Involving Students in Appropriate Technology Projects in the University Walter L. Bradley, Ph.D. Engineering Department Baylor University Waco, Texas

Two Kinds of Projects  Research and Development Converting coconuts into diesel fuel, food, and cheap housing materials Converting coconuts into diesel fuel, food, and cheap housing materials Peanuts into peanut butter – Mali, Africa Peanuts into peanut butter – Mali, Africa Substitution of cast iron for cast steel – Africa Substitution of cast iron for cast steel – Africa Composite housing materials using local fibers Composite housing materials using local fibers  Deployment Micro hydroelectric installations in Papua New Guinea Micro hydroelectric installations in Papua New Guinea Solar cells and battery in Papua New Guinea Solar cells and battery in Papua New Guinea

Different Service-Learning Options  Research and Development Master of Engineering thesis projects Master of Engineering thesis projects Junior or Senior Design projects Junior or Senior Design projects Senior research theses Senior research theses  Deployment Two week trips in late May (e.g., to Africa) Two week trips in late May (e.g., to Africa) Ten week trips during summer (e.g., to PNG) Ten week trips during summer (e.g., to PNG)

Key -- Have a Partner

INTRODUCTION Coconuts Palms: Are the most widespread and naturally sustainable tropical agricultural crops grown abundantly in the South Pacific Islands and parts of Asia.Are the most widespread and naturally sustainable tropical agricultural crops grown abundantly in the South Pacific Islands and parts of Asia. Can tolerate poor sandy soils with saline water and survives frequent cyclones. Can tolerate poor sandy soils with saline water and survives frequent cyclones. Can bear a bunch of fruit each month for about 65 of their 70 to 80 year life span. Can bear a bunch of fruit each month for about 65 of their 70 to 80 year life span. Require minimum maintenance. Require minimum maintenance. Are and have been way of life for the indigenous island people. They call the coconut palm the “Tree of Life”. Are and have been way of life for the indigenous island people. They call the coconut palm the “Tree of Life”.

MAIN USES OF COCONUTS Copra:  This is the dried flesh (the white endosperm) of the nut which is the commercial product that enters the world trade.  Has an oil content of between 65% and 72%.  Is typically the highest priced vegetable oil on the world markets.

Important Diesel Fuel and Vegetable Oil Properties FuelSpecificEnergy(MJ/kg) Cetane Number Kinematic Viscosity (cS)Solidifica tion Point (C)IodineValue Saponificat ion Value Petroleum Diesel 45.3 Gross °C Coconut Oil 42.0 Gross °C Palm Oil 39.6 Gross Rapeseed Oil 39.7 Gross °C Soybean Oil °C Linseed Oil °C

IMPORTANT PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF VEGETABLE OIL  Specific Energy – indication of the fuel’s energy released when it is burned. Coconut oil’s energy (42 MJ/kg) is more or less equivalent to Petroleum Diesel.  Cetane Number (CN) – indication of the fuel’s willingness to ignite when it gets compressed. Coconut oil’s CN (60) is the highest.  Viscosity – indication of the fuel’s ability to atomize in the injector system. Coconut oil’s viscosity is comparable with other oils but much more than petroleum diesel. Higher viscosity will cause poor volatilization of the fuel.  Solidification Point – indication of the temperature at which the fuel will turn solid. Coconut oil’s solidification point (25 °C) is at room temperature.  Iodine Value (IV) – indication of the ability of the fuel to polymerize due to the fuels’ degree of bonds available. Coconut oil’s IV (10) is the lowest among all the fuel so it can be used directly in the engines without modification.  Saponification Value (SV) – indication of the fuel’s ability to vaporize and atomize due to the fuels carbon chains. Coconut oil has the highest SV (268) which will ignite more quickly than others.

