| TRANSESTERIFICATION 101 |
| Biodiesel is simply a liquid fuel derived from vegetable oils and fats, which has similar combustion properties to regular diesel fuel. Chemically Biodiesel refers to alkyl esters made from the transesterification of both vegetable oils and/or animal fats. Biodiesel is biodegradable and non- toxic, and has significantly fewer emissions than petroleum-based diesel when burned. Biodiesel functions in current diesel engines. Biodiesel has a viscosity similar to petrodiesel, the industry term for diesel produced from petroleum. It can be used as an additive in formulations of diesel to increase the lubricity of pure Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel, although care must be taken to ensure that the biodiesel used does not increase the sulfur content of the mixture above 15 ppm. Biodiesel can be used in pure form (B100) or may be blended with petroleum diesel at any concentration in most modern diesel engines. Biodiesel will degrade natural rubber gaskets and hoses in vehicles (mostly found in vehicles manufactured before 1992), although these tend to wear out naturally and most likely will have already been replaced with Viton which is nonreactive to biodiesel. Biodiesel's higher lubricity index compared to petrodiesel is an advantage and can contribute to longer fuel injector life. Biodiesel is a better solvent than petrodiesel and has been known to break down deposits of residue in the fuel lines of vehicles that have previously been run on petroleum. Fuel filters may become clogged with particulates if a quick transition to pure biodiesel is made, as biodiesel “cleans” the engine in the process. It is, therefore, recommended to change the fuel filter within 600- 800 miles after first switching to a biodiesel blend. Biodiesel's commercial fuel quality is measured by the ASTM standard: D 6751 The standards ensure that biodiesel is pure and the following important factors in the fuel production process are satisfied:
After the transesterification reaction and the separation of the crude heavy glycerin phase, the producers is left with a Crud light Biodiesel phase. This crude biodiesel requires some purification prior to use. At Arbor Biofuels Company we specialize in providing novel biodiesel purification equipment particularly in the area of ion exchange dry wash towers or columns. These columns are perhaps the most efficient in the market place due to the care taken in ensuring proper "plug flow." In fluid mechanics, Plug Flow is a simple model of the velocity profile of a fluid flowing in a pipe. In plug flow, the velocity of the fluid is assumed to be constant across any cross-section of the pipe perpendicular to the axis of the pipe. The plug flow model assumes there is no boundary layer adjacent to the inner wall of the pipe. The plug flow model has many practical applications. One example is in the design of chemical reactors. Essentially no back mixing is assumed with "plugs" of fluid passing through the reactor. This results in differential equations that need to be integrated to find the reactor conversion and outlet temperatures. Other simplifications used are perfect axial mixing and a homogeneous bed structure. The advantage of the plug flow model ensures that no part of the solution of the problem can be perpetuated "upstream". This allows one to calculate the exact solution to the differential equation knowing only the initial conditions. No further iteration is required. Each "plug" can be solved independently provided the previous plug's state is known. |
What is Biodiesel anyway?
1) Fats and oils are comprised of
triglycerides: The above
triglyceride is a combination of 4
separate molecules. The vertical
chain on the left, is the glycerol
backbone which binds 3
separate horizontal fatty acids
chains..
triglycerides: The above
triglyceride is a combination of 4
separate molecules. The vertical
chain on the left, is the glycerol
backbone which binds 3
separate horizontal fatty acids
chains..
2) Glycerol is also an alcohol
and is also an organic
compound that when combined
with an organic acid or in the
case of a triglyceride, (3) fatty
acids, they form esters.
and is also an organic
compound that when combined
with an organic acid or in the
case of a triglyceride, (3) fatty
acids, they form esters.
Arbor Biofuels Company
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3) Methanol is the simplest
alcohol and when 3 methanol
molecules are transplanted or
replace the one glycerol
transesterification has occurred
and you now have methyl esters
or Biodiesel.
alcohol and when 3 methanol
molecules are transplanted or
replace the one glycerol
transesterification has occurred
and you now have methyl esters
or Biodiesel.
| What is Biodiesel Purification? |
| What is Plug Flow? |
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| Call Greg to discuss your technical issues @ 734.709.8826 Copyright 2009 Arbor BioFuels Company © |