Introduction
The process to make biodiesel involves a chemical reaction. This means that the biodiesel industry is a chemical industry. Those involved in making biodiesel must have a good understanding of the underlying chemistry to ensure they are making quality fuel in a safe manner.
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Biodiesel is an alternative fuel for diesel engines that is produced by chemically reacting a vegetable oil or animal fat with an alcohol such as methanol or ethanol. In words, the reaction is:
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- Oil + alcohol → biodiesel + glycerin
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The photo shows a bottle of biodiesel and glycerin (also called glycerol). The biodiesel is the lighter-colored layer at the top. The darker-colored crude glycerin has settled to the bottom.
It is important to realize that unmodified vegetable oil, sometimes called straight vegetable oil (SVO) or waste vegetable oil (WVO), is not biodiesel. Some people have used SVO or WVO in diesel engines with varying degrees of success. The primary problem is the high viscosity and low volatility of the unmodified vegetable oils. Without exception, U.S. engine manufacturers have recommended against the use of SVO and WVO. More discussion of SVO and WVO can be found here.
Biodiesel is usually preferred over SVO and WVO because the chemical reaction converts the oil or fat into compounds that are closer to the hydrocarbons found in regular diesel fuel.
The chemical reaction that converts a vegetable oil or animal fat to biodiesel is called “transesterification.” This is a long name for a simple process of combining a chemical compound called an “ester” and an alcohol to make another ester and another alcohol. Oils and fats are included in the ester family. When they react with methanol or ethanol, they make methyl or ethyl esters and a new alcohol called glycerol or, more commonly, glycerin.
The vegetable oils and animal fats used to make biodiesel can come from virtually any source. All of these products consist of chemicals called triglycerides, so biodiesel can be made from soybean oil, canola oil, beef tallow, and pork lard, and even from such exotic oils as walnut oil or avocado oil.
Even used cooking oil or waste oil can be used to make biodiesel. However, these oils present special challenges for biodiesel production because they contain contaminants such as water, meat scraps, and breading that must be filtered out before the oil is converted to biodiesel.
Methanol is the most common alcohol used for making biodiesel. It is sometimes called methyl alcohol or wood alcohol. It is very toxic, and swallowing as little as a spoonful can cause blindness or even death. Dangerous exposure can also occur from breathing methanol vapors or absorbing methanol through skin contact. In the United States, ethanol is usually more expensive than methanol, so it is used less frequently to make biodiesel. It is the alcohol that is found in alcoholic drinks, so it is not toxic in small amounts. However, it is subject to very challenging government regulations because of the tax requirements associated with alcoholic beverages.
The chemical reaction used to make biodiesel requires a catalyst. A catalyst is usually a chemical added to the reaction mixture to speed up the reaction. Since the catalyst is not consumed in the reaction, it will be left over at the end in some form. In biodiesel production, the actual compound that catalyzes the reaction is called methoxide. One common way to make methoxide is to dissolve sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide in methanol. Large producers buy a solution of sodium methoxide in methanol that is much safer to work with.
High-quality biodiesel is defined by compliance with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) specification D6751. Fuel testing to verify compliance can be expensive, especially for small producers, but it is the most reliable way to ensure that fuel consumers will have access to high-quality fuel.
More Topics on Biodiesel Production
Oilseed Crops for Biodiesel Production
Oilseed Handling for Biodiesel Production
Used and Waste Oil and Grease for Biodiesel
Feedstock Pretreatment in Biodiesel Production
Safe Chemical Handling in Biodiesel Production
Commercial and Large Scale Biodiesel Production Systems
Small Scale Biodiesel Production Systems
Mobile Biodiesel Production Systems
Reactors for Biodiesel Production
Equipment for Biodiesel Production Systems
Controls and Instrumentation for Biodiesel Production
Biodiesel Fuel Quality
Transportation and Storage of Biodiesel
Processor Capacity for Biodiesel Production
Post-treatment in Biodiesel Production
Waste Management in Biodiesel Production
Methanol Recovery During Small Scale Biodiesel Production
Saponification in Biodiesel Production
Methoxide Catalysts in Biodiesel Production
New Uses for Crude Glycerin from Biodiesel Production
For Additional Information
- Introduction to Farm Energy
- Introduction to Biodiesel
- Biodiesel Feedstocks
- Biodiesel Processing
- Biodiesel Utilization
Contributors to This Article
Author
- Jon Van Gerpen, Professor, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, National Biodiesel Education Program, University of Idaho
Peer Reviewers
- Joe Thompson, Research Support Scientist, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, National Biodiesel Education Program, University of Idaho
- Cole Gustafson, Biofuels Economist, North Dakota State University