Biofuels engineering

Gronenberg, L.S., Marcheschi, R.J., and Liao, J.C. (2013) Next generation biofuel engineering in prokaryotes. Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol, 17, 462-471. 

Oritz-Canavate, J. V. (1994). Characteristics of Different Types of Gaseous and Liquid Biofuels and Their Energy Balance. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 59 231-238. 

Okuda J, Yamazaki T, Fukasawa M, Kakehi N, Sode K. 2007. The application of engineered glucose dehydrogenase to a direct electron-transfer-type continuous glucose monitoring system and a compartmentless biofuel cell. Anal Lett 40 431 -440. 

Reisinger, K., Haslinger, C., Herger, M., Hofbauer, H. BIOBIB-Database for Biofuels Institute of Chemical Engineering, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria, 1996. 

Josh Gallaway was born in Waverly, TN, in 1974 and lived there until attending Case Western Reserve University in 1992, where he earned a B.S. in chemical engineering. Since 2002, he has been a graduate student at Columbia University, studying redox polymer-enzyme systems for use in biofuel cells. 

The recent literature in bioelectrochemical technology, covering primarily the electrochemical aspects of enzyme immobilization and mediation, includes few reports describing engineering aspects of enzymatic biofuel cells or related devices. Current engineering efforts address issues of catalytic rate and stability by seeking improved kinetic and thermodynamic properties in modified enzymes or synthesized enzyme mimics. Equally important is the development of materials and electrode structures that fully maximize the reaction rates of known biocatalysts within a stable environment. Ultimately, the performance of biocatalysts can be assessed only by their implementation in practical devices. 

Bioethanol is suitable for internal combustion engines that run on gasoline. Similarly, biodiesel is designed for diesel engines. Biodiesel is a fuel manufactured from various oils and fats. These acids are chemically transformed to fatty acid methyl esters. By blending the fatty acid methyl or ethyl esters in the right proportions, the properties of the fuel can be influenced [59] and potentially mimic the properties of petrochemically derived diesel. Biofuel efficiency generally is the same as for fossil-derived diesel fuel [59]. 

Let us focus on one factor where we can, to some extent and based on our scientific and engineering background, apply some well-founded judgment biofuels. 

Since 1975, Brazil has supported a governmental program to design a new car engine technology using (95%) hydrated ethanol as biofuel. 

A major issue for biomass as a raw material for industrial product manufacture is variability. Questions of standardisation and specifications will therefore need to be addressed as new biofuels, biomaterials and bioproducts are introduced onto the market. Another major challenge associated with the use of biomass is yield. One approach to improve/modify the properties and/or yield of biomass is to use selective breeding and genetic engineering to develop plant strains that produce greater amounts of desirable feedstocks, chemicals or even compounds that the plant does not naturally produce (Fernando et al., 2006). This essentially transfers part of the biorefining to the plant (see Chapter 2 for some example of oils with modified fatty acid content). 

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