Biodiesel Production: Lifecycle of Biodiesel Production

1. Biodiesel Production: Lifecycle of Biodiesel Production Barry Latham, M.A.Ed. Biodiesel Production & Curriculum Chemistry & Physics Instructor Chicago Heights, Illinois

2. Vegetable Oil Sources(Small Scale) • In the U.S., most biodiesel is made from soybean oil or recycled cooking oils • Typically collected as waste oil from restaurants • Restaurants pay to have it removed, but you remove it for free • Times are changing, though, and waste oil is getting expensive (regionally dependent) • Animals fats, other vegetable oils, and other recycled oils can also be used to produce biodiesel • Blends of all kinds of fats and oils may be used to produce biodiesel

3. Vegetable Oil Sources(Acreage Yields)

4. Soybean Oil Extraction Plant

5. What Type of Vehicles Can Use Biodiesel Blends? • Blends such as B2 and B5 can be used safely in any compression-ignition engine • Light-duty and heavy-duty diesel cars • Trucks, tractors, boats • Electrical generators • Any diesel engine can use any percentage of biodiesel • <1994 engines need updating (1st year of use) • Viton fuel lines, frequent fuel filter changes • Biodiesel will corrode natural rubber • >1994 engines only need filter changes

6. a corrosion preventative a parts cleaner and degreaser a graffiti remover a paint and resin cleanup a hand cleaner a crop adjuvant a metal working lubricant a screen printing ink remover aircraft fuel home heating oil a lubricity additive for diesel fuel an adhesive remover a mold release agent an asphalt cleanup agent an oil spill cleanup and bioremediation agent an auto wax remover Biodiesel UsesBeyond Diesel Vehicles

7. Environmental Benefits • Only alternative fuel in the country to have successfully completed the EPA-required Tier I and Tier II health effects testing under the Clean Air Act (2000) • Conclusively demonstrated biodiesel’s significant reduction of virtually all regulated emissions • Showed biodiesel does not pose a threat to human health • Biodiesel contains no sulfur or aromatics • Use of biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine results in substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter • U.S. DoE showed that the production and use of biodiesel, compared to petroleum diesel, resulted in a 78.5% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions • Biodiesel has a positive energy balance • For every unit of energy needed to produce a gallon of biodiesel, 5.28 units of energy are gained

8. Closed-Carbon Cycle

9. Energy Security Benefits • Biodiesel can be manufactured using existing industrial production capacity • 1996 estimates • Annual military costs of securing foreign oil was $57 billion • Foreign tax credits accounted for another estimated $4 billion annually • Environmental costs were estimated at $45 per barrel

10. Economic Benefits • 2001 USDA study • Annual increase of 200 million gallons of soy-based biodiesel demand would boost total crop cash receipts by $5.2 billion cumulatively by 2010 • Average net farm income increase of $300 million per year • The price for a bushel of soybeans would increase by an average of 17 cents annually during the ten-year period • Positive performance attributes • Increased cetane, high fuel lubricity, high oxygen content

11. Quality Benefits • Biodiesel is registered as a fuel and fuel additive with the EPA • Meets clean diesel standards established by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) • B100 has been designated as an alternative fuel by the U.S. DoE and the U.S. DOT • December 2001- the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) approved a specification (D6751) for biodiesel fuel • The National Biodiesel Board formed the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission (NBAC) to audit fuel producers and marketers in order to enforce fuel quality standards in the US • NBAC issues a ‘Certified Biodiesel Marketer’ seal of approval for biodiesel marketers that have met all requirements of fuel accreditation audits

12. Safety Benefits • Biodiesel is nontoxic • Far less damage than petroleum diesel if spilled or otherwise released to the environment • Biodiesel is less combustible • Flashpoint for biodiesel is >150°C • Petroleum diesel is ~52°C • Preferred for marine applications • Biodiesel is safe to handle, store, and transport

