Lipase Alcoholysis of Triglycerides to Produce Tallodiesel as a Transport Fuel
Abstract:
The research carried out was designed to test the efficacy of enzyme induced tallodiesel production as a potential for the next generation of transport fuel use. The aim was primarily to test the technical innovation, then to assess the economic potential and explore opportunities for application to market within the next 25 years.
Biodiesel is an alternative to petroleum-based diesel fuel made from renewable resources such as vegetable oils or animal fats. Chemically, it comprises a mix of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids. A lipid transesterification production process is normally used to convert the base oil to the desired esters and remove free fatty acids. The biggest source of feedstock for biodiesel production is oil from crops or other similar cultivatable material. Plants utilize photosynthesis to convert solar energy into chemical energy. It is this chemical energy that biodiesel stores and is released when it is burned. Therefore plants can offer a sustainable oil source for biodiesel production.
This project aimed to provide technological proof for the biochemical conversion of low-grade tallow into tallodiesel by enzyme mediated alcoholytic transesterification of fats and free fatty acids to alkyl esters. It also intended to support the potential roll out of this technology via a techno-economic study (and initial LCA) to determine an economically beneficial conversion.
The project research indicated that enzyme mediated alcoholysis of tallow is a potentially viable route for the production of biodiesel, however efficient scale up has not been achieved. There is a good indication that the method would provide an ideal route for the disposal of animal by-product and that the added value would result in a no-cost option that has every potential for resulting in profit, provided that correct economies of scale apply.
This report is divided into the following sections:- Review of Biodiesel
- Influence of feedstock chemicals
- Protocol for synthesis
- Residues
- Techno-economic evaluation
- Lifecycle Analysis
- Conclusions
- References
Publication Year:
2006
Publisher:
Department of Trade and Industry
DOI:
No DOI minted
Author(s):
BLC Leather Technology Centre
Energy Category
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Language:
English
File Type:
application/pdf
File Size:
783892 B
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Region:
United Kingdom
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