Renewable Energy

Engineering
CHE 365C
(2 Credits)

Instructor: Dr. Yousuf Jamal

Email:
yousufjamal.icet@pu.edu.pk
Cell #: 0322-4531679

Note my cell # is not

my what’s app number
+82-10-46814551
• Pre-requisites course requirements/ skills: Basic
understanding of energy
resources and their applications
Instructor Academic Qualification:
1. Post Doctorate in Environmental Engineering focus area: Resources
Recovery, Recycling & Reuse of waste materials.
2. PhD in Environmental Engineering (Texas A&M University-USA)
3. MS in Environmental Engineering (Texas A&M University-USA)
4. MS in Business Studies (HU-PAK)
5. MS in Computer Science (HU-PAK)
6. BS in Chemical Engineering (PU-PAK)
7. OSHA Certified Engineer (Texas-USA)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA)
Email: yousufjamal.icet@pu.edu.pk (meeting only after fixing time)
CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF POSITIONS:
• Associate Professor Chemical Eng. (mid December 2020 – to date) at
ICET University of the Punjab, Lahore.

• Assistant Professor Environmental Eng. (February 2013-December

2020) at IESE, NUST University Islamabad.

• Senior Researcher, Thermal Technologies, Institute of Advanced

Engineering, IAE • S. Korea.

•Siecon Engineering Consultants, Punjab, Pakistan

•Dawood Hercules Fertilizers (Fatima Group)

Learning Strategies for Students

The student's learning strategy has been designed on three pillars

Understanding of concepts and
Ability to critically analyze and apply the concept
Application of the learned knowledge for problem/numerical solving activities,
finding numerical solutions for designing.
Topics to cover

•Renewable and non-renewable energy sources.

•Biomass Sources, Structural differences of Biomass
•Biomass analysis- hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin content
determination
◦ Hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin decomposition pathways
•Pretreatment of biomass for thermo-chemical conversion
•Methods of production of fuels from biomass
•Biogas, Biodiesel, Biochar, Bioplastics
•Gasification and liquefaction of forest products
Topics to cover
•Biomass volatilization (Parameters that affect)
•Biomass Combustion.
•Pyrolytic reactions and products of biomass, Bio-oil & its cleaning
•Wood gasification and its Kinetics
•Characterization of peat and biomass (Carbon factor)
•Fermentation for Ethanol
•Ethanol and Methanol production
•Social, economical, and environmental implications
•Solar energy (Energy Band), Solar Panel types, System design
•Wind energy, Wind turbines.
•Renewable energy Economics
Class Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, the students will be able to:

1. Understand the fundamental concepts of energy to power and renewable

energy technologies by describing the fundamental principles of operations.

2. Evaluate and compare renewable energy sources.

3. Apply the basic knowledge to solve renewable energy related engineering

problems.
Assignments- Types and Number with calendar

• A minimum of three assignments

At least one essay type assignment submitted before the written
exams of mid & final term.

• Out of three assignments one Presentation assignment in group of 6

students on a topic related to the course work given by the instructor.

• A minimum of two Quiz’s without date announcements.

Assessment and Examinations
Sr. No. Elements Weightage Details

1.
Midterm Written examination at the mid-point of
35%
Assessment the semester.
2.
Formative It includes classroom participation,
25%
Assessment attendance quizzes and assignments.

3.
Final Written examination at the end of
40%
Assessment semester.
 Textbooks and reference readings
•1. Overand R.P, Milne T. A, and Mudge L.K, (1985) “Fundamentals, of Thermo-chemical Biomass
Conversion”, , Elsevier Applied Science publishers, NY, USA,.
•2. Palz W, Chartier P, and Hall D. O, (1981), “Energy from Biomass”, Proceedings of First EC Conference,
Applied sciences publishers Ltd. London, UK,.
•3. Hobson P. N, Bousfield S, and Summers R, (1981), “methane production from Agricultural and
Domestic waste”, Applied sciences publishers Ltd. London, UK,.
•4. Report of National Research Council, Committee on Technology Innovation, Board on Science and
Technology for International Development, USA”, (1983), Alcohol Fuels-Options for Developing
Countries” ,National Academy Press, Washington DC,.
•5. Meinel B Aden, and Meinel P. Marjorie, (1976), “Applied Solar Energy – an Introduction”, Addison
Wesley publishing Co. London, UK.
•6. Roger Henri Charlier, (1982), “Tidal Energy” Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. NY, USA,.
•7. Bhadra S.N. Kastha D, and Banerjee S, (2005), “Wind Electrical Systems”, Osford University Press,
•8. Graziani M. and P. Fornasiero, (2007), “Renewable resources and Renewable Energy”, CRC Press.
Book
• Introduction to Biomass Energy Conversions by Sergio Capareda.
• ISBN: 1466513330, 9781466513334

