Anil Kumar

Moi University · Department of Chemical and Process Engineering

Gadam sorghum stalks are agricultural residues which can be hydrolyzed into fermentable sugars that can be used to produce bioethanol which is a renewable source of energy. In order to produce bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass such as Gadam sorghum stalks, several processes including hydrolysis are involved. However, the use of lignocellulosi...

This study investigates the effect of varying cost and process parameters on bioethanol production rate and the minimum bioethanol selling price (MBSP) during large-scale production of second-generation bioethanol from Sila sorghum stalks found in Kenya. Aspen Plus was used to model and simulate the process that was considered in this study. The fl...

Used tyres are not biodegradable, and the current methods of disposal pose a threat to the environment. Such tyres can be valorised through decomposition to produce liquid fuel, an alternative diesel fuel, using thermal pyrolysis technique. Microwave pyrolysis is an alternate method which uses microwave irradiation, saves energy, and is better envi...

Used tyres pose a threat to the environment, especially in developing countries, since the current disposal methods lead to environmental pollution. Pyrolysis liquid from used tyres can be used as a source of fuel to replace petroleum diesel. Microwave pyrolysis is an alternative valorization process that is supposed to save energy and, therefore,...

Coal reserves at Mui and Taru in Kitui and Kilifi counties in Kenya are estimated to provide over 400 million tons. Being new discoveries, their properties were investigated using the ASTM standards, while the combustion characteristics were studied in a fluidized bed combustor (FBC). Proximate analyses of the Mui1, Mui2, and Taru coal samples were...

The present technology of transesterification of vegetable oils to produce biodiesel, which is suited to replace petrodiesel, has economic challenges, and therefore, alternative sources are being explored. Microalgae, a renewable, third-generation biofuel resource, have the potential to become a viable feedstock due to their high oil content and en...

Transesterification kinetics of Croton megalocarpus oil to produce fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) was studied using homogeneous NaOH and heterogeneous alkaline earth Nano MgO, MgO, Nano CaO, CaO, Reoxidized CaO, SrO, and BaO catalysts. Characteristic surface, bulk, and chemical properties of the heterogeneous catalysts were obtained which included...

Croton megalocarpus oil is a non-edible oil with potential to produce biodiesel in East Africa. Transesterification of the oil and methanol to produce fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) was studied using heterogeneous alkaline earth BaO, SrO, CaO, Nano CaO, Reoxidised CaO (CaO RO), MgO, Nano MgO, BeO catalysts; by conventional heating and by microwave...

Biodiesel is a renewable, biodegradable and environmentally friendly fuel which has the highest potential to replace petrodiesel. In Kenya, Croton megalocarpus oil has been shown to be a viable source of non-edible feed to produce biodiesel. Biodiesel is produced by transesterification of oil with an alcohol in the presence of a catalyst. Microwave...

Curriculum reform is a key topic in the engineering education literature, but much of this discussion proceeds with little engagement with the impact of the local context in which the programme resides. This article thus seeks to understand the influence of local contextual dynamics on curriculum reform in engineering education. The empirical study...

Biodiesel is currently mostly produced by homogeneous catalysis. Recently, however, heterogeneous catalysis is being considered as a cheaper alternative to the homogeneous process. Heterogeneous transesterification is considered a green process. The process requires neither catalyst recovery nor aqueous treatment steps and very high yields of ethyl...

Most industrial processes like fermentation, hydrogenation, oxidation, water treatment, petrochemical, nuclear and aerospace involve intimate contact between continuous phase and dispersed phase. Bubble columns and external loop airlifts are commonly used in these operations. Although these reactors are widely used, and extensive research has been...

Biodiesel has emerged as one of the alternative biofuels to non-renewable fuels, and the typical method of producing biodiesel is by transesterification process. This process was employed in the present work to synthesize biodiesel from waste vegetable oil using acid and base catalysis methods to improve the yields and to identify the optimum opera...

Mixing efficiency in stirred tanks is an important consideration in the design of many industrial processes. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques have been employed in the present work to study the hydrodynamics in a tank stirred by a Rushton turbine. The effect of the impeller clearance on the velocity field and mixing has been investigat...

The removal of fluoride from single component aqueous solution using Al‐ pretreated low‐silica synthetic zeolites (Al‐Na‐HUD, Al‐HUD, Al‐F9, and Al‐A4) was studied. The effects of adsorbent mass, initial solution pH, and initial concentration on fluoride removal in a batch system were evaluated. Equilibrium data were simulated using simple isotherm...

Engineering education is getting global. This article assesses the present scenario in engineering education, which is undergoing a paradigm shift because of the Internet, innovation, and internationalization. The influence of information technology, industrial development, national politics, and economic policies on internationalization of enginee...