(203o) Sustainable Production of Biodiesel From Canola Oil: A Systematic Approach

Sustainable Production of Biodiesel
from Canola Oil: A Systematic Approach

Estelle Guyonvarch^a,
Ilias Mavrovas^a, Rasmus
W. Aniol^a,
Amol S. Hukkerikar^a

^aDepartment of Chemical and
Biochemical engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Soltofts
Plads, Building 229, DK-2800 Kgs.
Lyngby, Denmark

During the last few years, there is globally a
rapid turn towards the sustainable production of alternative fuels both for
environmental and geopolitical reasons. A significant example is the decision
of the European Commission to increase the use of alternative fuels in the road
transport sector to 20 % by 2020 (Directive 2003/30/EC) in order to address not
only the increasing environmental damage but also its dependence on oil
producing external agents [1].   

Biodiesel appears to be a highly promising
alternative for the substitution of petroleum derived diesel, given that it
presents significant merits such as low-toxicity, biodegradability and
increased availability. By taking into account the existence of commercial
biodiesel production facilities in various countries, in this project a
systematic approach is followed for the preliminary design of a biodiesel
production plant using virgin vegetable canola oil as raw material by a NaOH catalyzed trans-esterification process. Through a
sequence of 12 consecutive tasks an analytical decomposition of the design
process in subsystems is achieved.

In tasks 1 to 6 initial design has been
elaborated, followed by generation of potential process alternatives. Then in tasks
7 and 8 development of a rigorous form of the process and sizing and costing of
the specified equipment is respectively applied. Heat and mass integration
opportunities and their subsequent effects on the economic feasibility of the
process are further investigated in tasks 9 and 10. Task 11 in turn focuses on
the environmental and sustainability aspects of the process by evaluating the
environmental and socio-economical impact of the process through the use of the
WAR algorithm. Last, in task 12 optimization of the
process with respect to the minimization of the capital and operational costs
but also to the environmental impact of the process takes place in accordance
with the generated results from tasks 9 to 11. For the design and simulation of
the biodiesel process a commercial simulator is used, while the integrated
computer aided software ICAS is used for the prediction of components physico-chemical properties and the application of the WAR
algorithm. Last, ECON software is used for the analysis of the economic aspects
of the process.

The plant is designed for a total production
rate of 115 M liters of biodiesel per year. Additionally 7.9 M liters of
glycerol per year are produced as a valuable by-product, thus leading to a
total annual income of US$ 155.8 M. After optimizing the biodiesel process, a
reduction of the utility costs by 16 % is achieved, resulting in a 19 %
increase of the net return in a 10 year period and a payback time of 1.5 years.
Last, the following ratios are determined: 0.904 kg biodiesel / kg (canola oil
+ methanol), 0.012 L (water solvent) / kg biodiesel and 1470 KJ (energy consumed)
/ kg biodiesel.

References:

[1]
Official Journal of the European Union, L Series, number 123 of 17 May 2003, page
43