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What sustainable fuels can be used for production of energy in developing…
What sustainable fuels can be used for production of energy in developing countries?
Independent Variable
Type of fuel
Sustaiable
Woods
Structural tissue of trees, made of cellulose and lignin.
carbon neutral since carbon dioxide is taken from the atmosphere to form carbohydrates used in the structure of wood
Biodiesel
Oils can be turned to biodiesel, using transesterification to change the glycerol section of a triglyceride into a short chain alcohol (usually methanol), giving biodiesel esters. This process results in an ester with similar chain length to diesel.
Can be used in current infrastructure requiring diesel.
Biodiesel requires methanol in its production, which is abundant, but requires methane in its synthesis as a feed stock. Therefore it is not completely carbon neutral.
Methane (biogas)
Generated from anaerobic decay of biological matter
Can be carbon neutral if formed from plant biomass rather than animal biomass due to photosynthesis removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
Can be used in place of natural gas, which is already used in many countries.
Oils
Triglycerides containing unsaturated fatty acids, usually coming from plants. Oils are liquid fuels.
Oils are carbon neutral since in their production, carbon is removed from the atmosphere in the process of photosynthesis.
Fats
Triglycerides containing saturated fatty acids, usually coming from animals. Fats are solid fuels.
Fats are not carbon neutral since in their production, carbon dioxide is released from animals due to respiration.
Bioethanol
Ethanol can be produced from the fermentation of biomass, which can then be refined and then used for fuel.
Bioethanol is close to carbon neutral, since the carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere offsets the carbon dioxide emitted upon the combustion of ethanol, if plant biomass is used as the feedstock.
Not sustainable
Kerosene
A fraction of crude oil with carbon chains twelve to fifteen carbon chains long. Combustion of kerosene releases energy, carbon dioxide and water. Kerosene is not sustainable, since it is a fraction of crude oil, and therefore it cannot be readily produced, and does not offset the greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere upon combustion.
Coal
Coal is a dark rock, mostly made up of carbon, with some other impurities such as hydrogen and sulfur. It can be burned to release energy and carbon dioxide. Coal is not sustainable since it is not able to be readily made, and does not offset the greenhouse gasses released when burned.
Gasoline
A fraction of crude oil with carbon chains four to twelve carbons long. Combustion of gasoline releases energy, carbon dioxide and water. Gasoline is not sustainable since it is a fraction of crude oil, therefore meaning it cannot be produced readily and its production does not offset the greenhouse gasses released in combustion
Methane (fossil fuel)
Natural gas methane is collected from the top of oil reservoirs, and is formed under metamorphic conditions over millions of years. the combustion of methane can be used for energy and releases carbon dioxide and water. Natural gas is not sustainable since it is a finite resource and its production does not offset the greenhouse gasses released in its combustion.
Nuclear fuel
specific radioisotopes are fissioned by bombardment with neutrons, releasing energy consistent with E=∆mc^2. Nuclear fuel is not sustainable since it is a finite resource, and the waste is dangerous and hard to store.
Possible Dependent Variables
Difference in Temperature
Measure the difference in temperature of the water after burning a set amount of fuel either by mass of by mole. This method is possible by measuring out a set amount of fuel, burning all of the fuel and then measuring the temperature of the water afterwards.
Difference in mass of fuel
Measure the amount of fuel before and after raising the temperature of the water to find the mass of fuel used in order to raise the temperature of the water by a certain amount. The change in temperature would be constant between all fuels for this dependent variable
Difference in quantity of fuel
Measure the mass of the fuel before and after to find the difference in mass, and then divide by the molar mass of the fuel to find the quantity of fuel used to raise the temperature of the water. This only works with fuels that only have one type of molecule, such as hydrogen or methane. The change in temperature would be constant between all fuels
What variables can be controlled
Mass/volume of water used
The mass of the water affects the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of the water, with mass m being directly proportional to heat energy Q. Therefore the mass of water should be kept constant.