• THERMODYNAMICS: AN ENGINEERING APPROACH, EIGHTH EDITION

18th Chapter

www. Booksc.org
Why renewable energy
Energy price is increasing continuously, and renewable energy will help to maintain the energy
price.

Energy dependence on foreign countries has become a national security issue, and renewable
energy will help to reduce the dependence on foreign oil imports.

Most of the current energy resources are not renewable, which means these resources will
eventually be used up.

Renewable energy will minimize the effects of human activities on global climate changes. By
increasing its share in determining the energy mix of the country.

So, Renewable Energy Fuels and Products must be our choice for the future .
Biofuels
•Biofuel: The fuel derived from biological resources. The most common biofuel in Pakistan is
ethanol from sugar cane.
•
Bioenergy: Bioenergy is renewable energy derived from biological sources, to be used for
heat, electricity, or vehicle fuel.
•
Bioproduct: Bio products are any products -- fuels, chemicals, raw materials -- made from
renewable biological resources.
•Biomass: Biomass are biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial
production of biofuels and bioproducts.

•First generation bioenergy often refers to the corn and sugarcane-based ethanol. Some
people also refer biodiesel as part of the first-generation bioenergy.
Ethanol as a Fuel

The hydrous ethanol or hydrated ethanol has about 5–7 volume percent

water. Hydrated ethanol is used as a fuel in Brazil
•Since 16th century Brazil has always been an important sugar producer and
exporter

•In the late 1970s, the Brazilian Federal Government mandated the mixture of
anhydrous ethanol in gasoline (blends up to 25%) and encouraged car makers to
produce engines running on hydrated
ethanol.

•oil crisis tax reductions turned ethanol fuel at the pump and ethanol powered
car prices highly attractive to consumers.

• Since 1980s The number of ethanol powered cars in Brazil has risen
upto 7 million cars

•These cars consumed 8 billion liters of ethanol produced as gasohol

(78% gasoline + 22% ethanol ).
Advantage of Renewable
Bio-waste to Biogas
Biomass Conversion Pathways
BIOMASS

Physico-Chemical Bio-Chemical Thermo-Chemical

Biodiesel Production Anaerobic digestion Pyrolysis

Fermentation Gasification

Combustion

Liquefaction
Energy and Fuel Products

Biodiesel (esters of oil) Biogas (CH4) SynGas (CO, H2)

