Biodiesel Production

Biodiesel can be produced in a couple of manners. It can be produced in a batch system which is typically done in residential settings but there are some commercial facilities that produce in batch systems. The other technique is a closed loop continuous system. This is how e-biofuels produces there biodiesel.

 

 

Basic Production Facts

  • Biodiesel is made using a chemical reaction called transesterification.
  • Unprocessed vegetable oil and animal fat contains two primary components – glycerin and esters.
  • Glycerin is a dense component that makes raw oil unsuitable as a fuel.
  • During transesterification, glycerin is removed and replaced by a simple alcohol.
  • The transesterification process creates mono-alkyl esters, commonly known as biodiesel, with glycerin as a byproduct.

Transesterification

Definition: The transesterification process reacts an alcohol (like methanol) with the triglyceride oils contained in vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled greases, forming fatty acid alkyl esters (biodiesel) and glycerin.