Development and Utilization of Biodiesel from Cucurbita Pepo Seed as A Green Collector in Coal Flotation

Recent advancements in coal flotation have witnessed a surge in renewable bio-based reagents, biodiesel
derived from plant oils or animal fats, as promising sustainable alternatives to traditional petroleumbased
collectors, raising environmental and resource depletion concerns. This study explores the potential
of biodiesel, a renewable and biodegradable biodiesel derived from Cucurbita pepo seed oil, as a novel
collector in the flotation of high-ash non-coking coal, a crucial feedstock for thermal power plants. The
bio-collector was synthesized through transesterification of Cucurbita pepo seed oil, as a sustainable
alternative to diesel, a conventional collector. Flotation studies were carried out using L9 Taguchi design
of experiments to access the performance of bio-collector Cucurbita pepo seed biodiesel (CPBD) and to
evaluate the influence of key parameters namely CPBD, Methyl Isobutyl Carbinol (MIBC) as frother, and
Air Flow Rate (AFR). Results demonstrated that CPBD exhibited superior flotation performance compared
to diesel, leading to improved yield (73.85%) and fixed carbon (53.81%) with reduced ash content of
13.23% from 32.5% at CFBD dosage of 11.73kg/t, MIBC dosage of 1.2kg/t with 1.5lpm of AFR. Fourier
Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed that CPBD possesses a higher concentration
of long-chain unsaturated fatty acids than diesel, contributing to enhanced coal hydrophobicity. Contact
angle measurements confirmed the improved hydrophobicity of coal surfaces treated with CPBD. This
research highlights the potential of employing renewable Cucurbita pepo seed biodiesel as a collector
to enhance coal industry sustainability by reducing reliance on petroleum-based chemicals, minimizing
environmental impact, and fostering a balanced and environmentally conscious energy landscape.