Types and ways of( Bio diesel )production

Types and ways of Production

Biodiesel is a type of fuel made from renewable biological sources, such as vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled cooking grease. It can be used as a substitute for traditional diesel fuel in most diesel engines.

There are several ways to produce biodiesel, including the following:

1. Transesterification: This is the most common method of producing biodiesel. It involves reacting a fat or oil with an alcohol, such as methanol or ethanol, to produce glycerol and a molecule called a fatty acid alkyl ester (FAME). The FAME is the biodiesel, while the glycerol is a byproduct.

2. Enzymatic transesterification: This method uses enzymes to catalyze the reaction between the fat or oil and the alcohol, instead of using a chemical catalyst.

3. Acid-catalyzed esterification: This method uses an acid catalyst, such as sulfuric acid, to produce biodiesel from a fat or oil.

4. Direct fuel production: This method involves using microorganisms, such as algae or bacteria, to produce biodiesel directly from renewable feedstocks, such as agricultural waste or carbon dioxide.

5. Pyrolysis: This method involves heating the fat or oil to high temperatures in the absence of oxygen to produce a liquid biofuel called pyrolysis oil, which can be further processed into biodiesel.

It is important to note that the production of biodiesel can have environmental impacts, such as the use of energy and water resources in the production process, and the potential for pollution if not properly managed.

Purification steps

•Gravitational settling.

•Centrifugation.

•Water washing.

• Adsorption and distillation

Problems with the conventional 

purification steps

•Production of significant amounts of waste (e.g., wastewater) or toxic materials (e.g., methanol and catalyst); for each liter of biodiesel produced, 10 L of waste water are produced.

•Based on that the size and the cost of the separation equipment will be increased.

• After the washing step, the wash water containing the extracted methanol and the residual catalyst are typically disposed without further treatment, resulting in loss of these materials.