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Reactive Distillation Technique

This document describes reactive distillation as an efficient continuous process for biodiesel production from tallow. Reactive distillation integrates the transesterification reaction and product separation into a single unit, allowing biodiesel to be produced from tallow in 3 to 10 minutes. Testing of reactive distillation demonstration plants producing biodiesel from tallow showed yields of 88-100% that met quality standards for biodiesel. Reactive distillation is concluded to be a compact and cost-effective process for biodiesel production due to its reduced capital and operating expenses compared to conventional batch processes.

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Salim Chohan
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35 views39 pages

Reactive Distillation Technique

This document describes reactive distillation as an efficient continuous process for biodiesel production from tallow. Reactive distillation integrates the transesterification reaction and product separation into a single unit, allowing biodiesel to be produced from tallow in 3 to 10 minutes. Testing of reactive distillation demonstration plants producing biodiesel from tallow showed yields of 88-100% that met quality standards for biodiesel. Reactive distillation is concluded to be a compact and cost-effective process for biodiesel production due to its reduced capital and operating expenses compared to conventional batch processes.

Uploaded by

Salim Chohan
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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REACTIVE DISTILLATION TECHNIQUE

FOR

BIODIESEL PRODUCTION
By

Tissa Fernando, Flo-Dry Engineering Ltd, Albany Auckland, New Zealand


Prof. Brian Earl, Visiting Professor, Cornell University, USA
Praveen Bhagat, Flo-Dry Engineering Ltd, Albany Auckland, New Zealand

RENDERING

THE INVISIBLE INDUSTRY


OVER 2000 YEARS OLD

HISTORY OF RENDERING
RECORDED IN HISTORY BY PLINEY THE ELDER
ROMAN TIMES
TALLOW

SOAP

(GOAT TALLOW + WOOD ASH


TALLOW

CANDLES

SOAP)

OLEOCHEMICALS
MORE RECENTLY EARLY 20TH CENTURY
TALLOW

OLEOCHEMICALS

FATTY ACIDS
FATTY ALCOHOLS
METHYL ESTERS

TALLOW AS AN EDIBLE FAT

EDIBLE FAT
SHORTENINGS
FRYING FATS / OILS

BIODIESEL

COMMERCIAL GRADE METHYL ESTERS


FUEL GRADE METHYL ESTERS

BIODIESEL

NEW TYPES OF ENERGIES


RENEWABLE ENERGIES
SOLAR, WIND, HYDRO
BIOMASS
TALLOW IS BIOMASS

GREEN ENERGIES

DIESEL ENGINE
RUDOLF DIESEL
IN 1900 WON THE PRIZE AT THE PARIS
EXHIBITION
DIESEL ENGINE ON PEANUT OIL

PETROLEUM DIESEL ALTERNATIVES

1930S
1940S
VEGETABLE OILS USED AS DIESEL

70S OIL CRISIS

TALLOW

BIODIESEL

1970S NZ LIQUID FUELS TRUST BOARD


TRIALLED BUSES ON BIODIESEL FROM TALLOW
NOT ECONOMICAL (CAPEX V.V.EXPENSIVE)
1980S, 1990S BIODIESEL NOT VIABLE
NO GOVT. INCENTIVES
GREENHOUSE GASES NOT AN ISSUE
2008-MANDATORY USE OF BIOFUELS (LAW)

DISTINCT ADVANTAGES OF BIODIESEL

Biodiesel is biodegradable, breaking down 98% in first 21 days


of spill, whereas petroleum diesel will break only 50% during the
same period.
Exhaust
emissions
of
carbon
monoxide,
unburned
hydrocarbons, and particulate emissions from biodiesel are lower
than with petroleum diesel fuel.

DISTINCT ADVANTAGES OF BIODIESEL


Biodiesel has higher flash point than petroleum diesel. This
facilitates in its safer storage, transportation and use.
Biodiesel is an oxygenated fuel, containing oxygen in its
molecular structure. This ensures better combustion, reducing
black smoke and unburnt hydrocarbons.

TALLOW TRANSESTERFICATION TO BIODIESEL

TRANSESTERIFICATION
O

CH2-O-C-R1
|
|
O
|

CH-O-C-R2 +
|
|
O
|

CH2-O-C-R3
Triglycerides

CH3-O-C-R1 +
Catalyst
3 CH3OH

Methanol

CH3-O-C-R2
O

CH3-O-C-R3
Mixture of Methyl Esters

CH2-OH
|
CH-OH
|
CH2-OH

Glycerol

PROCESS REQUIREMENTS
CORRECT AMOUNT OF CATALYST
TEMPERATURE
EXCESS METHANOL
REACTION TIME
REMOVAL OF BD & GLYCEROL

PROCESSES

BATCH
SEMI CONTINUOUS
CONTINUOUS

REACTIVE DISTILLATION (RD)