Ethanol (C2H5OH) Synthetic Fuels

Hydrogen, Methane, Ethane, Propane, Butane, Acetone, Alcohols, Esters, etc

Physico-chemical Conversions
• Sources
• Crops & Oil crops
• Animal fats
• Microbial fats and oils
• Mild use of heat for action of catalysts
• Generally, microbes are not used except for some enzymatic
processes
 Potential of Oil Producing Crops
Plant Lbs/acre Plant Lbs/acre Plant Lbs/acre
Corn 129 Coriander 402 Gopher plant 999
Cashew Nut 132 Mustard 429 Castor bean 1060
Oat 163 Camelina 437 Bacuri 1068
Palm 169 Sesame 522 Pecan 1343
Lupine 174 Crambe 526 Jojoba 1364
Rubber Seed 194 Safflower 585 Babasu palm 1375
Kenaf 205 Buffalo gourd 594 Jatropha 1419
Calendula 228 Rice 621 Macadamia nut 1684
Cotton 244 Tung oil tree 705 Brazil nut 1794
Hemp 272 Sunflower 714 Avocado 1979
soybean 335 Cocoa 770 Coconut 2017
Coffee 345 Peanut 794 Oiticia 2249
Linseed 359 Opium poppy 873 Buriti palm 2448
Hazelnut 361 Rapeseed 893 Pequi 2804
Euphorbia 393 Olive Tree 910 Macauba palm 3369
Pumpkin Seed 401 Piassava 993 Oil palm 4463
Physico-chemical Conversion
• Oil Processing (removing/extracting oil from its natural
matrix)
• Crushing (mechanical/hydraulic press) and extraction (by solvents)
• Press meal – the material remaining when oil is extracted by
mechanical means from oil seeds or crops
• Miscella – the mixture of solvent and oil that results from the
solvent extraction of oil from oil seeds
• Spent flakes – the material remaining when oil is removed from oil
seeds by or solvent extraction
• Refining - removing impurities from extracted fat/oil giving edible
oil
Vegetable Oil Extraction

Raw material Preparation

(cleaning, tempering, cracking and dehaulling etc.)

Extraction

Mechanically Solvents
(Hard Press) (e.g. Hexane/Alcohols)

Clarification Solvent Recovery

Crude Oil Crude Oil

Storage and Packaging Further processing

 Definition
• FATS: are mixtures of triglycerides (either animal or vegetable
triglyceride) that is more or less solid or semisolid at room
temperature.
OIL

• OILS: are mixture of triglycerides that are liquid at room

temperature
FAT
NUTS
• Fats and Oils (9 kcal/g vs 4 kcal/g for starch or protein)

• TRIGLYCERIDE: is formed from one molecule of glycerol and 3

fatty acids by ester linkage

• FATTY ACIDS: Building blocks of triglyceride. They are basically a

mixture of fatty acids
Components of Crude Seed Oil

• TAG Major (~ 95-98%)

• DG
• MG
• FFA
• Phosphatides
• Sterols
Minor components (~2-3%)
• Triterpene
• Alcohols
• Tocopherols
• Fats soluble vitamins
Chemical Composition Of Triglyceride
(TG)
• Triglycerides also called triacylglycerol (TAG) are
made of one molecule of glycerol and three fatty
acids by ester linkage

O H
R-C-O-H
1. H-O-C-H
O +
• H-O-C-H
R'-C-O-H
O H-O-C-H
2.
R"-C-O-H H

3 Fatty Acids + 1 Glycerol

3. R/R’/R” = Could be saturated, monosaturated or polysaturated fatty acid

Synthesis of Triglyceride (TG)

Ester bond
O
O
CH2-OH HO-C-(CH2)14CH3
CH2-O-C-(CH2)14CH3 + H 2O
O
O
CH-OH + HO-C-(CH2)14CH3 -3 H2O
CH-O-C-(CH2)14CH3 + H2O
O
O
CH2-OH HO-C-(CH2)14CH3
CH2-O-C-(CH2)14CH3 + H2O
Glycerol Palmitic acid (16:0)
Palmitolein (simple triglyceride) Water
Monoglyceride(MG) and Diglyceride (DG)

Single ester linked fatty acid Two ester linked fatty acids

O O
R-C-O-C-H R-C-O-C-H
O
H-O-C-H R"-C-O-C-H

H-O-C-H H-O-C-H
H H
MG DG
R/R” = Could be any short chain/long chain saturated or polyunsaturated fatty acid
 FA Position and Numbering
H O
H-C-O-R1 1, α Sn-1 CH2-O-C-(CH2)16CH3
Stearic Acid
O

H-C-O-R2 2, β Sn-2 CH-O-C-(CH2)7CH=CH(CH2)7CH3

O Oleic acid

H-C-O-R3 3, γ Sn-3 CH2-O-C-(CH2)12CH3

Myristic acid

H
Example:1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-3-myristoyl sn-glycerol,

sn-18:0-18:1-14:0

“R1/R2/R3 Represents similar/different fatty acids

 What are Fatty Acids

• Fatty acids are elements of carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) arranged
as a carbon chain skeleton with a carboxyl group (-COOH) at one end also
called Δ end and a methyl end (-CH3) also called ω end.
Systematic name: Tetradecanoic acid

