Global Bioenergy Industry News
Ultrasound Research for Biodiesel Production
The process could lead to higher supply in the marketplace at a potentially lower cost, according to a report in Discovery News.
Assistant Professor Bulent Koc, an agricultural and biological engineer, used ultrasound technology as part of his research in the past to look at different properties of food.
He found that he could measure the concentrations of alcohol in wine by measuring the velocity of the sound waves within the wine and how long they took to bounce back.
Now he is developing the technique at the University on Missouri in the field of energy and biofuel production.
The process involves an ultrasound generator driving an ultrasound transducer to make ultrasonic waves pass through a mixture of methanol and vegetable oil. The waves heat the mixture, creating bubbles that eventually burst. The bursts release high pressure and temperature, which break the molecular bonds in the fluids, allowing the two liquids to mix at a much faster pace.
After the molecular bonds break, the fatty acids release, producing the by-product glycerin, and the remaining molecules recombine into a biodiesel, the report says.
It is hoped that by using ultrasound the cost of biodiesel production can be reduced.
TheBioenergySite News Desk
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