Planejamento do plantio e da colheita de cana-de-açúcar utilizando técnicas matemáticas de otimização

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Electrochemical Determination of Organic Compounds in Automotive Fuels

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Multi-scale structural and chemical analysis of sugarcane bagasse in the process of sequential acid-base pretreatment and ethanol production by Scheffersomyces shehatae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Thermodynamic and economic analysis of hydrogen production integration in the Brazilian sugar and alcohol industry

One of the biggest challenges today is to develop clean fuels, which do not emit pollutant and with viable implementation. One of the options currently under study is the hydrogen production process. In this context, this work aims to study the technical and economical aspects of the incorporation process of hydrogen producing by ethanol steam reforming in the sugar cane industry and MCFC (molten carbonate fuel cell) application on it to generate electric power. Therefore, it has been proposed a modification in the traditional process of sugar cane industry, in order to incorporate hydrogen production, besides the traditional products (sugar, ethylic, hydrated and anhydric alcohol). For this purpose, a detailed theoretical study of the ethanol production process, describing the considerations to incorporate the hydrogen production will be performed. After that, there will be a thermodynamic study for analysing the innovation of this production chain, as well as a study of economic engineering to allocate the costs of products of the new process, optimising it and considering the thermoeconomics as being as an analysis tool. This proposal aims to improve Brazil's position in the ranking of international biofuels, corroborating the nation to be a power in the hydrogen era. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aspectos técnico, econômicos e ecológicos de processos de produção de hidrogênio

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEG

Micro-fungos de interesse para o setor de petróleo, gás e biocombustíveis

Oil is a hydrocarbon mixture of various sizes, including saturated and aromatic compounds. Natural gas is a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons and its main component is methane. In our society, the great demand for these fuels requires fast extraction, transportation and refining, increasing the number of accidents that compromise the environment. Oil is a finite resource and it is necessary to reduce the problems related to the question concerning environmental pollution which has encouraged the search for alternative fuel sources in our country. So today we have two major biofuels: ethanol and biodiesel. Concurrently, many studies have been done directed toward the isolation of microorganisms capable of degrading petrochemical industrial wastes, most of them using as a source of isolation soil and water collected in a contaminated environment. Isolation from alternative substrates has emerged as a new strategy that has provided satisfactory results. In this work, we present the leaf-cutter ants of the Attini tribe as a source for the isolation of micro-fungi with the potential for hydrocarbon degradation. These insects have a social way of life and a highly specialized system of intra and interspecific communication, which is based on the recognition of individuals through volatile chemical compounds, the majority hydrocarbons, stored in their exoskeleton. The micro-environment exoskeleton of Attini ants (genus Atta) used in this work proved to be a rich source of microbial biodiversity, as other studies have found. The flotation isolation technique applied here allowed the achievement of 214 micro-fungi, 118 representatives of the dematiaceous fungi group and 96 hyaline filamentous fungi. They were submitted to toluene degradation tests and at least one strain of each genus presented good results, namely Teratosphaeria, Exophiala, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Estudo da fluidodinâmica de uma mistura de sólidos em um leito fluidizado gás-sólido

Fluidization consists in a bed of solid particles acquire fluid behavior by using a fluid (in this case air) flowing through the solid particles. Because of this, it can be a good mix of these materials, as well as to show increased rates of heat and mass transport. The fluid flowing through the spaces between the particles gives an interstitial velocity, that if is too low does not cause movement of the particulates. The gradual increase in speed will generate small vibrations between the particles promotes its fluidization. Our study focus in the fluid state of solid bed , when the fluid velocity reaches a state where the drag forces are sufficient to support the weight of the solid particles making these solids behave like fluids . Knowledge of the minimum velocity required to fluidize that particles is of great importance since below this speed there is no fluidization, and far above it, the solids are carried out of the bed. The fluidized bed reactor is widely used in physics and engineering, particularly in gas-solid fluidization, with emphasis on thermochemical processes

Parametrização de modelo para simulação de distribuição de combustíveis em um terminal

A great competition between companies happens nowadays, due to, among other factors, the globalized economic system, the growing consumer demand and the technological advances. This fact implies the need for fast and efficient tools in decision making. A validated simulation model is able to perform this task. Thus, it was parameterized a simulation model of a fuel distribution terminal. It is a complex system because of its great variability. The model´s data input were collected, however the model was not statistically validated, in other word, does not adequately represent the real system. A search was made for the possible causes of this fact: dividing the compartments of tanker trucks, data collection may have been insufficient, inefficient model for unloading of biofuels

Análise dos limites de inflamabilidade a partir de uma visão de pressões parciais de biocombustível