Bio-diesel is Environmentally Friendly

Processing Coconut Oil into Bio-Diesel Transesterification Process  Transesterification is the process of reacting vegetable oil (triglycerides or coconut oil) with an alcohol (methanol) in the presence of a catalyst to produce biodiesel (fatty acid esters) and glycerol.  Production Procedures: 200-ml of methanol per liter of coconut oil 200-ml of methanol per liter of coconut oil 3.5-g of Catalyst (Sodium hydroxide – NaOH) 3.5-g of Catalyst (Sodium hydroxide – NaOH)  Cost of consumable and energy use in bio- diesel production = $.65/gallon

Laboratory Biodiesel Production System  FuelMeister Biodiesel Production System: Complete System to producing Biodiesel in a laboratory or home environment. Complete System to producing Biodiesel in a laboratory or home environment. System includes: System includes: Polyethylene tanks:Polyethylene tanks: Reactor or Processor Reactor or Processor Premix system or tank Premix system or tank Pumps:Pumps: System pump (Electric) System pump (Electric) Alcohol pump Alcohol pump Biodiesel Biodiesel Barrels or Drums;Barrels or Drums; Coconut oil Coconut oil Methanol Methanol Final Product - Biodiesel Final Product - Biodiesel

Availability of Alcohol in PNG  Currently PNG Government is negotiating with a company to build a methanol plant in PNG.  Ethanol could also be used instead of methanol as ethanol is being produced in the sugar refineries which are not being utilized.  Catalyst (Lye) is the only product that could brought in from overseas.

Chemical Analysis of Coconut Biodiesel  ASTM tests that need to be done and what they will tell us, for example, we need to be sure that we don’t have unreacted lye that could corrode diesel engines, which would mean post-processing to meet ASTM specs, increasing costs (or deciding ASTM specs are unnecessarily high on some points)

Engine Testing of Coconut Bio-diesel To be done at TAMU  Testing the bio-diesel in an engine with a dynamometer to determine its performance: To verify that it doesn’t gum up engine To verify that it doesn’t gum up engine Compare its performance with petroleum Diesel Compare its performance with petroleum Diesel  Emissions measurements to verify how much cleaner it runs than petroleum based diesel fuel

Implementation Issues  19 coconuts / liter of coconut oil ?????  What to do with huge waste products Coconut core might be useful as food Coconut core might be useful as food Coconut shell might be useful for: Coconut shell might be useful for: Building material Building material Fuel for domestic cooking and heat for drying copra (currently being used).Fuel for domestic cooking and heat for drying copra (currently being used). High quality charcoal as a feedstock for making the activated carbon required for industrial chemistry (e.g. activated carbon is used in the separation of gold fragments from waste material in pulverised gold ore).High quality charcoal as a feedstock for making the activated carbon required for industrial chemistry (e.g. activated carbon is used in the separation of gold fragments from waste material in pulverised gold ore). Lubricating paste for rock drills and as the fuel component in mosquito cols after the shell has been ground to a fine powder.Lubricating paste for rock drills and as the fuel component in mosquito cols after the shell has been ground to a fine powder.

Food Value of Coconut Meal  Coconut Meal or Cake – It is the left over after the oil has been extracted: Contains about 18-25% protein: Contains about 18-25% protein: Coconut protein contains a high percentage of lysine, cystine, histidine, arginine, methionine and other essential amino acids.Coconut protein contains a high percentage of lysine, cystine, histidine, arginine, methionine and other essential amino acids. Mostly being used for: Mostly being used for: Animal feed (piggery, poultry & cattle)Animal feed (piggery, poultry & cattle) FertilizersFertilizers Could be used to make cookies Could be used to make cookies

Economic Analysis of Commercialization  Cost of equipment per village Reactor Reactor Diesel generator Diesel generator Other simple equipment for processing into food and housing materials Other simple equipment for processing into food and housing materials  Economic value and return on investment  Identify sources of capital investment using a micro-investment approach

Ideal Outcome  Coconut oil provides a cheap, renewable source of bio-diesel fuel to be used in diesel generators to provide electricity in remote villages  Core is processed into food for ????  Shell is processed into cheap, durable housing material

Coconut Tree – Tree of Life  The coastal and the small 600 island people in PNG can not live without coconut. Every part of coconut palm plays a part in any activities in the village.  It is weaved into the culture of PNG and so it is called “the tree of life”.  This project could truly make this an even greater reality.

Summary  Service learning can be Deployment of existing technology at a particular location Deployment of existing technology at a particular location Developing new technology and deploying it in a country or region by partnering with business/entrepreneurship students Developing new technology and deploying it in a country or region by partnering with business/entrepreneurship students