Biodiesel Production
Biodiesel Production - Process of Synthesize Biodiesel
biodiesel production
Biodiesel production is a process of synthesizing biodiesel, it is a liquid fuel source highly compatible with petroleum based diesel fuel. Synthesis is method which is used by manufacturer, in which reaction of a glyceride containing plant with short chain alcohol like methanol or ethanol in a step called as transesterification.
These product can be used in biodiesel production :
1. Raw sewage, raw sewage can be used in a roundabout way to produce biodiesel. How this works is the sewage waste is used as a substrate for algae and then the algae is used to produce biodiesel.
2. The feedstock oil, currently soybean oil is being used to produce around 90% of available biodiesel fuel.
3. Animal fats-lard, chicken fat, yellow grease, tallow, and by products which come from producing omega three fatty acids from fish oil.
4. Used vegetable oil, this has to be one of my favorites because it takes a product which has been used and which would just typically be thrown away and turns it into fuel.
The major steps for biodiesel production :
1. Feedstock pretreatment
If waste vegetable oil (WVO) is used, it is should be filtered to remove dirt, charred food, and other non-oil material often found. Water is removed because causes the triglycerides to hydrolyze, giving salts of the fatty acids (soaps) instead of undergoing transesterification to give biodiesel.
2. Determination and treatment of free fatty acids
Titration of cleaned oil with standard solution of base which used to make for determines the concentration of free fatty acids which is present in waste vegetable oil. Base quantity is measure which is required to neutralize the acid.
3. Reactions
The measured quantity of base used to added slowly to the alcohol. It is then stirred until till it get dissolves. Three full equal size triglyceride are made by adding sufficient alcohol. Excess alcohol is added to complete the reaction.
The solution of sodium hydroxide is being added to a warm solution of waste oil, then the mixture is heated to process transesterification.
4. Product purification
Products of the reaction include not only biodiesel, but also byproducts, soap, glycerin, excess alcohol, and trace amounts of water. All of these byproducts must be removed, though the order of removal is process-dependent.
The density of glycerin is greater than that of biodiesel, and this property difference is exploited to separate the bulk of the glycerin byproduct. Residual methanol is typically removed through distillation and reused, though it can be washed out (with water) as a waste. Soaps can be removed or converted into acids. Any residual water must be removed from the fuel.