and fatty acid composition of neat vegetable oil with those of waste cooking oil (WCO) collected from restaurants and takeaway outlets at the point of disposal, and showed that the degree of usage and type of food items originally fried in the oil substantially affected its properties and FA composition.
Abstract: Vegetable oils have been used as a feedstock for fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) production. The high cost of neat vegetable oil and its impact on food security have necessitated its replacement as a feedstock for FAME by used vegetable oil, also known as waste cooking oil (WCO). This study compares the properties and fatty acid (FA) compositions of samples of neat vegetable oil with those of samples of WCO, collected from restaurants and takeaway outlets at the point of disposal. The samples were subjected to property determination and pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometer (PYGCMS) analysis. Analysis showed that degree of usage and the type of food items originally fried in the oil substantially affected its properties and FA composition. Density of neat vegetable oil varied between 904.3 and 919.7 kg/m3 and of WCO between 904.3 and 923.2 kg/m3. The pH of neat vegetable oil varied between 7.38 and 8.63 and of WCO between 5.13 and 6.61. The PYGCMS analysis showed that neat palm oil contains 87.7% unsaturated FA and 12.3% saturated FA, whereas neat sunfoil contains 74.37% saturated FA and 25% polyunsaturated FA. Generally, neat vegetable oils consisted mainly of saturated FAs and polyunsaturated FAs, whereas the WCO contained mainly of saturated FAs and monounsaturated FAs. This research confirms the suitability of WCO as feedstock for FAME.

68 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
09 Sep 2021-Energies
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the classification, generation, and utilization of biofuels, particularly in internal combustion engine (ICE) applications, and highlighted the advantages of the application of biogas, bioalcohol, and hydrogen in spark ignition engines, as well as biodiesel, Fischer-Tropsch fuel, and dimethyl ether in compression ignition engines.
Abstract: Biofuel, a cost-effective, safe, and environmentally benign fuel produced from renewable sources, has been accepted as a sustainable replacement and a panacea for the damaging effects of the exploration for and consumption of fossil-based fuels. The current work examines the classification, generation, and utilization of biofuels, particularly in internal combustion engine (ICE) applications. Biofuels are classified according to their physical state, technology maturity, the generation of feedstock, and the generation of products. The methods of production and the advantages of the application of biogas, bioalcohol, and hydrogen in spark ignition engines, as well as biodiesel, Fischer–Tropsch fuel, and dimethyl ether in compression ignition engines, in terms of engine performance and emission are highlighted. The generation of biofuels from waste helps in waste minimization, proper waste disposal, and sanitation. The utilization of biofuels in ICEs improves engine performance and mitigates the emission of poisonous gases. There is a need for appropriate policy frameworks to promote commercial production and seamless deployment of these biofuels for transportation applications with a view to guaranteeing energy security.

42 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Oct 2020-Heliyon
TL;DR: Overall, boiling was found to have a negligible effect on the chicken eggshell, while high-temperature calcination greatly affected the pore size, surface area, composition, and thermal decomposition profile of theChicken eggshell sample.

33 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors reviewed literature regarding the selection of catalysts for hydrogenation for renewable diesel and found that the right selection of feedstock contributes to the high yield and quality of HDRD.
Abstract: Feedstock is one of the key resources for the production of hydrogenation derived renewable diesel (HDRD). Used cooking oil is a waste oil generated from vegetable oil after frying and can be easily sourced from domestic, restaurant outlet and food processing industries within the Durban metropolis. The right selection of feedstock contributes to the high yield and quality of HDRD. Current works on several vegetable oil sources for potential feedstock applications are reviewed. Good quality and optimal yields of HDRD can be obtained by proper selection of potential feedstock, the right catalyst, and optimal process parameters for desirable reaction pathway etc. The literature on vegetable oil as potential feedstock is discussed. Literature regarding the selection of catalysts for hydrogenation is reviewed. Biomass-based thermal power plants fly ash (BBTPPFS) and calcium oxide sourced from eggshell are identified as viable catalysts for the HDRD process.

15 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a single-cylinder diesel engine with 100% biodiesel derived from moringa, jatropha and waste oil along with petroleum diesel was evaluated and it was observed that oxygen concentration and combustion temperature are the primary drivers of a kinetically determined process.
Abstract: Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and carbon (II) oxide (CO) emissions from engine running on pure biodiesel constitute one of the environmental challenges to its application as fuel. Verifying their sources and production pattern is an essential first step to tackling the challenge. 100% biodiesel derived from moringa, jatropha and waste oil along with petroleum diesel were evaluated in a single cylinder diesel engine. It was observed that oxygen concentration and combustion temperature are the primary drivers of a kinetically determined process. NOx emission trended with Zeldovich mechanism prediction and thus increases with increasing O2 concentration and temperature. CO2 dissociation at elevated combustion temperature in a suppressed O2 concentration regime governs CO production for normal diesel running at high load but, low temperature and high viscosity account for same effect in biodiesel runs. CO therefore increases with increasing temperature and decreasing O2 concentrations for petroleum diesel but for biodiesel, the reverse is the case. Novel exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and low temperature combustion (LTC) engine therefore holds the key to unlocking biodiesel potential and remediating some of the difficulties observed with petroleum diesel.

