•Optimal Bio Marine Fuel production from renewable and environmentally friendly resources.•Optimal raw materials mixtures using adaptive genetic algorithm.•Main ingredients: rap oil, sun oil, animal ...fat acid, olive oil cooked.•Ingredient Percentage Local Search exploring efficiently the area surrounding the optimal ingredients percentage.•Saving time and cost of a demanding experimental laboratory procedure.
The present paper proposes an evolutionary computation based approach for solving raw materials mixtures optimization problems in Bio Marine Fuel (BMF) production. Last decades Biodiesel has become more attractive because it produced from renewable and environmentally friendly resources. The main ingredients of industrial biodiesel are rap oil, sun oil, animal fat acid, olive oil cooked. In this work, a new genetic algorithm is proposed which investigates initially the ingredients percentages in the mixtures, in order to optimally create their combinations as Biodiesel fuel. The optimal Biodiesel, in second phase, is used for the BMF production, without degrading the new fuel final quality. This new BMF has lower sulfur content and its consumption reducing the pollutant emissions. Apart from the environmental benefits that BMF provides, it is neither time consuming nor expensive as the desulphurization process. The innovation of the proposed approach is related to certain genetic operations applied like crossover for the improvement of the solution quality from generation to generation. Furthermore, the proposed solution can be produced in the laboratory, saving time and cost of a demanding experimental procedure. Detailed experiments with minimum and maximum ingredients cost produce highly accurate Biodiesel mixtures. The optimal mixture obtained by GA has been compared with 10 Biodiesel mixtures produced on Laboratory, in order to provide competitive fuel prices. In addition, 4 BMF categories have been examined. Categories which combine Biodiesel (B) and Marine Fuel (MF): 1) Mix 10%: B 10% + MF 90%, 2) Mix 15%: B 15% + MF 85%, 3) Mix 20%: B 20% + MF 80% and 4) Mix 25%: B 25% + MF 75%. GA results improve the BMF prices form 0.22% − 5.86% per liter. The experimentalresults of methodology proves capable of coping even with mixture optimization problems.
Water removal from diesel, jet fuel and diesel/biodiesel blends was investigated using a highly crystalline natural zeolite, from the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Greece, as dehydration ...agent. For the evaluation of the zeolite performance an amount of 0.5% w/v of the material was mixed with the fuel for 2 h and then removed. Afterwards the water concentration was measured and compared with the initial value. Other than water concentration, properties such as fuel density, kinematic viscosity, conductivity, flash point temperature and heat of combustion were measured before and after the dehydration process. By using this methodology the physicochemical properties of the studied fuels were improved. Specifically, in diesel fuel the water concentration and conductivity were reduced up to ∼32% and up to 14% respectively, while the heat of combustion found not to be affected. Furthermore, a complete physicochemical characterization of the raw clinoptilolite material performed. In particular various techniques such as Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X–ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption at 77 K and water adsorption isotherms were used in order to evaluate the surface and structural characteristics.
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•Natural zeolite material was tested as fuel dehydration agent.•The effect of the clinoptilolite particle size on H2O adsorption uptake was investigated.•A structural characterization of a natural zeolite material took place by using various techniques.•The maximum water/vapour adsorption amount was measured equal to 8 mmol/g.
The escalating global demand for goods transport via shipping has heightened energy consumption, impacting worldwide health and the environment. To mitigate this, international organizations aim to ...achieve complete fuel desulphurization and decarbonization by 50% by 2050. Investigating eco-friendly fuels is crucial, particularly those with a reduced carbon and zero sulfur content. Methanol derived mainly from renewable sources and produced by carbon dioxide’s hydrogenation method, stands out as an effective solution for GHG reduction. Leveraging its favorable properties, global scalability, and compatibility with the existing infrastructure, especially LNGs, methanol proves to be a cost-efficient and minimally disruptive alternative. This review explores methanol’s role as a hybrid maritime fuel, emphasizing its ecological production methods, advantages, and challenges in the shipping industry’s green transition. It discusses the environmental impacts of methanol use and analyzes economic factors, positioning methanol not only as an eco-friendly option, but also as a financially prudent choice for global shipping. Methanol is efficient and cost-effective and excels over MGO, especially in new ships. It is economically advantageous, with decreasing investment costs compared to LNG, while providing flexibility without specialized pressure tanks. Global marine fuel trends prioritize fuel traits, accessibility, and environmental considerations, incorporating factors like policies, emissions, bunkering, and engine adaptability during transitions.
