Title: Potential fuel bioadditive ethyl levulinate production for the aviation fuel

Authors: Derya Unlu; Nilufer Durmaz Hilmioglu

Addresses: Chemical Engineering Department, Kocaeli University, 41380 Kocaeli, Turkey ' Chemical Engineering Department, Kocaeli University, 41380 Kocaeli, Turkey

Abstract: Greenhouse gas emissions have been increasing over time. The aviation sector has a significant effect on air pollution. Usage of petroleum derived fuels in the air transportation sector is responsible for the increment of CO2 emissions. Using biodiesel instead of petroleum diesel can reduce global warming and decrease the dependence on petroleum sources. Besides that, biodiesel has some disadvantages such as high density, viscosity, fuel consumption and NOx emission. At this point, additives are used in fuel to improve weak properties. Ethyl levulinate is an oxygenated additive for biodiesel. In this study, fuel bioadditive ethyl levulinate was produced by using catalytic membrane. Catalytic membrane was characterised by using FTIR, TGA and the acid capacity. Experiments were carried out to optimise reaction conditions. The maximum conversion value was obtained as 88% under the reaction conditions, a molar ratio of reactants 9:1, catalyst amount in the membrane 6 mmol and temperature 65°C.

Keywords: biodiesel; catalytic membrane; chitosan; ethyl levulinate; fuel bioadditives; green processes; biofuels; aviation fuel; oxygenated additives; greenhouse gases; GHG emissions; air pollution; air transport; CO2; carbon dioxide; carbon emissions.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSA.2016.082194

International Journal of Sustainable Aviation, 2016 Vol.2 No.4, pp.338 - 347

Received: 26 May 2016
Accepted: 05 Sep 2016

Published online: 12 Feb 2017 *

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