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ARS Home Midwest Area Peoria, Illinois National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research Bio-oils Research People





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Robert O Dunn

(Bob)    Research Chemical Engineer Robert O. Dunn, Jr., Ph.D. Phone: (309) 681-6101Room 3201USDA-ARS-NCAURBio-Oils Research 1815 N University St.Peoria IL 61604 Bob.Dunn@usda.gov
 /ARSUserFiles/1505/Bob-profile.jpg Dr. Dunn measures the cold properties of soy biodiesel.
 ♦ Lead Scientist with a PhD in chemical engineeringPhysical chemistry, analytical chemistry, alternative diesel fuels, biobased products♦ Modification of vegetable oils, fats & agricultural lipid residues for non-food applications♦ Renewable biobased products as drop-in replacements for petroleum-based products Biodiesel, biolubricants, polymers, monomers, waxes♦ Experience collaborating with government, university and industrial partners♦ 65 peer-reviewed publications and 25 book chapters (ORCID: 0000-0002-5886-7147)  Versatile Biobased Products with Multiple Functions
 Expand Biodiesel Feedstocks Demand increasing for feedstocks    ~70-80% of total production cost Low-quality nonfood (LQNF) oilso New crop oilseeds – Low erucic acid pennycresso Corn DDGS* oilo Sorghum DDGS* oil & waxeso Vegetable oil refining wastes (FFA†)o Brown & trap greases Cost-effective oil extractiono Ultrafiltration (UF) membraneso Solvent extraction * DDGS = Dried distillers’ grains with solubles† FFA = Free Fatty Acids
 /ARSUserFiles/1505/Dunn-comb.png
 Conversion of LQNF Oils Alternative reaction:    Oil + MeAc‡ → Biodiesel + Additive More efficient continuous process
Reusable catalyst – solid, ionic liquids
Co-productso Cold flow improver (CFI) additiveo Crude glycerol costly to refine for use in oleochemicals Wax from sorghum DDGS* oil Composed of 7-14% wax
Properties similar to carnauba wax
Microfiltration (MF) recovers ~2%
Solvent extraction, centrifugation ineffective
Enhance wax recovery with ultrafiltration (UF) & nanofiltration (NF) membranes
 /ARSUserFiles/1505/Bob-biodiesel_feedstocks.jpgBiodiesel by Feedstock: 55%Soybean; 13% Yellow grease; 12% Corn; 10% Rapeseed (Canola); 10% animal fat. /ARSUserFiles/1505/Bob-diesel_pump.jpgDiesel/Biodiesel fuel pump /ARSUserFiles/1505/Bob-pennycress.jpgPennycress /ARSUserFiles/1505/Bob-sorghum.jpgSorghum /ARSUserFiles/1505/Bob-sorghum_DDGS.jpgSorghum DDGS
 Bio: Dr. Robert O. Dunn, Jr. is a senior research chemical engineer with the Bio-Oils research (BOR) group at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) in Peoria, IL.  The BOR group conducts basic and applied research to expand domestic use of products made from vegetable oils and their derivatives.  Dr. Dunn’s research largely focuses on renewable fuels and fuel additives, lubricants and biosorbents made from vegetable oils and fats. Dr. Dunn earned a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1987 where he conducted the first comprehensive study on the use of low-energy micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) to treat wastewater streams.  From 1987-1988, Dr. Dunn served a post-doctorate appointment funded by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) at the Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) in Morgantown, WV working on surfactant-flooding systems for enhanced petroleum recovery.  Dr. Dunn joined the BOR staff at NCAUR in 1988 to develop technologies to improve the properties and performance of vegetable oil-based alternative fuels in direct-injection compression-ignition (diesel) engines. Dr. Dunn is recognized world-wide as an authority on the cold flow properties and oxidative stability of alternative diesel fuels and lubricants made from vegetable oils and fats.  Dr. Dunn’s findings were utilized as reference data in negotiations conducted by the National Biodiesel Board and the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) to establish the first fuel standard specification for biodiesel (specification D6751). Dr. Dunn has more than 38 years professional experience in basic and applied research in the academic, industrial and government sectors.  Dr. Dunn has two patents and has authored or co-authored 97 published manuscripts including 27 book chapters and review articles.  Dr. Dunn has delivered 80 oral and poster presentations, including 37 invited presentations.  Dr. Dunn has co-chaired 17 technical sessions with six international conferences.  Dr. Dunn’s research has been featured in numerous news articles in publications including *Agricultural Research*, *Biodiesel Magazine*, *Chemical Marketing Reporter*, *Inform*, *Lipid Technology Newsletter* and *Technical Insights’ Industrial Bioprocessing.*  Click to Access my publications.   ProjectsVersatile Biobased Products with Multiple FunctionsIn-House Appropriated (D)Accession Number:439260


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