The compatibility of shipping with environmental protection is a subject that the international community is becoming increasingly concerned about, considering the threat of climate change. The ...current study aims to assess the worldwide shipping sector’s eco-efficiency performance for the first time using the Dynamic Slack-Based assess non-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis methodology, while the visualization of the results has been made with the geographic information system of ArcGIS. The findings show that the most vibrant shipping sectors in the world, such as the Marshall Islands, present the lowest eco-efficiency levels due to the nations’ roles as tax havens for shipowners. Furthermore, traditional maritime economies such as the Chinese one show a great growth in the eco-efficiency score due to the strategies of the shipping companies that are headquartered in the region to invest and adopt Environmental, Social, and Governance principles, which help them to achieve high scores in eco-efficiency. Finally, nations with small fleets have the greatest eco-efficiency score, as local governments have engaged in sustainable activities and initiatives over the previous four to five years to enable their marine industry to thrive and dominate the market.
The present research work introduces a novel mixture optimization methodology for biodiesel fuels using an Evolutionary Computation method inspired by biological evolution. Specifically, the optimal ...biodiesel composition is deduced from the application of a nature-inspired adaptive genetic algorithm that first examines percentages of the ingredients in the optimal mixtures. The innovative approach’s effectiveness lies in problem simulation with improvements in the evaluation of the specific function and the way to define and tune the genetic algorithm. Environmental imperatives in the era of climate change currently impose the optimized production of alternative environmentally friendly biofuels to replace fossil fuels. Biodiesel in particular, appears to be more attractive in recent years, as it originates from renewable bio-derived resources. The main ingredients of the specific biofuel mixture investigated in this research are diesel and biodiesel (100% from bioresources). The assessment of the new biodiesel examined was performed using a fitness function that estimated both the density and cost of the fuel. Beyond the evaluation criterion of cost, density also influences the suitability of this biofuel for commercial use and market sale. The outcomes from the modeling process can be beneficial in saving cost and time for new biodiesel production by using this novel decision-making tool in comparison with randomized laboratory experimentations.
The efficient and sustainable exploitation of energy resources may secure a sustainable economic growth for different regions. However, the peripheries are subject to social, economic, and political ...constraints, with limited power over energy management. The present work examines regional convergence in exploitation efficiency as synopsized in the GDP generated by energy and minerals in an era of the country’s efforts to shut down the lignite-run power production. With the assistance of panel unit root tests, we confirm non convergence of the variables employed, an expected result given the fact that different energy sources are being used for energy production by each different periphery, generating different economic results. In the second stage the methodology employed is a Bayesian vector auto-regressive model (BVAR) with an informative prior on the steady state. The particular methodology outperforms the conventional VAR methodology due to limited degrees of freedom. The Impulse response analysis and the Variance Decomposition analysis confirmed interlinkages among the regions studied. This result implies that the growth generated by different energy and mineral resources are interconnected. Furthermore, the energy transition taking place in Megalopoli and West Macedonia, where the two greatest lignite industries were located until recently, affects the growth generated by energy and resource exploitation for all the other peripheries, according to our findings. The novelty of the present work stands on the concept to detect interlinkages of energy and resources-based growth for the peripheries in Greece with the assistance of the Bayesian Var. The results of the present work are significant, since our findings suggest to policy makers tools to promote economic growth generated by energy based on alternative energy sources, including the environmentally friendly ones, by taking into consideration the interlinkages established by the existing infrastructure and the conventional energy sources used.
