Project Statement

CHPE422: Bioprocess Engineering

FallSemester: 2011-2012

Dr Sagheer Onaizi

Due: Sunday, 27November, 2011 (Before 12:00 pm). Late submission will NOT be accepted and student will get zero.

Production of Biodiesel from Vegetable Oilsusing Enzymes

The civilization of today’s world is built on the utilization of fossil fuel as a source of energy. However, fossil fuel is not sustainable and its reserves will diminish in future. To ensure the continuationand advancement of the world civilization, a new source of energy has to be utilized. There are some alternative sources for energy production such as nuclear energy, geothermal energy, solar energy, wind energy, hydraulic energy and bioenergy (biofuels). Among the available alternatives for energy production, biodiesel manufacturing from vegetable oils represents an attractive sustainable source.In recent years, the production of biodiesel from vegetable oils using enzymes has gained some interests. In this report, you are required to provide:

  1. A brief introduction about the most widely used vegetable oils for biodiesel production.
  2. A brief introduction about the most widely used enzymes for biodiesel production from vegetable oils.
  3. Description of the enzymatic reactions taking place during vegetable oils conversion into biodiesel.
  4. Description of the main products and side-products (if any) and how these products can be separated, upgraded and utilized as biodiesel.
  5. Do you think the production of biodiesel from vegetable oils using enzymes is currently feasible? Justify your answer.
  6. Is it possible to implement biodiesel production from vegetable oils using enzymes in Oman? Justify your answer.

When preparing your report, please follow the following instructions:

  1. Submit a hard copy of your report.
  2. The hard copy should not exceed 10 pages A4 size, including front page, appendices, etc.
  3. The text should be made in 12pt font size using Times New Roman style with 1.5 line spacing.
  4. References should be written in a standard scientific format (check the literature).
  5. Direct copy of the work of others (including Internet resources) will be considered plagiarism.

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