Marek Walacik

Possibility to Use Cameline (Camelina sativa) as an Alternative Raw Material for Production of Biofuels

The goal of the paper is to determine a possibility to use methyl cameline esters and their mixtures with diesel oil (in ratios of 95:5, 90:10, 85:15, and 80:20) as fuels for compression-ignition engines (diesel engines). The cameline esters obtained in the result of one-step basic transesterification were characterised in respect of kinematic viscosity at 40°C, density at 15°C, acid number, solid impurities content, sulfur content, ignition temperature, temperature of cold filter clogging, and oxidation resistance at 110°C. It was shown that majority of factors of pure cameline esters analysed in the paper, excluding content of impurities and oxidation resistance, met the requirements of the PN-EN 14214, 2012 standard. Whereas, in case of mixtures of diesel oil with varied addition of esters, it was ascertained that 5, 10 and 15% addition of the biocomponent did not affect significantly the physico-chemical properties of the prepared fuel. In turn, the highest, 20% share of a cameline ester caused a slight increase in viscosity, density, content of impurities and ignition temperature of the obtained mixture. However, it is noteworthy that these factors did not exceed the acceptable values according to the standard. In general, it was also ascertained that the only parameter disqualifying use of these samples as a fuel for compression-ignition engines was too high content of impurities.

Waste tires as a source of valuable chemicals

The aim of the study was to determine the possibility of the isolation of valuable chemical compounds from pyrolysis oil obtained from the pyrolyzed waste car tires. Produced pyrolysis oil were subjected to a distillation process to isolate medium naphtha fraction average naphtha that contains limonene, which according to the literature data, can be used as an environmental friendly solvent in a number of cleaning agents. Considering the boiling point of limonene (176°C), the medium fraction of the separated oil was re-distilled to isolate compounds with temperature of boiling point between 174-177°C. The prepared sample was analysed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy. Based on the chromatographic analysis, it was found that in a separate sample of pyrolysis oil the highest share constituted toluene, and then cyclobutane, benzene derivatives, which is essential in the chemical industry. The share of limonene was low (approx. 1%), what is explained by too high temperature of the pyrolytic process. The results of analysis and literature allow unequivocally state that in order to separate specific compounds from pyrolytic oil, parameters of this process should be first determined in pilot studies. In conclusion, it is believed that the pyrolysis of tires is suitable method of disposing of the waste, thereby obtaining products containing valuable compounds for the fuel and chemical industries.

Neural Networks Modelling of Municipal Real Estate Market Rent Rates

Abstract This paper presents the results of research on the application of neural networks modelling of municipal real estate market rent rates. The test procedure was based on selected networks trained on the local real estate market data and transformation of the detected dependencies – through established models – to estimate the potential market rent rates of municipal premises. On this basis, the assessment of the adequacy of the actual market rent rates of municipal properties was made. Empirical research was conducted on the local real estate market of the city of Olsztyn in Poland. In order to describe the phenomenon of market rent rates formation an unidirectional three-layer network and a network of radial base was selected. Analyses showed a relatively low degree of convergence of the actual municipal rent rents with potential market rent rates. This degree was strongly varied depending on the type of business ran on the property and its’ social and economic impact. The applied research methodology and the obtained results can be used in order to rationalize municipal property management, including the activation of rental policy.