Gas Chromatograph Analysis of Biodiesel Fuel

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Gas Chromatograph Analysis of Biodiesel
FuelBiodiesel Processor Automation

• Kris Cui
• Chemical Engineering
• Dr. Ihab Farag, Faculty Advisor

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• Gas Chromatograph (GC) Analysis
• Project Background
• What is Biodiesel?
• What is Gas Chromatography?
• Materials and Methods
• Results
• Conclusions and Recommendations

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• Biodiesel Processor Automation
• Project Background
• Software and Hardware
• LabVIEW Features
• Programming
• Conclusion and Projections

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GC Analysis Project Background

• UNH Biodiesel Group is investigating the
  extraction of microalgal oil from the green algae
  Chlorella sp.
• Goal is to compare two different extraction
  methods
• Simplify biodiesel production process
• Determine viability

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What is Biodiesel (BD)?

• Veg. Oil Methanol ? F.A.M.E.s glycerin
• F.A.M.E. Fatty Acid Methyl Esters BD Fuel

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What is Gas Chromatography?

• Separate individual components in a heated column
• Exit at different residence times
• GC plots how much comes out against time
• Identify components based on residence time

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http//teaching.shu.ac.uk/hwb/chemistry/tutorials/
chrom/gcdiag.gif
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Materials and Methods

• GC
• HP 5890 Series II Gas Chromatograph, 30m Restek
  FAMEWAX column with an inner diameter of 0.25mm
• Helium as the carrier gas
• C160, C180, C181, C182, C183 FAME standards
  and C190 internal standard

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Materials and Methods

• Data Collection
• Data collected on an HP 3396 Integrator
• Data exported to a computer using Peak96
  software
• Data analysis and peak fitting done with Origin
  7.5

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Materials and Methods

• Samples
• For in situ 2 levels of methanol, potassium
  hydroxide at 2 levels, and ultrasonication at 2
  different times plus 1 blank run with no
  potassium hydroxide
• For solvent extraction modified Bligh and Dyer
  (1959) total lipid extraction procedure with
  KOH/MeOH added to the lipids to produce FAMEs

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Results

• Were able to successfully use peak fitting
  software to determine concentrations of known
  components
• Solvent extraction yielded only 0.75 mg/mL of
  total FAMEs vs. 1.8 mg/mL for the best in-situ
  method

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Conclusions and Recommendations

• In situ possibly more viable over traditional
  extraction
• Investigate scale up potential
• Reduce cost and improve yields of BD fuel
• Add to the already numerous of sources of
  Biodiesel

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Processor Automation Project Background

• UNH Biodiesel Processor to be built at Woodman
  Farm
• Currently manually operated
• Operation costs are a factor in the price BD fuel
• Goal is to program and build an automation
  control system

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Software and Hardware

• NI LabVIEW 8.2
• NI cDAQ-9172 - Compact Data Acquisition
  Chassis
• NI 9401 - 8 Channel, 5V Digital I/O Module
• NI 9211 Thermocouple Input Module
• NI Analog Input and Output Modules
• ?
• ?

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LabVIEW Features

• Graphical user interface controls and program
  code
• Read, analyze, and store input data in real
  time (pressure, temperature, liquid level, etc)
• Analog and digital output to hardware modules
• Hardware can be manipulated through Front Panel
  controls
• Programming is drag and drop without the need
  to code from scratch built in functions
• Ability to remotely access and monitor
  controls via the internet

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Programming
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Conclusion and Projections

• Programming is still underway, though a majority
  has been completed
• Construction of the processor at Woodman Farm
  is pending based on meeting fire and safety
  requirements set by the town of Durham.
• Projected start date for installation of the
  processor in September 2007.
• Programming expected to be finished by Summer
  2007
• Once programming is finished, the remaining
  processor hardware must be purchased and
  installed

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Acknowledgements

• Dr. Ihab Farag
• GC Analysis
• Justin Ferrentino Jon Newell, Chemical
  Engineering
• Automation
• Joe Pearson, Chemical Engineering
• John Wilderman Rob Cinq-Mars, UNH
  Instrumentation Center