Biodiesel Process Plant & Equipment

Backdrop :
Devastating long-term ill-effects of limited fossil fuel reserves, industrial & automotive emissions and greenhouse gases have focused the attention of policy makers and others throughout the world to search for alternative energy sources.
Solar radiation, wind and biomass are resources for generation of alternative energy in vast quantities of which biomass is already proven for techno-economic viability for commercial production of a major alternative energy - BIODIESEL. The U.N. framework for climate change [Kyoto Protocol, 2005] mandates member nations to reduce greenhouse gas emission through increasing use of biofuels i.e. bioethanol and biodiesel.
Global production of biofuels is growing steadily and will continue to do so despite financial slowdown. The world biofuel market’s value is likely to attain a CAGR of around 14.7% during 2006-2016. The rapid development of the global biodiesel industry has been closely observed by countries interested in stimulating economic growth, improving the environment and reducing dependency on imported oil.
Chemically speaking, biodiesel is the methyl ester of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils animal fats. It can be used in compression ignition engines (diesel engines) directly, the engine needing minor or no modifications.
Raw Material for Biodiesel :
Biodiesel can be commercially produced from various sources (Oil seeds – both edible and non-edible, dead wood and leaves, agri-wastes, food processing wastes – both kitchen and industry etc. can be used, oil seeds being the most important, abundant and common raw material).
Different regions of the world do not have the benefit of possessing the same vegetable oil or animal fat in plentiful supply. Thus raw materials for biodiesel production have become geographically region-specific. Palm oil seeds in Malaysia, animal fats in Japan, soybean seeds and animal fats in the US, canola seeds in Canada and rapeseed and animal fats in Europe are examples. India has taken up Jatropha [ Jatropha curcas ] seeds as the major raw material. The plant may yield more than four times as much fuel per hectare as soybean, and more than ten times that of maize (corn). A hectare of jatropha has been claimed to produce 1,892 litres of fuel.
Advantages of Biodiesel Over Petrodiesel :
Less dependence on limited fossil fuel reserves
Improved ignition
Higher engine efficiency
Better lubricity
Much lower greenhouse gas emission
Lower particulate emission
Not toxic, free of sulphur
Safest fuel to store and handle
Much higher flash point
No aromatics or carcinogens
Biodegradable
FenixShutek Technology for Biodiesel :
Fenix has exclusive technology collaboration with M/s Shutek Oleo S A of Costa Rica for Biodiesel.
The process uses trans-esterification reaction followed by neutralization and washing steps. The two-step trans-esterification converts nearly 100 percent of the triglycerides in the oil or fat to bio diesel (methyl ester). The excess methanol is recovered, and the biodiesel dried in the same step. Finally, the bio diesel is filtered to remove potential impurities formed below the process temperature. In essence, the steps are, trans-esterification, washing, drying and polishing.
Almost any seed oil can be used as the raw material for FenixShuyek Biodiesel Technology.
Glycerine Recovery
Glycerine generated in the two-step trans-esterification reaction is recovered and neutralized. The excess methanol is recovered and the glycerine dried in the same step. The glycerine is considered crude glycerine because it contains greater than the maximum 0.01 percent salts allowed in technical grades and is less than 99 percent pure.
The salts are formed from the reaction of the caustic and acid used in most trans-esterification processes. The salts are removed when the glycerine is distilled or refined to a technical grade or higher quality.
Water Recovery
Water recovered from the water wash decanter, strippers, and methanol distillation is reused for washing the bio diesel and diluting the acid and caustic.
Methanol Recovery
The excess methanol is recovered from the bio diesel, glycerine, and fatty matter, dried and reused in the two-step trans-esterification reaction. Fenix uses it own structured packing columns for effective distillation of methanol.
Fatty Matter Recovery
A small amount of fatty matter, typically mono- and di-glycerides, is generated in the trans-esterification reaction. This fatty matter does not require a separate recovery system due to the small quantity generated, and can be skimmed or decanted from the glycerine storage tank. If the trans-esterification process feedstock has a high amount of free fatty acid (FFA), then a separate fatty matter recovery step may be required.
Energy
Fenix design minimizes the energy required by using gravity both for separation and flow from vessel to vessel. The design incorporates heat economizers to cool one stream while heating the other.