CONTINUOUS PROCESS
REACTION
DISTILLATION
PHASE SEPARATION

RD FLOW SHEET
CONDENSER

ACID
WATER

RECYCLE
METHANOL
R
D

CATALYST
TALLOW

PRE
REACTOR

W
A
S
H

R
E
A
C
T
O
R

C
O
L
U
M
N

REBOILER

BIODIESEL

FACTORS AFFECTING CONVERSION

MOISTURE OF TALLOW
IMPURITIES
FFA
TEMPERATURE

REACTION TIMES

RD 3 MINUTES TO 10 MINUTES
C.F. 20 MINUTES TO 90 MINUTES
FOR BATCH PROCESSES

TEST PLANTS

LAB SCALE TESTS


10 TO 20 l/h
DEMONSTRATION SCALE
1000 l/h

DEMONSTRATION PLANT

CONVENTIONAL BATCH PLANT

DEMONSTRATION PLANT

SAMPLE PRODUCTS FROM RD

YIELDS

BIODIESEL YIELDS FROM TALLOW


88% TO 100%

VISCOSITY
VISCOSITY, cSt

TALLOW(@600C)

11-50

BIODIESEL(@400C)

2.25 5.40

COLD FLOW PROPERTIES OF BD


CLOUD POINT (CP) THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH A SAMPLE
OF FUEL JUST SHOWS A CLOUD OR HAZE OF METHYL OR
ETHYL ESTER CRYSTALS WHEN IT IS COOLED UNDER
STANDARD TEST CONDITIONS.
POUR POINT (PP) THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE AT WHICH A
FUEL WILL JUST FLOW WHEN TESTED UNDER STANDARD
CONDITIONS.
COLD FILTER PLUG POINT (CFPP) THE TEMPERATURE AT
WHICH FUEL CRYSTALS CAUSE A FUEL FILTER TO PLUG. THIS
TEST IS CONSIDERED A BETTER INDICATOR THAN CLOUD
POINT OF LOW TEMPERATURE OPERABILITY.

COLD FLOW PROPERTIES OF BD


FUEL

CLOUD Pt,

POUR Pt,

CFPP
-90C

DIESEL

-2.1

SOY ME 1

3.3

-3.8

-2.2

CANOLA ME 1

-3.3

-3.8

-4.4

TALLOW ME 1

18.9

15.6

PERDUE UNIVERSITY ID 338

ARGENT ENERGY UK

29

TO 14

LABORATORY TEST REPORT B100


TEST

METHOD

UNITS

SPEICFICATION

RESULT

NZL7500

STANDARDS

876.7
DENSITY

ASTM D1298

kg / m3

860-900

KINEMATIC VISCOSITY

ASTM D445

mm2/s

3.5-5.00

5.000

120.0 min.

175

96.5 min

96.9

0c

FLASH POINT

ASTM D93

ESTER CONTENT

EN14103

% m/m

TOTAL CONTAMINATION

EN 12662

mg/kg

TOTAL ACID NUMBER

ASTM D664

mg KOH/g

24

10.9

0.09

LABORATORY TEST REPORT- COLD FLOW PROPERTIES B5

Method

Test

Units

FDEL-1

FDEL -2

FDEL-3

FDEL-4

D5773

Cloud point (Auto)

-0.4

-0.4

-1.3

-1.8

IP 309A

CFPP

-8

-6

-6

-8

IP 387

Sample Temp

23.8

25.0

24.8

23.6

k Pa

10

12.0

9.0

10

Volume at 105 k Pa

ml

Pressure at 300mL

k Pa

12

12

10

26

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.03

Pressure at 20 s

FBT

BLENDS

B3

3% BIODIESEL

B5

5% BIODIESEL

B20

20% BIODIESEL

B100

100% BIODIESEL

COMPARISION OF TALLOW / BDBLENDS / DIESEL

BIODIESEL USE IN CAR

BIODIESEL USE IN CAR

BIODIESEL USE IN CAR

Installed Selling Price Comparison


$35.00

$31.25

$30.00

$25.00

$25.00

Selling Price,
$ / Tonne /Year

$18.75

$20.00
$12.50

$15.00
$10.00
$5.00

$6.25

$1.50 $2.50

$2.85

$4.63

$6.15

$7.52

$8.79

$8,000

20,000

40,000

60,000

Installed Capacity, Tonne / Year


BDSelling PriceNZ Based Plant BDSelling Price US Based Plant

80,000

100,000

CONCLUSIONS
REACTIVE

QUALITY

DISTILLATION IS AN EFFICIENT PROCESS

STANDARDS REQUIRED FOR TME ARE MET

PLANT IS VERY COMPACT AND COST EFFECTIVE


BOTH CAPEX AND OPEX ARE REDUCED

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