Obtaining biodiesel from Chlorella sp suspensions

• Grant number: 14/17568-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2014
• End date: September 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Daniela Helena Pelegrine Guimarães
• Grantee: Mateus dos Santos Cristianini
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Renewable fuels production got great incentive recently, with fuel prices increase and more environmental issues concerns. Among raw materials available for biofuels, microalgae emerge as a sustainable alternative due high productivity and needlessness in land and water quality. Taking into account the growing interest in microalgae use as biodiesel raw this research aims to obtain biodiesel form microalgae suspensions (Chlorella sp). The oil will be characterized regarding saponification, acidity and iodine contents, and fatty acids average composition. Dantas (2006) and Silva Filho (2010) methodology will be followed for biodiesel produce, which will be characterized regarding specific heat, cetane number, fatty acids average composition and triglycerides absence. Rheological behavior of oil and biodiesel will be analyzed in parallel by other students.