6- Realities and Challenges D Geller

8/8/2019 6- Realities and Challenges D Geller

1/28

Biodiesel:

Methods and energy processingDaniel Geller UGA Engineering Outreachhttp://www.engr.uga.edu/service/outreach


2/28

Biodiesel an established technology

Studied since 1980s solved issue of oil viscosityreduction in oils.

Established production methods andstandardization ASTM D 6751 (2001).


3/28

FATS and OILS+

ALCOHOL

catalystBIODIESEL

+GLYCEROL

Biodiesel Production

Simple to makeDifficult to make right - Biodiesel is made by thetransesterification of vegetable oils

C R1

+ 3MeOH

C

C

C

OH

OH

OH

Me

Me

Me

+

Triglyceride(fats and oils)

Methanol(alcohol)

GlycerolMethyl Ester(Biodiesel)

KOH

O C

O

C R2O C

O

C R3O CO

R1O C

O

R2O C

O

R3O CO


4/28


Tank 1 mixalcohol and

catalyst

Allow tank tosettle, decant

bottomglycerol layer

Tank 3 washwith water

settle, decantbottom waterlayer - repeat

Simple to make

Tank 2 addtank 1

mixture to oil.Mix and heat


5/28


Tank 1 mixalcohol and

catalyst

Tank 2 addtank 1

mixture to oil.Mix and heat

Allow tank tosettle, decant

bottomglycerol layer

Tank 3 washwith water

settle, decantbottom waterlayer - repeat

Simple to make, difficult to make right

How Much?

How Much?How Hot?How Fast?

How Long?

How Long?

Reversible?

SOAP?

How ManyTimes?

Centrifuge?

Adsorbent?


6/28

Petroleum vs. Soybean Oil 2007-2008

Petroleum Price 2X

Soybean Oil Price 3X


7/28

Used oils = Low Quality Oils

Used oils have been exposed todegrading conditions

Contaminants

Water

Heat Cycling

Such conditions result in lowquality oils

Contamination

Increased water content

Increased free fatty acidcontent


8/28

Used vs. Virgin Oil

Technology exists to

convert low quality oils tosome extent.

Feedstock is lessexpensive than refined,

virgin oils. Feedstock can be 70-85% of

production cost.

Can collect small amountslocally at low cost.

Capital costs can be

around 2X cost of virgin oilsystems

Feedstock requiresexpensive clean-up and

pre-treatment. Can be >2X cost of normal

conversion

Competition from localrenderers.

Used oil advantages Used oil disadvantages


9/28

Viable Systems

Municipal oil collection combined with on-site productionof biodiesel from used oil

Reduces incidence of sanitary sewer overflows (SSO)

Example: Hoover, AL

Municipal Production

Food processing operations can collect oil before it hasbeen degraded or sold to renderer

On-site collection, conversion, utilization

On-site Food Processing Facility Production


10/28

US Petroleum Consumption vs.

Possible Oilseed Oil Production317.81

63.85

5.14 0.29

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Billion

GallonsperYear

Petroleum

Consumption

Diesel

Consumption

Possible Soybean

Oil Production

Possible Peanut

Oil Production

Data from: USDA (http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/field/pcp-bban/cropan05.txt)DOE - Energy Information Administration (http://www.eia.doe.gov)


11/28

Other Possible Feedstocks

Tropical:

Palm

Jatropha

Emerging:

Sunflower

Mustard

Camelina

Southeast:

Poultry Fat

Peanuts

Oilseed Radish

Unique:

Cupeha

Castor


12/28

Algae - Potential High oil yield potential

Over 50% oil by mass Predicted oil yields of

5000-20000 gal/acre

Soy only 50-100gal/acre

Photosynthetic: Only

needs light and CO2for oil production


13/28

Algae Obstacles: Growth Must stress algae for

max oil output Limitations in

space/light/doubling

time 1000s of species:

Optimum oil producers

are not always optimalfor growth


14/28

Algae Obstacles: Extraction

Unique Cell Wall

must be disrupted Immersion in water,

complicates oil

extraction Traditional extraction

methods do not work


15/28

Algae Obstacles: Conversion Secondary

metabolites fromstressed growth inhibittransesterification

Oil soluble proteinsprecipitate withaddition of MeOH


16/28

Oilseed Radish

(Raphinus sativus)

Cool season cover crop

Traditionally used to protectand enhance soil

Low-input crop;

drought/disease resistant Normally plowed under at

the end of cool season withno seed collection


17/28

Oilseed Radish

Renewable feedstockpotential

Very low input: high oilyield/dollar ratio

Replaces Carbon in Soil

Biodiesel has + energy

balanceGrown on marginal land

Non-food crop


18/28

Oilseed Radish

Other Benefits

Agronomic Benefits

Pathogen Control

Erosion Control

Economic Enhancement

Possibility to get twocrops/year in GA plusprimary cash crop

Secondary incomesource; not primary cashcrop


19/28

Oilseed Radish:

State of Research

Seed has been obtainedand crushed using

inexpensive extruder Cold crush yielded 30% oil

without solvent

Oil fuel properties analyzed Oil converted to Biodiesel

Meal evaluated as animalfeed


20/28

Oilseed Radish:

Economics

Currently growing oilseedradish in Dawson, GA.

Current stands thriving withonly fertilizer+seed+laborinputs

Added economic benefits:nematode control, erosioncontrol, nitrogen scavenging

Non-edible oil (high erucic

acid) may keep oil out ofcommodity markets


21/28

Poultry Fat

Southeast is large producerof poultry

Historically, value of poultryfat is quite low ~$.12/lb

2003: UGA researchersexamine fuel properties of

poultry fat Poultry fat developed as

boiler fuel at UGA

US Biofuels in Rome, GAsuccessfully utilizes poultryfat as Biodiesel feedstock


22/28

Poultry Fat -

Sustainability

By-product

reduced cost land use = N/A

Low quality oils Food

Energy Balance = ?

Carbon Balance = ?


23/28

Poultry Fat - Research

Development of simplescreening methods for the

identification of potential fuelfeedstock streams

Development of advancedmechanical methods for the

recovery of fats from wastestreams

Use of recovered waste

streams as boiler fuel andBiodiesel feedstocks


24/28

Poultry Fat - Research

Development of multi-phase

processing techniques totreat high FFA materials (inconjunction with GA Tech)

Development of solid stateacidic and basic catalystsystems to develop semi-continuous conversion

system


25/28

Expansion to Food

Processing Industry

Methods developed for

poultry industry can beapplied to any producer ofwaste fats and greases

Current screening of multiple

food processing facilitywaste streams in Georgia

Development of the GeorgiaBiofuel feedstock database


26/28

Expansion to Food

Processing Industry

Food processing streams

reveal relatively high qualityoil streams going to by-products (pet food, etc.)

Capture of waste streams

proving to be relatively easyas in house aggregation iscommon


27/28

Glycerine Potential Uses

Animal Feed

Boiler Fuel Feedstock for

chemical

Production- Propylene Glycol


28/28

Daniel [email protected]

http://www.engr.uga.edu/service/outreach

Documents

6- Realities and Challenges D Geller