Biodiesel Fuel Education Program

 

Biodiesel is a diesel fuel replacement made from vegetable oil. The University of Idaho has been involved in Biodiesel research since 1979. Dr. Charles Peterson is a leader in this field and has headed many Biodiesel research projects for various local, state, federal, and private agencies.

 

The University of Idaho has run many diesel engines on various forms of Biodiesel. Farm machinery, stationary engines, Cummins Diesel engines in Dodge Pickups, Navistar engines in Ford Pickups, and soon to be run in a Caterpillar engine in a Kenworth Truck.

 

Biodiesel can be made from most any plant derived oil. Biodiesel is actually an alcohol ester of vegetable oil. Research at the University of Idaho has involved the following types of oils.

• Mustard Seed Oil

• Rapeseed oil

• Canola oil

• Soybean oil

• Hydrogenated Soybean oil

• Tallow

• and others

The U of I currently uses a batch process to make Biodiesel. The basic ingredients are:

• Vegetable Oil

• Alcohol (typically ethanol or methanol)

• A Hydroxide Catalyst (typically NaOH or KOH)

Put very simply, the ingredients are mixed in a stainless steel batch reactor and stirred. We use an open vat reactor, however, when using methanol a closed reactor with a methanol vapor trap should be used. After the reaction (called esterification) takes place, the heavier glycerol component settles to the bottom and the resulting ester is pumped off to be used as Biodiesel. The glycerol has some commercial value and may be sold to offset the cost of the oil.  Our experience is that our glycerol with no additional processing is very difficult to dispose of.

 

For more information about Biodiesel, please look at the rest of this site. There are interesting links in the resources page which points to other sites with Biodiesel information.

 

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