Photo illustration by Corey Stone/University Relations
The KU Biodiesel Initiative soon will begin producing biodiesel from sources such as waste vegetable oil, corn and soybeans. Researchers hope to use biodiesel produced at KU to power campus buses and to test the vehicles' performance and emissions compared to buses running on standard diesel.
Research effort to produce, test renewable fuels
Research at KU may help shift dependence on foreign oil to fry oil.
Several faculty members from the Transportation Research Institute are guiding a student project to produce biodiesel from sources such as waste vegetable oil, corn and soybeans and test its viability, power and emissions. There are even plans to eventually power buses on Mount Oread with biodiesel produced at KU.
A new direction
Several new bus routes, including two that do not require passes, have been added to KU on Wheels. For more information, including route maps, visit KU on Wheels
The KU Biodiesel Initiative integrates research with refinement of biodiesel in the university's two new reactors, which can produce 40 gallons of biodiesel every five days and operate continuously. Researchers hope to be producing biodiesel from used vegetable oil within a few months.
"I think this research could lead to the modification of at least one of the buses here on campus (to run on biodiesel made from vegetable oil.) But just because it may be running on vegetable oil doesn't mean we're all going to be smelling McDonalds French fries coming from the exhaust," said Dennis Lane, associate director of the Transportation Research Institute and Distinguished Professor of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering.
The Park and Ride buses, as well as the new KU on Wheels buses run on a mixture of standard diesel and "B5," or a blend of 5 percent biodiesel. Susan Williams, associate professor of chemical and petroleum engineering, said the goal eventually is to be able to run buses on a blend of B100 biodiesel produced at KU and standard diesel. The buses' performance and emissions will be tested against those running on B5.
The program goes beyond what most universities have developed, since it approaches research and production of biodiesel "from feedstock to tailpipe."
"We have to look at alternatives for petroleum-based fuel and even ethanol," said Williams, who is heading the KU Biodiesel Initiative. "We're looking at everything from growing the plant that makes the oil all the way though the production of the fuel, to using it in an engine, to testing the emissions and impact on the environment."
Faculty are hoping to collaborate with Kansas State University researchers who study crop production. The idea is, if it is found that certain traits in crops lead to better biodiesel, K-State researchers could attempt to determine if it is possible to genetically engineer the crops to feature the trait more prominently.
"This really could turn into a state-wide effort," Williams said.
The project is not quite as simple as taking vegetable oil straight from a fryer to the fuel tank of a bus. Most diesel engines are not equipped to run on biodiesel. Lane said that in Europe, many vehicles can run on standard diesel, 100 percent biodiesel or any mix thereof.
That's not the case in the United States, because standards regulating biodiesel are not as stringent. Europe has developed thorough standards on how the fuel is produced, regulating factors such as viscosity, heat resistance and many others. In the United States, there is a standard for B100 but not for blends.
For many small biodiesel producers, it can be cost prohibitive to test their product frequently and takes a long time to get test results. Most states have not worked to improve testing procedures. Williams said KU researchers hope to be able to improve the process by developing proactive blending and testing standards.
The tests would gauge biodiesel in different performance states, such as in an idling engine and driving up or down hills. They will also test the performance of different blends of biodiesel. Without standards for blended biodiesel production, there is a possibility of fuels processed in different locations producing significantly different products. Such fuels can cause equipment problems in the engines that use them. Another goal of the KU research would be to determine why things are failing and if standards could ensure biodiesel is sufficient for engines that would use it.
"KU can be a leader and say, 'you can make biofuel on your own, but it's important that you make it a high enough quality that its usable," Williams said.
The KU Biodiesel Initiative also will provide testing services to small-scale biodiesel producers in Kansas and the surrounding region at costs far below those currently available.
By lowering the steep expense of quality control for regional biofuel producers, KU hopes to increase area biodiesel production capacity. The project is partially funded by $15,000 allocated by KU's Student Senate. Ilya Tabakh, a doctoral student, made a proposal to Student Senate for money to help purchase the reactors.
Funding is also coming from a grant obtained with the assistance of Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. and Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. Tabakh is co-principle investigator for the grant. Williams praised the students, saying their involvement will help train future engineers in coming up with viable alternatives to petroleum-based fuels.
Last month, the Udall Legacy Bus Tour, a cross-country trek of college students studying environmental challenges, stopped at KU to get a look at the Biodiesel Initiative.
"This is really neat," said Jennifer Vazquez, one of the bus riders. "We've toured other biodiesel facilities and this is the most institutionalized. They provide opportunities to students, but also they've got the whole state and region in mind. It's cool Ñ it seems really thorough."
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