13. EPAct Benefits • November 1998- Congress approved the use of biodiesel as an Energy Policy Act (EPAct) compliance strategy • 450 gallons of pure biodiesel and burning it in new or existing diesel vehicles in at least a 20% blend with diesel fuel • The Congressional Budget Office and the U.S. Dept. of Ag have confirmed that the biodiesel option is the least-cost alternative fuel option for meeting the Federal government’s EPAct compliance requirements • Biodiesel offers an immediate and seamless way to transition existing diesel vehicles into a cleaner burning fleet

14. Green House Gas Benefits • Total life cycle GHG emissions from the fossil fuel that is displaced • 82.32 g/MJ • Fossil fuel GHG emissions avoided by using biodiesel instead of fossil fuel • 39.76 g/MJ • Net GHG emissions saved by producing and using biodiesel • 33.32 g/MJ • Net fraction of GHG emissions saved by producing and using biodiesel • 40.5%

15. Glycerin TreatmentMeOH Removal • MeOH is still present and needs to be removed before it can be used • NOT a co-product, just used in excess • Common misconception that MeOH is produced • Distillation- separation of liquids based on boiling points • MeOH has a lower boiling point than glycerin • Turns to vapor first • Can be condensed, collected and reused • Glycerin turns thicker and darker • Heating element, not flame, is used

16. Glycerin Distillation (Large Scale) • ~$1M to build Methanol Recovery & Glycerin Purification Process • Crude (80% pure) • By-product of biodiesel • Tech Grade (>97% pure) • Industrial applications only • Refined (>99.7% pure) • USP & FCC Grade • Cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food

17. Glycerin Price Trends

18. Glycerin Supply Trend

19. Glycerin Co-Product (Small Scale)Soap (1L batch) • Remove the residual (toxic) methanol first • KOH-based biodiesel makes liquid soap glycerin • NaOH-based production makes bar soap • At 50°C, preheat any of the following ratios before mixing for 5 minutes • Glycerin 33mL 47mL 54mL • Water 7mL 5mL 5mL • KOH 1g 1g1g • Can not use KOH and NaOH inter-changeably • Fragrances and dyes can be added • D-limonene smells like oranges and is cheaply made/purchased • Most dyes muddy the dark brown color

20. Synthesis from Glycerol • Propylene Glycol- similar applications as glycerol • “Low-pressure hydrogenolysis of glycerol to propylene glycol.” Applied Catalyst A: General A 2005, 225-231. • “Reducing Byproduct Formation during Conversion of Glycerol to Propylene Glycol.” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2008, 47, 6878–6884. • Hydrogen- fuel applications • “A Comparative Thermodynamic and Experimental Analysis on Hydrogen Production by Steam Reforming of Glycerin.” Energy & Fuels 2007, 21, 2306-2310. • Acrolein- polymers, acetonitrile, polyurethane • “Low-Pressure Packed-Bed Gas-Phase Dehydration of Glycerol to Acrolein.” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.2009, 48, 3279–3283.

21. Glycerin Co-ProductOther Uses • Health supplement • Increases blood volume • Enhances temperature regulation • Improves exercise performance in the heat • Helps "hyperhydrate" the body by increasing blood volume levels and helping to delay dehydration • Tocopherol (vitamin E) • Other uses • Glycerine is also a source of lecithin • fat emulsifier and a vital component of all cell membranes in the body • Skin moisturizer, lotion, deodorant, makeup, toothpaste, sweets and cakes, pharmaceuticals and patent medicines, paper manufacturing, printing ink, textiles, plastics, and electronic components

22. Glycerin Co-ProductOther Uses • Paint brush cleaner • Rinse brush as much as possible with water • Work brush in a small container with about 20 mL of glycerin • Rinse brush under water until all milky-ness is removed • Repeat glycerin stage with fresh glycerin as needed • Check that brush doesn't smell of paint and store brush as usual. • Safe sweetener: • Glycerin is an alcohol and is used as a preservative • It is very sweet, yet it contains no sugar • This makes it an ideal sweetener for patients who cannot take sugar