Container holding water
The container used will unavoidably absorb some heat energy from the fuel, rather than the water, and heat must pass through the container to change the temperature of the water. Therefore the container should be constant to ensure the thermal conductivity, surface area, mass and specific heat capacity of the containers is the same
Difference in temperature ∆T
Purity of water used
Ensures specific heat capacity is equal, known and constant
What variables cannot be controlled
Quantity of heat lost to the surroundings
The total quantity of heat lost to surroundings cannot be controlled since the quantity of heat lost to the atmosphere depends on a large number of factors such as room temperature, air currents and time taken for heating to occur.
Evaporation of water/liquid fuels
Evaporation of the liquids can happen due to the container being open, allowing water vapour to escape.
Evaporation of water changes the volume of water, affecting the heat required to raise the temperature.
Starting temperature of container
The starting temperature of the container cannot be set, since there is no reliable way to measure the temperature of the entire container and then adjust the temperature to a specific value.
Starting temperature of the container affects the calculated heat gained since heat can transfer from the container to the water, or from the water to the container, affecting the results.
Room temperature
Depending on the room temperature, the air could transfer heat to the water or take heat from the water, affecting the energy from the fuels to raise the temperature.
The temperature of the room cannot be controlled with high precision due to a large number of factors affecting the temperature of the environment.
Method for measuring energy density
Calorimetry
Bomb Calorimetry
A bomb calorimeter uses a sealed capsule containing the fuel and pure oxygen submerged in a known amount of water to raise the temperature of the water.
Simple calorimetry
A simple calorimeter uses a metal container containing a known amount of water and heats it by burning the fuel below the container. A simple calorimeter is much less accurate than a bomb calorimeter due to energy loss to the air, incomplete combustion and other factors.
Calorimetry is using a fuel to raise the temperature of a known amount of water and using the change in temperature to find the energy released by the fuel.
Where could these fuels be used and what resources are abundant there?
Sri Lanka
Coconut Products
Coconuts are very abundant in Sri Lanka, and there is already infrastructure in place to produce coconut oil.
coconut oil
coconut oil biodiesel
coconut oil can be converted into biodiesel, using a transesterification process to replace the glycerol part of the molecule with methanol, to get a similar length of carbon chain to diesel.
coconut husk
Biomass - can be used in production of methane.
Rice Bran oil
Rice is one of the main agricultural products of Sri Lanka and rice bran is one of the the byproducts of producing white rice. Rice bran can be used to create rice bran oil, which can be used as a fuel.
African countries
Wood
Tea/Coffee
Bioethanol
used tea leaves and coffee grounds can be used as feedstock for fermentation to produce bioethanol.
Biogas
The anaerobic decay of coffee grounds and tea leaves releases methane, which can be used as a fuel.
India
Sugarcane
Ethanol can be produced from the fermentation of sugarcane molasses, which can then be refined and then be used as a fuel.
Milk
Waste from milk production can be used as feedstock for the fermentation to produce bioethanol.
Rice Bran oil
One of the main agricultural products of India is rice. In the harvesting process of rice, rice bran is a byproduct. The rice bran can be used to produce rice bran oil which can be used as a fuel.
What variables may not be controlled
Purity of fuels
Purity of fuel cannot be guaranteed without using methods such as titration and due to the limitation of time these procedures cannot be conducted.
purity of water used in experiment
If the purity of the water is not controlled, then the specific heat capacity will not be equal to 4180J/kg K
Water is provided by laboratory, therefore it may not be fully distilled.
impurities in wick of spirit burner
From prior use, the wicks in spirit burners could be
How can the fuels be burned?
Solid
Melts
Fuel can be turned into a candle and burned through a wick.
Doesn't melt
Fuel can be placed in evaporation dish and burned directly.
Liquid
Tea light candle
Liquid fuel can be poured into a candle and burned through wick.
spirit burner
Liquid fuel can be poured into a spirit burner and burned through a wick.