Effect of ultrasound and green solvents addition on the oil extraction efficiency from rapeseed flakes.

The current procedure of rapeseed oil extraction is based on a first extraction step by pressing followed by a second extraction step with hexane. This solvent being toxic for the users, the consumers and the environment, its use could be forbidden within the coming years. Stimulated by a stringent regulation, the research activity for the replacement of toxic solvents shows a significant development. The aim of this study was to select alternative solvent to hexane such as ethanol or isopropanol, and, to adjust the oil extraction process by developing an ultrasound assisted method. The objective was to reach a comparable efficiency but also to enhance the oil quality. When applied to isopropanol, the ultrasound assisted extraction method has shown promising results, and comparable to those obtained with hexane (oil yield of 80% for hexane and 79% for isopropanol at optimum extraction conditions (20min of ultrasound pretreatment followed by 2h of additional solid/liquid extraction)). Conversely, in studied conditions, ethanol did not seem to be an appropriate alternative solvent to hexane as the extraction yields obtained by using this solvent were quite low.

Pressurised electro-osmotic dewatering of activated and anaerobically digested sludges: electrical variables analysis.

Pressurised electro-osmotic dewatering (PEOD) of two sewage sludges (activated and anaerobically digested) was studied under constant electric current (C.C.) and constant voltage (C.V.) with a laboratory chamber simulating closely an industrial filter. The influence of sludge characteristics, process parameters, and electrode/filter cloth position was investigated. The next parameters were tested: 40 and 80 A/m², 20, 30, and 50 V-for digested sludge dewatering; and 20, 40 and 80 A/m², 20, 30, and 50 V-for activated sludge dewatering. Effects of filter cloth electric resistance and initial cake thickness were also investigated. The application of PEOD provides a gain of 12 points of dry solids content for the digested sludge (47.0% w/w) and for the activated sludge (31.7% w/w). In PEOD processed at C.C. or at C.V., the dewatering flow rate was similar for the same electric field intensity. In C.C. mode, both the electric resistance of cake and voltage increase, causing a temperature rise by ohmic effect. In C.V. mode, a current intensity peak was observed in the earlier dewatering period. Applying at first a constant current and later on a constant voltage, permitted to have better control of ohmic heating effect. The dewatering rate was not significantly affected by the presence of filter cloth on electrodes, but the use of a thin filter cloth reduced remarkably the energy consumption compared to a thicker one: 69% of reduction energy input at 45% w/w of dry solids content. The reduction of the initial cake thickness is advantageous to increase the final dry solids content.

Influence of salt, pH and polyelectrolyte on the pressure electro-dewatering of sewage sludge.

This paper deals with the influence of pH, salt and polyelectrolytes on the electro-dewatering (EOD) of agro-industrial sludge at 3% w/w of dry matter. Initially, a selection of polyelectrolyte types and doses was carried out for mechanical dewatering tests. Subsequent EOD tests were carried out in a laboratory two sided filter press at constant electric current density of 80 A/m(2) and at pressure of 5 bar. It was found that whatever was the initial value of pH, salt content or polyelectrolyte type, the EOD progressed always towards the same equilibrium point at around 50% w/w of dry matter. EOD rate and energy input was not affected by the presence of polyelectrolyte whatever was its charge density and molecular weight. However, EOD rate and specific energy consumption and repartition of liquid at anode and cathode sides were strongly influenced by the salt content (adjusted by Na(2)SO(4)) or by the initial pH (adjusted with H(2)SO(4) or NaOH). EOD performed better at lower salt content and at slightly acid pH. In optimum conditions, the process (EOD) required 2 h to reach dry matter of 40% w/w with specific energy consumption of 0.25 k Wh/kg of water removed for the treatment of conditioned sludge. For comparison, compression without electric field at 5 bar required 11 h to reach 22% w/w of dry matter. This work emphasizes and demonstrates that the electrolytic hydroxide and hydronium ions formed at the electrodes have considerable influence in the course of EOD.