Common name: Myristic acid

14 3 2 1 Numeric notation 14:0

H H H HH H H H H HH H H O

H-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C- OH

H H H H H H H H H H H H H Carboxyl end
Water soluble
Methyl end delta end
oil soluble
Omega end O

1 OH
14
Classification of Fatty Acids

Fatty Acids 1. Short chain fatty Acids: 4-10 carboon atoms

2. Medium chain fatty acids: 12-14 carbon atoms

3. Long chain fatty acids: 16 and above carbon atoms

Saturated Unsaturated

Monounsaturated Polyunsaturated

N-3/ω-3 N-6/ω-6
Mono Unsaturated Fatty acid
• Contain only one double (C = C) bond
• Few interactions between chain
• Low melting points
Systematic name: Octadecenoic acid

Common name: Oleic acid

Numeric notation: 18:1 n-9

Position 9

Single double bond

18 Carbon chain length
One = bond

18 9 3 2 1
H H H HH H H H H H HHH HH O

H-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C=C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C- OH
H HH H H H HH H H H H H H H H H
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid

1. Two or more double bonds

2. Less interaction between carbon chain

Systematic name: Octadecadienoic acid
3. Low melting points
Common name: Linoleic acid

Numeric notation: 18:2 n-6

Last = at six from omega end
18 carbon chain length
Two double bonds

Two double bonds

18 12 9 3 2 1
H H H HH H HHH HHH HO
H-C-C-C-C-C-C=C-C-C=C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-OH
H HH HH H HH H HH H H H HH H
Refining Oil
• Oil impurities – color compounds (carotenoids and chlorophyll),
flavor, phosphatides (gums), free fatty acids (FFA), tocopherols
(vitamin E), waxes, moisture, meal fines and dirt.
• Oil impurities must be removed prior to conversion
 Refining Processes
• Refining: In this step the FFA of the crude oil is treated with
caustic soda (NaOH, 0.1 to 0.2% dry weight basis) and remove
the salt from the oil by decantation or centrifugation
• Process Conditions: For most oil (soybean, rapeseed, sunflower)
the optimum temperature is 90˚C. Whereas, for cottonseed, rice
bran oil are heated around 65˚C to avoid color fixation
• Refining Steps:
(1) Degumming
(2) Neutralization (conversion of FFA to Soap)
(3) Water washing (to remove soap)
(4) Vacuum Drying (remove wash water)
Refining
• Degumming – dry gums (lecithin) are soluble in crude oil
but become oil-insoluble upon hydration. Addition of
phosphoric acid or citric acid to the water enhance
degumming process and rehydration rate is accelerated.
After mixing and contact time sufficient to hydrate the
gums, these are separated by centrifugation.
• Good control of the amount of water and acid and temperature,
and the length of contact time is required to achieve the
maximum extent of degumming, while minimizing oil losses and
maximizing product quality.
Degumming Phosphatides
• Water Degumming- is the simplest degumming process.
Phosphatides are easily hydratable and can be removed by
mixing the crude oil with hot water (1-3%). The optimum
processing temperature 60-80 ˚C.
• Acid Degumming: Removal of gums and impurities via
centrifugal separation after precipitation with acid
(phosphoric acid, citric, malic acids or EDTA and water to
sequester (absorb) divalent cations from phosphorous bonds
• Enzyme Degumming: Treat the oil with lipases to solubilize
triglycerides. The process generates less waste, both water
and soapstock and increases oil yield, reducing
environmental impact versus traditional processing.
Refining Process
• Neutralization – crude oils contain free fatty acids from natural hydrolysis
of the triglycerides. These are removed by the addition of aqueous sodium
hydroxide solution, which converts the fatty acids to water-soluble soaps.
The soap solution is removed, either by simply draining it off or by
centrifugation. After the solution is removed, the oil is washed once or
twice with water to ensure removal of all traces of soap and is dried.
Refining Process
• Dewaxing – sunflower and corn oils contain relatively large amounts of
waxes that must be removed so that the oil does not cloud when brought
to lower temperature. The oil is cooled to 5oC, mixed with water containing
a surfactant, and allowed to stand for several hours. If neutralization is
done at this temperature, the soaps wet the wax crystals and bring them
into suspension in the aqueous phase.
• Alternatively, sodium lauryl sulfate is added to the water to serve the same purpose.
The aqueous wax suspension is removed by centrifugation.
Bleaching Process
• Bleaching – colored substances and oxidation products
are removed by bleaching. Bleaching earths are natural
clays (bentonites) treated with acid to improve their
adsorptivity and filterability. Proper bleaching with acid-
activated earth is one of the most critical steps in oil
processing. When done correctly, the oil emerging from
the bleaching press is nearly colorless, with a peroxide
value of zero.
• Filtration – complete removal of bleaching earth because clay
acts as a very strong pro-oxidant and can foul the equipment
downstream. The recovered bleached oil should be protected
(nitrogen in headspace of tanks to exclude oxygen) from thermal
and oxidative abuses, as the oil at this point is in the least stable
state.
Bleaching Processes
Bleaching: The purpose of bleaching is not only to remove the coloring
compounds (carotene, chlorophyll) by adsorption to provide lighter
color but also to remove peroxides and secondary oxidation products
from the oil
Types:
• Batch atmospheric: Temp of about 220˚F, bleaching earth is added
from top of the tank with the agitator running. The temp. is raised to
the bleaching temperature and finally the oil is circulated through a
filter press
• Batch Vacuum: Temp of about 220˚F. Here you make a slurry first in
slurry tank and transfer to the vacuum bleacher. After the prescribed
time and the bleaching temp. under vacuum the oil is cooled, the
vacuum is broken and the oil is filtered
• Continuous vacuum: Bleaching clay is continuously fed into a stream
of oil at 220˚F and this mixture is sprayed into a vacuum chamber to
remove both water and air from the clay and the oil . After the temp.
raised the oil is sprayed into another chamber for bleaching. And
finally cooled before and the vacuum is broken
Deodorization

