Design of new separation processes for water removal from biodiesel and diesel/biodiesel mixtures applying synthetic hydrogels grafted with cellulose nanocrystals

• Grant number: 21/03472-7
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Regular Program Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2021
• End date: May 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Industrial Operations and Equipment for Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Leonardo Vasconcelos Fregolente
• Grantee: Leonardo Vasconcelos Fregolente
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: João B. P. Soares ; Maria Regina Wolf Maciel ; Patricia Bogalhos Lucente Fregolente ; Rubens Maciel Filho

Abstract

This work proposes the development of separation processes that apply synthetic hydrogels grafted with Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNC) to remove water from biodiesel and biodiesel/diesel mixtures. In addition to the engineering of materials applied to obtain highly hydrophilic and macroporous hydrogels with adequate mechanical properties, additive manufacturing will be applied to produce different contact configurations of fuel-hydrogel. Finally, experimental runs will be conducted in a continuous regime to remove free, emulsified and soluble water. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ARTHUS, LETICIA; ESTEVAM, BIANCA RAMOS; AGUILA, ZAIDA JOVA; MACIEL, MARIA REGINA WOLF; FREGOLENTE, LEONARDO VASCONCELOS. Facile tuning of hydrogel properties for efficient water removal from biodiesel: An assessment of alkaline hydrolysis and drying techniques. Chemical Engineering Science, v. 282, p. 12-pg., 2023-12-05. (21/08438-1, 21/03472-7, 15/20630-4)

FREGOLENTE, LEONARDO VASCONCELOS; GONCALVES, HENRIQUE LUIZ; FREGOLENTE, PATRICIA BOGALHOS LUCENTE; MACIEL, MARIA REGINA WOLF; SOARES, JOAO B. P.. Sodium polyacrylate hydrogel fixed bed to treat Water-Contaminated cloudy diesel. FUEL, v. 332, p. 10-pg., 2023-01-15. (21/03472-7, 15/20630-4, 17/12120-1)

ESTEVAM, BIANCA RAMOS; VIEIRA, FLAVIA FERREIRA DOS SANTOS; GONCALVES, HENRIQUE LUIZ; MORAES, ANGELA MARIA; FREGOLENTE, LEONARDO VASCONCELOS. Cellulose hydrogels for water removal from diesel and biodiesel: Production, characterization, and efficacy testing. FUEL, v. 347, p. 11-pg., 2023-04-22. (21/03472-7)