Mie University in Japan Converts Discarded Oranges into Biofuel
November 26, 2014http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201411180003
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Scientists at Mie University have developed a biofuel from unmarketable oranges and wastes of orange juice extraction.
The scientists aim at using substandard oranges to produce biofuel that could power farmers' own vehicles. The team has been experimenting on the possible use of damaged and rotting oranges as well as orange waste.
They mixed Clostridium cellulovorans with oranges and waste in a tank. The microorganism decomposes cellulose fibers and produces fermentable sugar. This is then mixed with another microorganism to produce orange biofuel. The team could extract about 20 milliliters of biofuel out of about 3 kg of oranges.
One outstanding property of the orange biofuel is that, it is not as corrosive as bioethanol since it is 70 percent biobutanol, which does not mix easily with moisture. Biobutanol also produces more heat than bioethanol, making it possible to raise the percentage of the orange biofuel in the gas.
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