Biofuel from Bamboo

[epwaotl]

I was just thinking came up with this idea of converting bamboo into bio fuels. After a quick Google search I found that theoretically Bamboo would make a good source of bio fuel. Its total biomass is 57% oil, has a low ash content, and has a low alkali index. Bamboo also can be planted and harvested after 4 years. Isaw a reference to using the Fischer-Tropsch Process to do this. I have a few questions.

1 Are there any discrepancies in my information?
2 Is this possible. Is it a viable alternative to corn and algae?
3 Is anybody already trying to do this?
4 Any ideas on how to go about doing this.
5 Anything that I overlooked?

Thanks for all your help

[deleted-42343]

Hi epwaotl,

1) I don't know much about bamboo, I would assume your information is correct. I would look at other websites to see if they have similar data. In order to see if bamboo would make a good biofuel, read a few research papers on biodiesels/biofuels in general to see what criteria researchers think is most important to make an effective fuel. From what I remember about a project I did in college, oils with mono-unsaturated triglycerides generally produce biodiesel with the best properties, i.e. cold temperature flow properties, low viscosity, etc.

2) It is definitely possible. The easiest way would be to buy some bamboo oil and transform it into biodiesel. Whether it is a viable alternative though, I'm not sure. Read the information I have below and after doing some research on bamboo and other oils you should be able to answer this question.

3). A quick search for "bamboo biodiesel" brought up a few hits, but I didn't look at them in detail. Read papers and abstracts online to learn the details of the research being done. Even if research is being done, you can always add something original to what other people have done.

4). I still have a little blurb that my professor gave us for our biodiesel project, it might be helpful so you know what terms you should research:

Study of the transesterification reaction in biodiesel production:
effect of oil type and saturation


Background
Biodiesel is an alternative fuel that has become prominent in recent years as a
replacement for petroleum-based diesel.

Objective
In this project, you will be looking at the effects of different feedstocks and their
saturation on a finished biodiesel product. After rationally selecting the proper oil type to
study, you will start with a laboratory reaction of biodiesel that duplicates the methanol
and potassium hydroxide ratios of industrial processes for biodiesel creation. You will
then optimize the reaction condition for each oil type. The resultant biodiesel will be
subjected to a battery of tests based upon the ASTM standards; the exact tests used will
be up to you. The design problems of the project will include optimizing the biodiesel
production process on a laboratory scale as well as a comparison of different feedstocks
(corn oil, soybean oil, etc.).

In this project, students will learn:
- How to create a simplified version and model a complex system
- How to optimize a process

References
Timothy P. Durrett, Christoph Benning and John Ohlrogge. “Plant triacylglycerols as
feedstocks for the production of biofuels.” The Plant Journal. (2008) 54:593–607.

H. Sanli and M. Canakci “Effects of Different Alcohol and Catalyst Usage on Biodiesel
Production from Different Vegetable Oils.” Energy & Fuels. (2008) 22:2713–2719.

De Oliveira, Débora, et. al. “Optimization of alkaline transesterification of soybean oil
and castor oil for biodiesel production.” Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology.
(2005). 122.1-3: 553-560.

---------
All three of those references are very helpful. The first one can get you started, I just found it in google (you might be able to find the others for free online too): http://www.orau.gov/algae2008/breakouts ... al2008.pdf

Oils with a higher degree of unsaturation are said to produce better biodiesels. This is an unclear trend, however, because higher unsaturation level may cause the oil to get oxidized more easily and choke the engine (Durrett et al). High oleate content has been linked to better biodiesel performance. So, oils high in mono-unsaturated components generally produce the best biodiesel. So I would check to see what the oleate content of bamboo oil is.

There is no exact formula for what makes the best oil for biodiesel production, but there are some characteristics that are generally considered. Cloud point, degree of saturation, and oleate content are factors that determine whether an oil will produce an effective biodiesel. Cloud point is the temperature at which the biodiesel becomes a solid. This is important for practicality; it would be difficult for engines to run biodiesel that is solid at room temperature, for example. Similarly, the degree of saturation of the different oils affects the properties of the biodiesel formed. Generally, the lower the saturation, the better the biodiesel (Durrett et al). Biodiesel from oils with high oleate content have better properties (Durrett et al).

There are probably many other properties of plant oils that allow certain ones to produce more effective biodiesels, but those are the properties we focused on.

5.) I can't think of anything off the top of my head. In general, just do some research on bamboo oil, biodiesel and biofuels in general (how they are made, the specific procedure to make them, what properties are desirable for biodiesel, etc.)


If you have any more questions please reply to your original post. Good luck!

[deleted-42343]

I forgot to mention that this project would be pretty easy to do either at home or at school, which is a huge advantage. You would have to order or borrow some materials and equipment, but compared to other projects, this makes a wonderful "kitchen table top experiment." I did all of my projects at home, and it makes life much easier. People are also very impressed that you did it in your kitchen! .

To make the biofuel, you would basically need:

-Heater/stirrer hot plate (with a bar magnet to act as a stirrer)
-condenser
-separator flask
-Methanol, KOH
-Beakers and flasks

There are tons of different tests to analyze the biofuel. Some are easy to do at home, others require more advanced equipment, but you would have some options on analyzing the biofuel.

If you can find a way to make this project more original, it would be a very nice project for an advanced competition. (You might also consider looking at using other types of oils instead of just bamboo).

[epwaotl]

Thanks for all your hep. Why do I need to use a bar magnet to stir? Does it have to due with the polarity of molecules?

[deleted-42343]

You don't actually have to use a bar magnet to stir, it just makes stirring a lot easier. Because the bar is magnetic, if you put it on a hotplate with a stir function (which is basically just a piece of metal inside that spins), the magnet will be attracted to the metal and spin. If you place the bar magnet inside of a beaker, it will stir automatically for you. This is especially useful if you are using a condenser, since you have to place it over the top of the beaker and so you can't stir it yourself.

Here is a picture of a beaker on top of a hot plate (with stirring abilities). You can see the white bar at the bottom of the beaker -that's the magnetic stir bar. http://www.electrical-res.com/EX/10-18- ... 0plate.JPG