Is this a better way to convert coffee grounds into biofuels?

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Abstract: previous studies have shown that coffee grounds can be used to purify polluted water, used as road construction materials or processed into biofuels. Unfortunately, the process of making biofuels from coffee grounds is so complex that it cannot be widely used. However, that may change after scientists at the University of Lancaster in the UK simplify the process of converting coffee grounds into biofuels.

To convert coffee grounds into biofuels, coffee grounds are usually mixed with hexane, then heated to 60 (140 F) and heated for 1 to 2 hours to extract oil. Next, the hexane evaporates and leaves the oil. Methanol and catalysts are then added to produce biodiesel, although glycerol is also produced as a by-product. In the final step, it must be separated from biodiesel.

Now a team led by Dr Vesna Najdanovic-Visak has developed a proprietary technology called in-situ transesterification, which combines oil extraction with the oil-to-biodiesel stage. They completely drained the hexane and added it directly to the coffee grounds with methanol and different concentrations of catalysts (sodium hydroxide). In addition, it takes only 10 minutes to extract oil from coffee grounds instead of 1 to 2 hours.

"our approach greatly reduces the time and cost of extracting oil, making coffee grounds a more commercially competitive source of fuel," Najdanovic-Visak said. At present, a large amount of coffee grounds are dumped in landfills, and now it can bring significant environmental benefits. "