Handling Alcohols in Biodiesel Production

Methanol and Ethanol

Methanol is the driving force behind the transesterification reaction. Methanol is colorless and tasteless, with a mildly sweet odor, and is a toxic chemical. It can enter the body through inhalation, direct skin contact, or accidental swallowing. It can cause blindness or death. Because it is eliminated from the body slowly, it is considered a cumulative poison, and repeated exposure could present long-term health hazards.

Personnel working with methanol should wear protective clothing (pants, long sleeves, coveralls) …

Introduction to Biogas and Anaerobic Digestion

Harnessing energy from livestock waste.

Intro | Feedstocks | Processing | Utilization

On-farm biogas production has long been a topic of interest for farmers, with historical records of biogas production going back several hundreds of years. In modern livestock production systems, for example, the benefits of producing biogas are significant and include:

  • provision of supplemental renewable energy
  • odor reduction
  • reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases
  • pathogen control
  • waste biostabilization
  • nutrients are preserved and transformed into plant-available forms

The economics of …