Critical review on third generation micro algae biodiesel production and its feasibility as future bioenergy for IC engine applications

Third generation micro algae feedstock cultivation and fuel production have sustainable and economic benefits due to their microscopic nature. Each process in the production of micro algae biodiesel such as cultivation, harvesting and extraction can be optimized to negate the factors affecting production. Optimized micro algae biodiesel blends can be utilized to obtain ideal engine maps by calibrating engine parameters at stationary or dynamic engine tests. Numerous studies are available on micro algae based biodiesel production and its application in IC engines. Even though few consolidated articles are available on the effects of using micro algae biodiesel in IC engines, little to no article is available clubbing the production and optimization aspects of micro algae biodiesel with engine testing. To address this issue, this article intends to consolidate studies which have utilized different reactors for cultivating diverse micro algae species with multiple growth mediums. Furthermore, this combination also includes different biomass preprocessing and extraction techniques in producing micro algae biodiesel. Also, the implementation of micro algae biodiesel in IC engines and its output characteristics for different micro algae biodiesels have been highlighted and analyzed. To understand the current commercial status of micro algae biodiesel, a techno-economic analysis has been drawn. Studies revealed that closed type reactors are effective for continuous cultivation due to the constant regulation and availability of optimized growth factors. Furthermore, the techno-economic assessment revealed that the maintenance costs involved in the production should be lowered by 2–3 times the original to make micro algae biodiesel commercially available

Multi-functional fuel additive as a combustion catalyst for diesel and biodiesel in CI engine characteristics

© 2020 Elsevier Ltd The present research work aims at investigating the effect of newly developed multifunctional additive with diesel and Calophyllum Inophyllum biodiesel on compression ignition engine characteristics. A newly developed hydrocarbon based multifunctional fuel additive named as “Thermol-D” which comprises of various ingredients at suitable composition like surfactant, demulsifier, lubricity enhancer, dispersant, cetane improver, antioxidant and combustion catalyst. In this present study, the Thermol-D has been doped with conventional diesel and Calophyllum Inophyllum biodiesel at 0.5 ml, 1 ml and 2 ml concentrations. Moreover, the Thermol-D addition with diesel and biodiesel has shown remarkable stability at all concentrations without any phase separation issues. All the fuel comparative analysis is carried out using all the fuel samples at same operating conditions under load variation from No load to full load at constant engine speed. It has been noticed that the doping of Thermol-D with diesel and biodiesel has increased the brake thermal efficiency by 21% and 43% at 100% loading conditions due to the presence of combustion catalyst and cetane improver in the additive. The multifunctional additive presence in the fuel blends is reduced the carbon monoxide and unburnt hydrocarbon emissions by 32–36% and 20% respectively. Furthermore, the oxides of nitrogen emission has also reduced at significant rate in the range of 18–20.5% for 2% Thermol-D addition with diesel and biodiesel. The Thermol-D contains slight fraction of antioxidant and cetane improvers which has resulted in combustion temperature. All the combustion characteristics are improved by the addition of Thermol-D with diesel and biodiesel

Immunological response to parenteral vaccination with recombinant hepatitis B virus surface antigen virus-like particles expressing Helicobacter pylori KatA epitopes in a murine H. pylori challenge model

Virus-like particles (VLPs) based on the small envelope protein of hepatitis B virus (HBsAg-S) are immunogenic at the B- and T-cell level. In this study, we inserted overlapping sequences encoding the carboxy terminus of the Helicobacter pylori katA gene product into HBsAg-S. The HBsAg-S–KatA fusion proteins were able to assemble into secretion-competent VLPs (VLP-KatA). The VLP-KatA proteins were able to induce KatA-specific antibodies in immunized mice. The mean total IgG antibody titers 41 days post-primary immunization with VLP-KatA (2.3 × 103) were significantly greater (P < 0.05) than those observed for vaccination with VLP alone (5.2 × 102). Measurement of IgG isotypes revealed responses to both IgG1 and IgG2a (mean titers, 9.0 × 104 and 2.6 × 104, respectively), with the IgG2a response to vaccination with VLP-KatA being significantly higher than that for mice immunized with KatA alone (P < 0.05). Following challenge of mice with H. pylori, a significantly reduced bacterial load in the gastric mucosa was observed (P < 0.05). This is the first report describing the use of VLPs as a delivery vehicle for H. pylori antigens