Projects
Current
Ultrasonic and enzymatic degumming of vegetable oils
In recent years, it has become increasingly necessary to study innovative alternatives that have the potential to improve the performance of crucial stages of refining. The degumming stage corresponds to a persistent bottleneck in the vegetable oil processing industry, and the gradual introduction of more efficient processes in terms of energy and technology has received increasing attention.
CNPq grant: February 2019 – February 2022
Coordination: University of Campinas (Unicamp)
Equilibrium and Production Processes of Biofuels and Bioproducts
The project aims to study the production processes of biofuels and bioproducts derived from biomass sources rich in oils and carbohydrates, including the following research topics: a) extraction of vegetable oils from the solid matrix using bioethanol as a solvent; (b) refining of vegetable oils and the production of fatty bioproducts; c) production and purification of ethyl biodiesel and its by-products; d) production and purification of biofuels and bioproducts derived from sugarcane; (e) investigation of the solid-liquid equilibrium, the formulation of bioproducts and the physical properties of systems of interest for biorefineries.
FAPESP grant 14/21252-0: February 2017 – January 2022
Coordination: University of Campinas (Unicamp)
Formation and Mitigation of 3-MCPD, 2-MCPD Esters and Glycidol in Palm Oil
In this project, laboratory-scale experiments will be carried out in order to simulate the palm oil deodorization process with the goal of providing data on the main factors involved in the formation of MCPDE and GE, and an innovative and efficient technology for simultaneous reduction of contaminants. In addition to the presence of MCPDE and GE, the oils will be analyzed in relation to acidity, fatty acid profile, acylglycerols composition, peroxide content, and oxidative stability. The results obtained could contribute significantly to the state-of-the-art advancement of this emerging research area, which is highly relevant to food security and public health.
FAPESP grant 16/23958-3: June 2017 – May 2019
Coordination: University of Campinas (Unicamp)
Past
Optimization of Biodiesel Production through Heterogeneous Catalysis
Biodiesel represents an essential alternative to meet the growing energy demand of modern society in a sustainable way. The biocatalysts used in enzymatic processes are the lipases, which have important advantages over classic catalysts, such as specificity, regioselectivity and enantioselectivity that allow the catalysis of reactions with a small number of sub-products, with low cost in waste treatment and requiring mild conditions of temperature and pressure. However, in order to utilize the enzymes in a viable manner, it is necessary to optimize their process conditions.
CNPq grant 406856/2013-3: December 2013 – December 2016
Partners: University of Campinas (Unicamp)
Coriander Biorefinery - from Extraction to Oleochemistry
Coriandrum sativum L. is an annual herb native to the temperate regions of Europe and Asia and belonging to the family of the Umbelliferae (Apiaceae). Coriander seeds contain both vegetable oil, rich in petroselinic acid, and essential oil, rich in linalool. The coriander essential oil content and chemical composition are significantly affected by various factors, such as genetic, ontogenetic, as well as cultivation. Thus, the goal of this project is to extract coriander vegetable and essential oil by different methods. Besides, to use petrosenilic acid for the synthesis of important platform molecules.
Partners: Ghent University (UGent) and Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse (INP)
ECO-OIL: Enzyme and Cavitation Technology for Sustainable Degumming of Vegetable Oils
Crude vegetable oils extracted from oilseeds such as, soybean oil, rapeseed oil and corn oil needs to be refined in order to remove impurities that adversely impact oil stability, color and flavor. In the degumming step of the refining, phospholipids are removed using water or diluted acid. However, a poor degumming step leads to problems during bleaching and deodorization, resulting in and oil of unacceptable color and stability. Thus, the goal of this project is to reduce the consumption of chemicals and to obtain an oil with a phosphorus content lower than 10 ppm.
IWT grant: January 2012 – January 2014
Partners: Desmet Ballestra and Ghent University (UGent)
Vegetable Oils and Fats with Nutraceutical Value: Application of the Physical Deacidification Process
The deacidification process of vegetable oils involves different process variables such as temperature, time, pressure, among others. The use of appropriate process conditions are essential for the maintenance of nutraceutical components (tocopherols, carotenoids, squalene, etc.), which have a beneficial action in the human body. In this way, the goal of this project is to optimize the process conditions in order to reduce the degradation of minor components.
CNPq grant: January 2008 – December 2010
Partners: University of Campinas (Unicamp)
Physical Deacidification of Vegetable Oils: Computational Simulation and Experiments
The goal of this research project is to investigate the physical deacidification process of vegetable oils and standard fat systems. This process, most of the time, is present in the physical refining of vegetable oils and it is designed to take advantage of the great difference in the volatility of undesirable compounds and the neutral oil. To reach this goal, high temperatures, high vacuum and a drag agent (steam or N2) are employed, facilitating this separation. However, together with these desired events, a series of undesired events, such as cis-trans isomerization reactions of unsaturated fatty acids, hydrolysis of acylglycerols, decomposition of nutraceuticals and pigments, as well as the distillation of neutral oil and natural antioxidants, occur due to the drastic processing conditions employed.
CNPq grant: May 2007 – January 2009
Partners: University of Campinas (Unicamp)
Thermal Energy Storage (Ice Bank) and Process Control applied to the Conditioning of Environments
The main purpose of Thermal Energy Storage (TSE) systems is to rationalize the electric demand because of its use in periods of low demand, besides the reduction of the initial investment. The energy accumulation at low temperature can be done through ice water banks or ice banks, and the latter has high storage capacity at lower volumes due to the phase change. PID controller and On-off control logic can be used for a accurate temperature control around the set-point.
CAPES grant: January 2004 – December 2006
Partners: University of Campinas (Unicamp)
Hydrogen generation with high purity obtained from the reform of natural gas or petroleum naphtha
The conversion of carbon monoxide at high temperatures in the presence of water vapor is reversible and exothermic. This is an important step in many industrial processes such as ammonia production and high purity hydrogen generation. To achieve economically feasible conversions is required the use of suitable catalysts. In this way, the goal of this work is to obtain mixed zirconium and cobalt oxides to apply as catalysts for the HTS (High Temperature Shift) reaction.
CAPES grant: January 2001 – December 2003
Partners: State University of Bahia Southwest (UESB)