Biodiesel

Due to increasing crude oil prices in recent times fuel from other raw material has become more and more competitive!

The history of biodiesel fuel as the essence of plants containing oils and fats started in the beginning of the 20th century.

We are aware about the fact that fuel produced out of vegetable oil is as beneficiary for an engine like common fuel produced from crude oil or gas.

Content:

1. About Biodiesel
2. Crops for vegetable oils
3. Usage of process leavings
4. BEFA Biodiesel production lines
5. BEFA provide further equipment
6. BEFA services

About Biodiesel

Biodiesel is commonly made of rapeseed (Europe) or palm oil (Africa) as primary, and methanol as secondary raw material. BEFA offers beside this also a production way with ethanol instead of methanol, and the know-how for many different primary raw materials as well.

Chemically, transesterified biodiesel comprises a mix of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids. The most common form uses methanol to produce methyl esters as it is the cheapest alcohol available, though ethanol can be used to produce an ethyl ester biodiesel. BEFA provides machines for the production of methyl ester and also ethyl ester. A by-product of the transesterification process is the production of glycerine. A liquid transesterification production process is used to convert the base oil to the esters.

Any Free fatty acids (FFAs) in the base oil are converted to soap, removed from the process and will be led over to the glycerine fraction. After this processing, unlike straight vegetable oil, biodiesel has combustion properties very similar to those of petroleum diesel, and can replace it in most current uses.

A variety of oils can be used to produce biodiesel.

These include:

• Virgin oil feedstock;
• rapeseed and soybean oils are most commonly used in Europe, though other crops e. g. in Africa such as palm oil, Barbados nut (also known as “Pourghère”), and even algae show promise;
• Waste vegetable oil (WVO);
• Animal fats including tallow, lard, yellow grease.

Biodiesel feedstock plants utilize photosynthesis to convert solar energy into chemical energy. The stored chemical energy is released when it is burned, therefore plants can offer a sustainable oil source for biodiesel production. Most of the carbon dioxide emitted when burning biodiesel is simply recycling that which was absorbed during plant growth, so the net production of greenhouse gases is small and that of CO₂ is zero.  We have a wide range of Biodiesel production plants, starting and using oil seeds, lard or chip fats. We also offer the complete infrastructure to produce oil from seeds and fats.

Crops for vegetable oils

There are many sorts of crop from which vegetable oils can be produced. In the following table you get more information about a selection of raw materials 

Usage of process leavings

Pressed crop

Pressed crop as leavings is commonly used  as additive to animal food. It is also possible to produce pellets and briquettes out of those leavings and to use them as combustibles. The pellets made out of rape seed crop provides a better fuel value than firewood

Glycerin as by-product

After chemical refinement the glycerine can be used as following:

1. Raw glycerine 95 – 96%:
   • food additives
   • solvents
   • colours
   • cosmetics
2. Energetic fraction with 55-60 % of free fatty acids (FFA):
   • combustibles
   • raw material for pharmacy and cosmetics industry
   • detergents
3. Solid potassium phosphate:
   • fertilizer
4. Biotechnical production of citric acid
5. Biotechnical production of oxalic acid

Conversion of raw glycerine with the help of special yeast to proteins as animal food additive

Usage as adhesive additive for the production of pellets and briquettes

BEFA Biodiesel production lines in 3 options:

1. MOBILE MODULE MACHINES
2. STATIONARY MACHINES
3. COMPLETE PRODUCTION PLANT INCLUDING VEGETABLE OIL PRODUCTION

BEFA is also able to provide further equipment and technology for the processing of oily crop

1. Storage tanks for raw materials
2. Equipment for cold and warm pressing of oily crop
3. Machines for the production of pellets and briquettes from pressed crop
4. Filters and filtration systems for vegetable oil and bio ester
5. Laboratories (stationery or mobile) for permanent quality control
6. Know-how for chemical and biochemical conversion of glycerine as by-product into more valuable products

BEFA services for:

Project development:

1. Consultation, process engineering planning and expert’s assessments within the range of the technological conversion of Bio Diesel projects
2. Technological and economic feasibility studies for bio Diesel projects
3.  extensive economic analyses for Bio Diesel projects with consideration of the capital outlays, operating cost, capital costs and other relevant factors

New raw materials for Bio-Diesel production:

1. Laboratory analyses of oils and fats
2. Transesterification and esterefication of oils and fats with following analysis of the product Biodiesel
3. emission test of Biodiesel at the engine test stand