FUEL 35 |
| Biodiesel costs about $3/gallon to produce—including ~$2/gallon for the primary feedstock (soybean oil). However, cheaper alternative feedstocks usually contain significant amounts of free fatty acids (FFA)—molecules that are detrimental to the function of conventional transesterification catalysts (e.g., NaOMe), and therefore, must be removed before these feedstocks can be used for biodiesel production. In this presentation, we will discuss novel catalysts and processes recently developed in our laboratory: (1) new transesterification catalysts that can tolerate water and FFA in the feedstock for the high-volume, continuous biodiesel production; (2) a second esterification catalyst to manufacture biodiesel from very cheap acidulated soapstocks—FFA wastes generated in food, detergent and conventional biodiesel industries; and (3) the combined use of our esterification and transesterification catalysts to allow high-FFA feedstocks (e.g., brown grease) to be used for biodiesel production. Both FFA and triglycerides will be converted into biodiesel via esterification and transesterification transformations, respectively. |
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BioFuels: Biodiesel Chemistry and Implementation
1:25 PM-6:00 PM, Sunday, August 19, 2007 Boston Park Plaza -- Arlington Rm, Oral
Division of Fuel Chemistry |