Biodiesel as alternative fuel

Natalia Wibowo
Mark Simmens
Polina Kungurtceva
Hannelore Andries

Introduction
Reserves of oil and gas will be exhausted in 41 and 63 years
respectively
Many sources of renewable energies; Wind, Solar Geothermal &
Biofuels.
Biofuels include a range of products such as Ethanol, Biodiesel,
Syngas and Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oil can be used directly in engines and was done so
during WWII as an substitute to diesel in emergencies.
Why not Vegetable oil then?

Why not Vegetable Oil?

Viscosity, pour point, incomplete combustion, carbon build up..
Properties of Vegetable Oil and Diesel
300

Sources of vegetable
oil

250
200

Rapeseed oil (Europe)

150

Soybean oil (USA)

100

Jatropha (India)

50

Waste cooking oil

Viscosity
(mm2/s)

Cetane no.
Rapeseed Oil

Soya bean

Flash Point
(C)
Diesel

How it is achieved?

Transesterification of vegetable oil with a lower alcohol in the presence

of a catalyst

Vegetable oil molecular

structure is modified to
make properties
comparable to diesel.

Methyl Esters and Diesel

60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Viscosity
(mm2/s)
Rapeseed Oil

Cetane no.
Soya bean

Diesel

The Catalyst
Catalyst
Base (KOH) catalyst 1000 times rate of reaction over Acid catalyst.
Soap formation in high water content is an issue
Acid (HCl) catalyst Used when acid value or water content of oil is
high as high amounts of base catalyst needed to neutralize the acid

Homogenous solubilize in reactive media

Very effective however separation after the reaction step requires
excessive washing and catalysts can not be reused

Heterogeneous catalyst are insoluble

Can be separated through simple filtration
Reusable

Biodiesel production from waste cooking oil

Transport
HORECA,
households

Plants
produce
oil

Collection

CO2

Pre-treatment
Biodiesel

Transesterification
Alcohol
Glycerol

Solid
waste

LCA comparison

Life Cycle Assessment of gasoline, fossil diesel, and biodiesel

PM <
VOC <

CO2 <
NOx >

Comparison: Waste oil vs virgin oil

Advantages
Human health >
Ecotoxicity <
Land occupation <
Climate change <
Terrestrial acidification <
Photochemical oxidation <

Disadvantages
Ozone layer depletion >
Non renewable energy consumption >
Total environmental impact of using waste cooking oil = 4 - 5 times
less

Biodegradability
Degradation (%) after 28 days
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Polyunsaturated fatty acids has higher

biodegradability

Economical Aspect: biodiesel and diesel

Economical disadvantages of biodiesel

Higher price
Higher investment
Shorter shelf life of biodiesel
Higher total social costs (private
production costs + external
environmental damage cost)

Economical advantages of biodiesel

Total external costs 5-20% lower

Price comparison: biodiesel and

diesel

B99-100 99-100% biodiesel

diesel

B20 - 20% biodiesel, 80% petro

Price comparison: virgin oil and cooking oil

The alkaline-catalyzed process:
Virgin oil

Waste cooking oil

Less equipment

Complex process

High raw material cost (2

times more than for waste
oil)

A lot of equipment

Low investment cost

Low cost for raw material

Pretreatment unit for free
fatty acids removal
Investment cost is twice as
much as for virgin oil

By-product of biodiesel: Glycerol

Crude glycerol production = 10 wt% of biodiesel production
Animal feedstuff
For non-ruminant animals: Added up to 9%
For ruminant diets: Added up to 15%
Sustainable alternative for e.g. petroleum-based raw materials
Feedstock for chemicals: 1,3 propanediol, hydrogen, lipids,
oxygenated chemicals, syngas
Green solvent for organic reactions
Fuel for generating electricity from microbial fuel cells

Social aspect
Advantages:
Virgin oil
Job creation: agriculture, transportation, engineering (refinery)
Example: USA: 20 000 jobs in biodiesel industry in 2010,
expectation of 65000 in 2020.
Development of local economy in rural areas with small-scale
initiatives
Example: Iowa (United States)
Waste cooking oil
Job creation in transportation, collection, engineering (refinery)
Compensation for food suppliers (e.g. restaurants) for waste
product
Independence from crude oil-producing countries (e.g. Middle East)

Social aspect
Disadvantages: Virgin oil
Impact on food stock increase of food prices high impact for
poor people
Cause of land grabs from smallholder farmers in developing
countries
Examples: Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Sierra Leone,), Asia (India,
Indonesia,), Brazil
Production run by multinationals: profits not always for local
community

Conclusion
Economical aspect: Biodiesel is about 20% more expensive than
fossil diesel
Ecological aspect:
Biodiesel has 2.5 times less environmental impact than fossil diesel
Waste cooking oil has 4 to 5 times less environmental impact than
virgin oil

Social aspect: Job creation for local community, independence

from crude oil producing countries
Waste cooking oil: overcomes the land occupation

Recommendation:
Reuse the waste cooking oil : more ecological raw material
Valorization of byproducts: glycerol
Improve the process of biodiesel production

Reference

Demirbas, 2008, Biodegradability of Biodiesel and Petrodiesel Fuels

Morais, 2010, Simulation and life cycle assessment of process design alternatives for
biodiesel production from waste vegetable oils

Nanaki, 2012, Comparative LCA of the use of biodiesel, diesel and gasoline for
transportation

Peiro, 2010, Life cycle assessment (LCA) and exergetic life cycle assessment (ELCA) of
the production of biodiesel from used cooking oil (UCO)

Varanda, 2011, Life cycle analysis of biodiesel production

Runcang Sun, 2012, Value-added uses for crude glycerol - a byproduct of biodiesel
production

Ecofys, 2013, Land grabs for biofuels driven by EU biofuels policies

Apec, 2010, A study of employmeny opportunities from biofuel production in APEC

communities