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Transesterification

The process in question is called Transesterification. It is a production process used to prepare biodiesel from renewable resources, such as waste vegetable oils.

British scientists, namely E. Duffy and J. Patrick, initially conducted transesterification of vegetable oils back in 1853, many years before the first diesel engine became functional. As such, the process is well established, and many research papers have been published, which we can supply if requested.

Transesterification of vegetable oils to produce biodiesel is a simple process, and the following is a brief synopsis. The waste vegetable oils are pumped through a centrifuge to remove particulate matter and residual water. The purified oil is then pumped directly into a stainless steel reactor, with its volume being measured as it enters. A calculated amount of methanol is then added, along with a catalytic amount of sodium hydroxide. The amount of catalyst used is dependent on the quality of the oil being used, with the exact amount being determined by standard titration methods. The liquids are then heated to 70oC for 1 hour, while being stirred, and are kept isolated from the external atmosphere. On completion of the reaction, the waste glycerine biproduct is separated from the crude biodiesel, and residual methanol is distilled out of solution for use in the next batch. The biodiesel is then washed using another centrifuge, and after quality control tests is ready for consumer use.

Hence, the end products of the process are:

• Biodiesel; to be sold as our primary product
• Crude glycerine; to be sold as our secondary product
• Wash water; to be pH adjusted and sent to sewer, in accordance with Welsh Water and Environment Agency regulations. Outputs are also to be monitored by the regulatory authorities.

And the machinery to be installed:

• Numerous storage vessels; to contain starting materials and finished products. All vessels are to be bunded, in accordance with Environment Agency requirements.
• Several reactors; to produce the biodiesel. Reactor manufacture is strictly controlled by the British Standards Institution, and they are to be bunded, also in accordance with Environment Agency requirements. The reactors are closed to atmosphere, and are only pressure equalised through gas scrubbers and flame arrestors.
• Numerous liquid pumps; to transfer the reactants and products to where they are required. The majority of the pumps are air-operated and are used for risk minimisation.
• Air compressors; one being a standard reciprocating piston type, for use with air tools and the like. The other a high-power twin-screw type to supply the liquid pumps in operation.
• Centrifuges; for liquid-liquid extraction and washing. They are inherently simple devices and are quiet running machines.
• All machinery to be installed, and processes to be undertaken, are to be regulated and monitored by the Environment Agency, and as such they demand only the best available techniques and safety measures are employed at the plant. The Environment Agency is empowered to grant Integrated Pollution Prevention Control Licences (IPPC) to facilities such as ours, and we hope this will also meet with your requirements.

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100 Years Ago

"the use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today but such oils may become, in the course of time, as important as petroleum and the coal-tar products of the present time."
- Rudolf Diesel in 1913