In this work concepts of flammability limits of anhydrous and hydrated ethanol to pressures below atmospheric, using the Dalton model for gaseous mixtures. Theoretical and experimental methods for determining the boundaries and the influence of parameters such as concentration, temperature and pressure were introduced. Analyzes from partial pressures of fuel vapor and correlations with temperature and total pressure were made. Finally presents an overview of aviation fuels, their requisites and trends in the use of biofuels in commercial aviation industry

O advento de novas matrizes energéticas no Brasil: experiências da implantação do PNPB em Mirante do Paranapanema e a produção de biodiesel em Mauá, Estado de São Paulo

Faced with the global discussion about the development of new alternative energy sources, this work tries to contribute to the understanding of the introduction of biodiesel in the energy market, identifying the barriers in the social logic, economic and productive in different spaces, rural and urban. Based on the guidelines of the National Biodiesel Production and Use Program (PNPB), it intended to accompany the implementation of public policies in relation to family farmers settled in the Pontal, located in the western region of São Paulo. In parallel, we will analyze the organizational structure and logistics of the production of biodiesel in the city, although it does not dependent on agricultural production and it is not a target of public policies, it takes advantage of the demand created by PNPB when it comes to increasing the amount of biodiesel blended with mineral origin diesel. The activity examined in the urban space is the collection of used frying oil held by Ecosanta Biofuels, a company located in the town of Maua, São Paulo metropolitan region. The monograph aims to broaden our understanding despite the urban-rural issue regarding the obstacles and opportunities in expanding renewable energy

Microalgas na Produção de Biodiesel: Extração e Composição Lipídica

The uninterrupted rise in emission of greenhouse gases open way to the use of biofuels, due to politics that focus on fuel safe, clean and renewable. The use of microalgae for biodiesel production has been described as one of the most promising sources of biomass for biofuels. The aim of this study was to evaluate the extraction and lipid profile of the microalgae Dunaliella tertiolecta, Isochrysis galbana and Tetraselsim gracilis. The extractions were performed with solvents chloroform /methanol and petroleum ether. The lipid profile was analyzed by gas chromatography after transesterification.The petroleum ether showed more efficiency in the extraction, the best result obtained was in the microalgae D. tertiolecta with 19.52% of lipid. The lipid profile analysis indicated a biodiesel stable to oxidation and elevated viscosity

Aspectos técnicos e ambientais da incorporação de novas tecnologias no setor sucroalcooleiro: produção de hidrogênio e gaseificação do bagaço

The purpose of this work is to study the incorporation of hydrogen production (Case A) and the process of gasification of sugarcane bagasse associated with combined cycle gas turbine and steam turbine (Case B) for Distillery Pioneers process. These technologies can be used to improve the energy supply in the sugarcane mill. Initially the processes for obtaining sugar and ethanol from sugarcane is discussed, with a theoretical introduction to hydrogen, the process of steam reforming and gasification of biomass (bagasse) by inserting a turbine associated with the recovery boiler gas. Subsequently makes up the energy and exergy analysis of the incorporation of the above technologies. In end stage makes it an ecological analysis considering or not the carbon cycle (photosynthesis), to determine the levels of emissions of pollutants, carbon dioxide equivalent, indicators of pollution and ecological efficiencies associated with technological developments proposed. It is concluded that hydrogen production by steam reforming of ethanol and gasification of bagasse are viable alternatives from the point of view of technical and environmental applications in the biofuels industry, contributing to the development of the sector in the country

Avaliação da fermentação aeróbia para produção de etanol a partir da xilose por linhagem de leveduras isoladas da casca de uva (Vitis spp)

Isolate microorganisms that fermenting xylose to ethanol is a challenge to expand production of biofuels from lignocellulosic materials. For this work was tested fermentation of xylose by yeast strains isolated from grape skins (Vitis spp) in order to ethanol produce. The yeasts were grown in submerged fermentation with xylose as a carbohydrate source. Aliquots were taken every 24 hours to measure cell growth, sugar consumption and ethanol production. The yeast had an production ethanol average of 2.5 g / L and yield (Ye / s) 0.12 g / g, showing that they have the ability to produce ethanol from xylose.

Determination of sulfate in ethanol fuel using an electrode chemically modified with polypyrrole by flow injection analysis

In this work, an electrode chemically modified with polypyrrole (PCME) was employed for determination of sulfate in ethanol fuel using a FIA system. The PCME was prepared by polymerization of pyrrole at a glassy carbon electrode by means of cyclic voltammetry technique. An analytical curve from 1.0 x 10−5 to 8.0 x 10−5 mol L−1 was obtained in flow injection system based on the PCME. An amperometric sensibility of 2.3 x 10−3 A mol−1 L and a detection limit of 2.5 x 10−6 mol L−1 were achieved. The proposed method was employed for determination of sulfate ions in commercial samples of ethanol fuel. The results were in good agreement with those obtained by the ionic chromatographic method.

Physical-chemical characterization of biomass samples for application iin pyrolysis process

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)