Rocío Castañeda
With the research project "Simulation and technical, economic, and environmental optimization of the conversion of Jatropha curcas L. oil into green fuels," aimed at producing renewable fuels that contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary team from the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) obtained first place in the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Mexico 2023 Competition, organized within the framework of the Mexican Aerospace Fair (FAMEX).
The IPN project for biokerosene, unique of its kind in Mexico and Latin America, stood out among 39 initial proposals in the competition, which aimed to promote innovation, research, and implementation of sustainable aviation fuel development projects. Institutions of higher education and research centers were invited to participate.
This work, led by Dr. Rogelio Sotelo Boyás and Dr. Manuel de Jesús Macías Hernández from the Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Química e Industrias Extractivas (ESIQIE), as well as Dr. Fernando Trejo Zárraga from the Centro de Investigación en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada (CICATA), Legaria Unit, is the culmination of knowledge, experience, and contributions from the IPN team for over 10 years
"We have been able to develop this project because we have an experience and vision that other research groups do not have. We won because our proposal is the most comprehensive, solid, and original. We have samples of the products, not just theory or something speculative, but something real," highlighted Dr. Rogelio Sotelo.
Another objective of this project is to showcase the Polytechnic's efforts in renewable fuels and demonstrate its potential for their development, as well as to promote a market for biojet fuel in Mexico. This way, aircraft can operate with a certain percentage of renewable fuel or biokerosene, contributing to one of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Climate Action.
In 2007, Dr. Rogelio Sotelo attended a Biomass Technology course sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), along with six selected individuals worldwide. As a result of this experience, he carried out a project on the hydroconversion of vegetable oils at the Biomass Technology Research Center of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan (AIST).
For this purpose, he brought Jatropha curcas L. oil, provided by Dr. Alma Leticia Martínez Ayala and Dr. Jorge Martínez Herrera from the Center for the Development of Biotechnological Products, which holds the Breeder's Right for that plant granted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries, and Food (Sagarpa) for several years. Hence, the Politécnico can exclusively utilize and exploit it for research and application in industries.
Upon returning to Mexico, he established contact with his colleagues Fernando Trejo and Manuel de Jesús Macías Hernández, who shared an interest in developing projects related to sustainable fuels. Along the way, various research projects emerged, involving students they supervised for undergraduate, master's, and doctoral theses.
In addition to the fundamental involvement of Dr. Fernando Trejo from CICATA Legaria in the conversion and successful testing of certain catalysts and other processes, Dr. Manuel de Jesús Macías Hernández from the Department of Metallurgy and Materials at ESIQIE contributed to the scaling-up of new reactor technologies and other innovations that surpass traditional processes—a practical technology that replaces the known methods.
The biokerosene project has also been enriched by other research efforts in diverse areas, including that of Dr. Jorge Luis Rosas Trigueros from the Escuela Superior Cómputo (Escom), who collaborated in the development of simulation programs. They also worked together on the first postgraduate thesis at ESIQIE related to biokerosene, conducted by Andrés González Garay.
Likewise, the Polytechnic researchers provided guidance to Erika de la Rosa Reina, who conducted a thesis on a new catalyst for producing green diesel. Both works brought recognition to their authors, who now work in important international companies in Germany.
With the experimental phase and scientific knowledge in the laboratory completed, the research was expanded to an industrial level, requiring a market study, feasibility analysis, and economic assessment to make the project attractive to investors.
To accomplish this, Jorge Castillo Montiel, a student from ESIQIE, received guidance on the technical and economic study of ester and fatty acid hydroprocessing. Through the Graduate Mobility Program, he received training in the economic aspect of the project within the Master's program in Geosciences and Natural Resource Management at the Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Arquitectura (ESIA), Ticomán Unit.
The specialists Victor Santes Hernández and Carlos Santolalla Vargas from the Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (CIIEMAD) have contributed to the knowledge development of the continuous process for the transformation of vegetable oils. They have collaborated on research projects and provided guidance for master's theses in partnership with the research group.
In the environmental domain, Yolibelt Guerrero Téllez, a graduate of Petroleum Chemical Engineering from ESIQIE, conducted a life cycle analysis of biojet fuel produced from Jatropha curcas L. oil. Additionally, Malinalli Pérez Vigueras, a doctoral student in Energy at theEscuela Superior de Física y Matemáticas (ESFM), contributed to the calculation of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere resulting from the production of biojet fuel.
"We prepare students through this project because that is what the Polytechnic does; it is our essential activity," emphasized Dr. Sotelo Boyás.
Throughout these years of research, the multidisciplinary team has received resources from the IPN through the Secretary of Research and Graduate Studies (SIP), as well as from the Secretary of Science and Technology of Mexico City, through two joint projects and the Conacyt-Sener energy sustainability program. The potential of this research is such that it lays the foundation for scaling the technology to an industrial level, establishing the first biojet fuel production plant in Mexico.
The researchers aim to further improve the biojet fuel project, as Airbus, the aerospace company, has shown interest in the knowledge generated by the Polytechnic students.
Dr. Rogelio Sotelo expressed satisfaction in stating that, thanks to the support and teachings received at the IPN and the Japanese agency JICA, he has contributed to establishing connections to develop successful professionals who demonstrate that the Institute possesses talent and potential for national and international success.
"In the near future, we aspire to establish a biojet fuel plant in Mexico, and we would like to participate. That is the greatest prize we receive, the opportunity given to us to continue working and creating something real," he added.
On behalf of CICATA Legaria, researcher Fernando Trejo considered this award as recognition of their long-standing efforts, expressing confidence that it will serve as an incentive for more students to join these projects. "It motivates us to combine our abilities, make progress, and generate knowledge not only for the benefit of our research groups but also for the Polytechnic and the country."
Dr. Macías Hernández expressed his excitement and pride in participating in the research. "This recognition means a lot to us; it provides support and strength to continue the work," he affirmed
The Polytechnic students, along with Giovanna Sánchez Moreno, an undergraduate student from ESIQIE, shared their great learning experience and knowledge gained from the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Mexico 2023 event, expressing gratitude to the researchers for involving them in this project.
Selección Gaceta Politécnica #162. 2023, May 31st. IPN Imagen Institucional: Read the full magazine in spanish here
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