GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS

Gas chromatography is basically an analytical separation technique. It is applied to analyse

volatile substances in the mixture provided. GC analysis offers an efficient and precise way for
the analysis of the biofuel.
To meet the monitoring requirements, the producers of biofuels have to analyse the changing
properties of the biofuel that includes chemical properties, physical properties and their impact
on the environment.

COMPONENTS OF GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY:

1. Carrier gas
a. He (very common)
b. N2 , H2 , Argon

2. Columns
a. 2-50m coiled stainless steel/glass

3. Sample Injection Port

a. Micro syringe
4. Detectors
a. Flame ionization
b. Thermal conductivity
c. Photo ionization
d. Electron capture

In Gas chromatography, components in a mixture move along the stationary phase with the
carrier gas (mobile phase). Each component retains its properties and moves along with a
particular rate which is determined by its characteristics. The Separation is obtained of the
individual components in the mixture by allowing the mixture into mobile phase through
stationary phase.
There are generally two types of column-packed and capillary
Packed columns have finely divided inert solid support material which is coated with liquid
stationary phase. They may be 1.5 to 10 metres in length having a diameter of 2-4 mm.
Capillary tubes have diameter (internal) of few tenths of a millimetre.
The effluent from the tube (column) is mixed with air (oxygen) and hydrogen and then ignited.
Organic compounds on burning in the flame will produce electrons and ions that can conduct
electricity through the flame. A great electrical potential is applied at the burner tip and a
collector electrode is located above the flame. The current resulting from the pyrolysis of any
compound (organic) is measured.
FUTURE PLANS

This piece of section actually tells about our future steps that will be taken by us for our
ultimate goal of producing biofuel which would be more economical and efficient. We
believe that our pioneering efforts will one day break the barriers of the current existing
problems in this field. The major problem we are facing is not about the production of the
biofuels but producing them with ease and efficiency. Here now we lay down our future
undertaking.
1. The biomass we are most interested to take for biofuel production would be PARALI.
It is generally an agricultural waste. In states like Haryana they are burnt in open air
which causes an alarming level of pollution not only at the place where they are burnt
but in areas nearby. Delhi is facing this issue very badly. Now if we are able to use
such agricultural waste effectively for biofuel production then one can only imagine
how beneficial that would be for every one of us.
2. Secondly, another good option for production of biofuel we are willing to take would
be organic waste and this is present in ample quantity. Developing an effective way
using organic waste will be a win win situation for mankind. We are already running
out of conventional fuel reserves so there is a strong need to develop some other
sources which are going to be renewable in nature and somewhat less polluting than
the existing ones.
3. We are going to take RICE STRAW for relatively measuring the efficiency of the
process we are carrying out using our source of raw material. This process is actually
quite well defined.
4. The reactor we are planning to work with will be the one proposed by us. The reactor
actually is a modified version of all the reactors which are currently in usage. We
have tried making the reactor flexible by involving more than one magnetron in it and
increasing the space available for the reaction. This is basically a multimode reactor.
We have put forward such a design in which cooling of the products is done
separately outside of the metallic cavity in which the reaction is carried out. The very
purpose of doing it outside is to remove heating effect on the product formed inside
the reactor.
5. Since the proposed design won’t be available in the market so to work with such a
reactor we will build it by assembling all the components required for the reactor for
which cost analysis will be done separately.