Greek lignite reserves are mainly located in the northwestern part of the country (Region of Western Macedonia, Greece), reaching a total of 5 billion tons. Considering that Greece is planning to ...stop burning lignite for electricity production, the recovery of the CH4 trapped in lignite coalbed reservoirs can be a valuable alternative for power generation and may help to reduce the direct emissions of methane during mining activities. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the LCBM in the Region of Western Macedonia, Greece (Ptolemaida basin). In order to assess the LCBM that could be extracted, three samples were collected from an active mine and were subjected to desorption experiments at different temperatures (25 °C, 50 °C, 100 °C, and 150 °C) by channeling high purity Ar gas at 1 atm of pressure. According to the results, the highest amount of CH4 was extracted during the desorption process at 50 °C, while the total amount of CH4 from all three samples was 0.82 m3/kg, confirming the presence of CH4 in the lignite deposits. Finally, a SWOT analysis was carried out that shows the strengths and opportunities against the weaknesses and threats of a potential LCBM exploitation in Greece, while also taking into account the social, economic, and environmental nexus.
In the current study, the production of novel antioxidants for hygienic disinfection against common pathogenic bacteria, based on the incorporation of bioextractant oils/waters from either lavender ...or oregano distillates is proposed in the framework of circular economy. For the first time, the main compounds found in distillation products (oils/waters), specifically of lavender Lavandula angustifolia (lynalyl acetate and linalool) and of oregano Oreganum vulgare (carvacrol, thymol, and p-cymene) are presented. The analyses of both the lavender and oregano essential oils/waters indicate excellent physicochemical properties and microbial absence. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of all distillates as DPPH radical scavengers is assessed. The results confirm that the essential oils of both oregano and lavender possess superior antioxidant activity to their corresponding waters, while the oregano oil exhibited far better antioxidant activity than the lavender oil, as 1 mL of oregano oil was able to consume 45 μmoles of DPPH radicals. Overall, our research findings suggest that the particular lavender and oregano bioextractants produced possess important potential to address the resistance of bacteria from the perspective of their wider exploitation in therapeutic or preventive medicine, thus contributing to enhancing public health.
In the current study, the cultivation of microalgae on wastewater-based substrates is investigated for an effective natural wastewater treatment that also generates biofuels and value-added products ...beneficial to human health. Additionally, the health of ecosystems can be evaluated via microalgae. The utilization of microalgae as bioindicators, biofuel producers, and wastewater treatment providers, under the biorefinery concept, is covered in this article. In fact, bioremediation is feasible, and microalgae culture can be used to efficiently process a variety of effluents. Along with wastewater processing and the creation of value-added substances, bioconversion concurrently offers a viable and promising alternative for reducing CO2 greenhouse gas emissions to contribute to climate change mitigation. The microalgal biorefinery being considered as the third generation is unique in that it addresses all the aforementioned problems, in contrast to lignocellulosic biomass from agricultural waste in second-generation biorefineries and edible crops in first-generation biorefineries. In particular, one of the most promising natural resources for the manufacture of biofuel, including biodiesel, bioethanol, biomethane, and biohydrogen, is found to be microalgae. Furthermore, products of high value, like fatty acid methyl esters, astaxanthin, β-carotene, DHA, and EPA can be made. Hence, microalgal biomass offers a substitute for the development of biofertilizers, bioplastics, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, animal and aquatic feeds, and human nutrition products, thus promoting human and environmental health.
Due to the Earth’s population rapid growth and the modern lifestyle, the urban waste creation rate constantly increases.Organic waste, which forms a significant part of municipal solid waste, has ...caused increasing environmental concerns. Recycling is the only way to make a sustainable environment. According to estimations from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, around 24 percent of the total waste can be composted. Instead, most of it is land filled and incinerated. By composting organic waste,we can preserve resources and produce a valuable by-product that can be used as a locally produced fertilizer. In this paper, we propose a solution: a low-cost and effective Smart Compost Bin that utilizes modern technologies, such as environmental sensors and the LoRaWAN protocol to assist with the compost process.A centralized Information System collects measurements from smart bins that can be deployed anywhere and can further assist with the waste collection process. We have performed several experiments with our smart bin prototype, evaluated its efficiency and concluded that it is a feasible solution.
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