3 citations


Cited by
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a review of various methods of high FFAs-lipidic feedstocks pretreatment including acid esterification, steam stripping, nanocatalytic technology, biological conversion, glycerolysis and simultaneous in situ conversion is presented.

191 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this article, the main steps for algal biofuel fabrication are the cultivation of biomass, and three methods of biohydrogen production in the microalgal cells: direct biophotolysis, indirect biophotonics, fermentation.
Abstract: Abstract Biofuels are the promising alternative to exhaustible, environmentally unsafe fossil fuels. Algal biomass is attractive raw for biofuel production. Its cultivation does not compete for cropland with agricultural growing of food crop for biofuel and does not require complex treatment methods in comparison with lignocellulose-enriched biomass. Many microalgae are mixotrophs, so they can be used as energy source and as sewage purifier simultaneously. One of the main steps for algal biofuel fabrication is the cultivation of biomass. Photobioreactors and open-air systems are used for this purpose. The formers allow the careful cultivation control, but the latter ones are cheaper and simpler. Biomass conversion processes may be divided to the thermochemical, chemical, biochemical methods and direct combustion. For biodiesel production, triglyceride-enriched biomass undergoes transetherification. For bioalcohol production, biomass is subjected to fermentation. There are three methods of biohydrogen production in the microalgal cells: direct biophotolysis, indirect biophotolysis, fermentation.

180 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compared the properties and fatty acid composition of neat vegetable oil with those of waste cooking oil (WCO) collected from restaurants and takeaway outlets at the point of disposal, and showed that the degree of usage and type of food items originally fried in the oil substantially affected its properties and FA composition.
Abstract: Vegetable oils have been used as a feedstock for fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) production. The high cost of neat vegetable oil and its impact on food security have necessitated its replacement as a feedstock for FAME by used vegetable oil, also known as waste cooking oil (WCO). This study compares the properties and fatty acid (FA) compositions of samples of neat vegetable oil with those of samples of WCO, collected from restaurants and takeaway outlets at the point of disposal. The samples were subjected to property determination and pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometer (PYGCMS) analysis. Analysis showed that degree of usage and the type of food items originally fried in the oil substantially affected its properties and FA composition. Density of neat vegetable oil varied between 904.3 and 919.7 kg/m3 and of WCO between 904.3 and 923.2 kg/m3. The pH of neat vegetable oil varied between 7.38 and 8.63 and of WCO between 5.13 and 6.61. The PYGCMS analysis showed that neat palm oil contains 87.7% unsaturated FA and 12.3% saturated FA, whereas neat sunfoil contains 74.37% saturated FA and 25% polyunsaturated FA. Generally, neat vegetable oils consisted mainly of saturated FAs and polyunsaturated FAs, whereas the WCO contained mainly of saturated FAs and monounsaturated FAs. This research confirms the suitability of WCO as feedstock for FAME.

68 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
22 Mar 2020
TL;DR: In this paper, the current available technologies for cooking oil recycling are described, described, and discussed, and two main types of WCO treatments are considered: chemical transformations to exploit the chemical functional groups present in the waste for the synthesis of added value products, and physical treatments as extraction, filtration, and distillation procedures.
Abstract: Recently, the interest in converting waste cooking oils (WCOs) to raw materials has grown exponentially. The driving force of such a trend is mainly represented by the increasing number of WCO applications, combined with the definition, in many countries, of new regulations on waste management. From an industrial perspective, the simple chemical composition of WCOs make them suitable as valuable chemical building blocks, in fuel, materials, and lubricant productions. The sustainability of such applications is sprightly related to proper recycling procedures. In this context, the development of new recycling processes, as well as the optimization of the existing ones, represents a priority for applied chemistry, chemical engineering, and material science. With the aim of providing useful updates to the scientific community involved in vegetable oil processing, the current available technologies for WCO recycling are herein reported, described, and discussed. In detail, two main types of WCO treatments will be considered: chemical transformations, to exploit the chemical functional groups present in the waste for the synthesis of added value products, and physical treatments as extraction, filtration, and distillation procedures. The first part, regarding chemical synthesis, will be connected mostly to the production of fuels. The second part, concerning physical treatments, will focus on bio-lubricant production. Moreover, during the description of filtering procedures, a special focus will be given to the development and applicability of new materials and technologies for WCO treatments.

65 citations