• Deodorization: is usually the last step in edible oil

refining. Basically, it is a vacuum-steam distillation at
elevated temperature during which free fatty acids
and volatile components are removed in order to
obtain a bland and odorless oil
• In order to remove excess FFA usually the deodorizing
temperature is raised higher (250 ˚C) but this results
in a higher production of trans fatty (~1-3%) acids as
well as a higher loss of tocopherols
Deodorization
• Deodorization – removal of odor and flavor causing compounds. These
compounds (relatively volatile) can be removed by bubbling live steam
through the hot oil (200-275oC) under high vacuum (3-10 mm Hg).
Deodorization does not have any significant effect upon the fatty acid
composition of most fats and oils. (Not a necessary step in biodiesel
production)
• Deodorization removes free fatty acids but the live steam also causes some
hydrolysis. Optimal conditions (0.02 – 0,04 FFA and 0.3-0.5% monoglycerides).
• The oil at this step is referred to as refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD)
oil.
 Biodiesel
• Biodiesel – formed by trans-esterification of
triglycerides and esterification of Fatty acids of the
oils
• Final product must conform with ASTM D6751-07a
• Understanding important oil properties
• Flash point, water and sediment, kinematic viscosity,
sulfated ash, sulfur, cetane number, cloud point, carbon
residue, acid number, free glycerin, total glycerin,
phosphorus content, iodine value, distllation temperature,
copper strip corrosion, API gravity, lubricity, accelerated
stability, detergency, low temperature operability
Basic Biodiesel Chemistry

Vegetable Oil Methanol Biodiesel Glycerin

Mono-alkyl esters

CH2-OCOR1 R1COOCH3 CH2-OH

Basic catalyst
CH-OCOR2 + 3 CH3OH R2COOCH3 + CH-OH

CH2-OCOR3 R3COOCH3 CH2-OH

Intermediate glycerols: (mono-, diacyl-) are also formed.

Some remain in final product. Unreacted triacylglycerols (vegetable oil)
Unseparated glycerol, Free fatty acids; Residual alcohol, Catalyst
Feel Free to Ask Question/s

Email:
yousufjamal.icet@pu.edu.p
k

Please What's App in the

group