Traditional Biodiesel Production Processes
Traditional biodiesel production processes typically utilize feedstocks with Free Fatty Acid (“FFA”) content less than 1% because the presence of FFAs during the transesterification process will produce soaps and emulsions, which prevents the separation of methyl esters from glycerine. For this reason, traditional processes typically require a pre-treatment step to remove the FFAs in the feedstock. Once the FFAs have been removed from the triglycerides, they can then be mixed with methanol and sulphuric acid and converted to methyl esters through a process called acid esterification. However, traditional processes have considerable difficulties achieving high conversion yields and efficient processing rates for the FFA components. For this reason, many biodiesel producers use feedstocks such as seed oils, which have low FFA content, but which are often more costly than feedstocks such as animal fats, which have a higher FFA content.
In comparison, the patented BIOX production proces...
In comparison, the patented BIOX production process converts both triglycerides and FFA in a two step, single phase, continuous process at atmospheric pressures and near-ambient temperatures, all in less than 90 minutes. Through the addition of a co-solvent, we convert first the FFAs and then the triglycerides into methyl esters without any pre-treatment step. Our process allows us to achieve feedstock conversion yields of greater than 99% even when using higher FFA feedstocks such as animal fats or crude palm oil. We recapture 99.9% of the co-solvent and excess methanol we use in our process, which is then recycled and reused. Our biodiesel meets the ASTM biodiesel specification.
What is Biodiesel?
Biodiesel is a clean burning, non-toxic and biodegradable renewable fuel that is used as a replacement for or additive to petroleum diesel. It is primarily used in blends with petroleum diesel as a fuel for trucks and automobiles, and can also be used as heating oil and in a variety of other applications, including marine transportation, electrical generation, farming equipment and mining operations. Biodiesel is completely interchangeable with petroleum diesel, and any concentration of biodiesel blend can be used in today’s diesel engines without any modifications.
Biodiesel contains no petroleum and is a renewable fuel because it can be made from a variety of renewable raw materials, or “feedstocks”, including pure seed oils, animal fats and recycled cooking oils. It performs comparably to petroleum diesel in terms of fuel economy, horsepower and torque, but offers many benefits over petroleum diesel, including a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. It is more biodegradable than petroleum diesel and is also safer to transport.
Benefits
The use of biodiesel as an alternative to, or when blended with, petroleum diesel results in a number of significant benefits:
- Reduces dependence on foreign oil
- Worldwide fossil fuel supply is dwindling, demand outstripping supply
- Increases domestic oil security
- More efficient than alternative renewable fuels, such as ethanol
- More biodegradable than petro diesel
- Safer to transport and store
- Performs comparably in terms of fuel economy, horsepower and torque*
- No engine modifications required
- More environmentally responsible:
- Significantly reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 63%*
- Reduces emissions of particulate matter by 50%*
- Reduces emissions of unburned hydrocarbons by 67%*
- Reduces carbon monoxide emissions by 48%*
- Sulfur and benzene free
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