Biodiesel and Oilseed Production

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Biodiesel and Oilseed Production

• Introduction to renewable fuels and feed stocks

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What is Biodiesel

• Biodiesel is a product of reacting a plant oil or
  animal fat with an alcohol.
• Methyl esters
• This reaction is called transesterfication
• Oil alcohol biodiesel and glycerin

Basic Catalyst
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Biodiesel Facts

• Lower energy content than Diesel
• Biodiesel 118,296 BTUs per gallon
• No. 2 Diesel 129,500 BTUs per gallon
• Source National Biodiesel Board
• Energy Lifecycle
• 3.2 units of energy are produced for each energy
  unit used
• Source NREL

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The Chemistry
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Another Look at the Chemistry
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The Feed Stocks

• In Montana
• Long season
• Requires irrigation
• Grows in select regions of Montana

• Soybeans
• Leading feedstock for biodiesel in the US
• 20 oil

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The Feed Stocks

• In Montana
• Long season
• Requires irrigation
• Grows in select regions of Montana

• Sunflowers
• Grown primarily for food grade oil
• Confectionary and oil varieties
• Up to 50 oil

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The Feed Stocks

• In Montana
• Short season (winter and spring varieties)
• Requires irrigation
• Grows in the northern and central regions of MT

• Canola
• Grown primarily for food grade oil
• Used for biodiesel in Europe
• About 40 oil

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The Feed Stocks

• In Montana
• Longer growing season
• Grown similar to small grains
• Grows in the northern and central regions of MT

• Flax
• Grown for fiber and oil
• Uses as a health supplement (Omega 3)
• About 45 oil

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The Feed Stocks

• In Montana
• Longer growing season
• Thistle like plant
• Grows well in many regions of the state

• Safflower
• Grown for food grade oil
• Low in saturated fat
• About 30-35 oil

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The Feed Stocks

• In Montana
• Montana is leading production in the
• Short season crop
• Grows well in many regions of the state

• Camelina
• New crop to the US
• Used as a health supplement (Omega 3)
• About 30-40 oil

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The Feed Stocks

• Animal Fat
• Generally considered a waste product
• Tyson alone generates 2.3 Billion pounds/year
• Equating to 175 million
• gallons of biodiesel
• Lower Quality oil that
• requires more processing
• Solid at 50 F

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The Feed Stocks

• Waste Vegetable Oil
• 1 million gallons of Biodiesel could be made from
  the WVO from San Francisco alone
• Lower quality oil requires
• more processing
• Removes the question of
• competition for food crops
• Only available in large
• quantities in urban areas

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Processing Technology

• Two General Methods
• Solvent Extraction
• Standard technology for facilities with daily
  capacities of greater than 300 tons per day
• Commonly used in conjunction with some form of
  mechanical extraction
• Mechanical Extraction
• Typically used for facilities with daily
  capacities of less than 150 tons per day

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Solvent Extraction

• Nearly all commercial soybean processors use
  solvent extraction technology

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Solvent Extraction

• The basic process
• Seed Preparation
• Removal of foreign objects
• Removal of seed hulls or shells for some seeds
• Pre-Pressing
• Seed is crushed through a mechanical press
• Pre-Pressing removes some oil from high oil
  content seeds

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Solvent Extraction

• The basic process
• Solvent Application
• Solvent is applied to the pre-pressed material
• The solvent bonds to the oil in the material
• Solvent oil mixture is removed from the meal
• The oil is then separated from the solvent which
  is reused in the process

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Solvent Extraction

• Benefits
• Solvent Extraction is capable of recovering of
  99 of the oil contained in the seed
• Lowest cost per ton for commercial processing
• Draw Backs
• Large capital investment
• Not feasible for small scale processing
• Environmental concerns

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Mechanical Extraction

• The basic process
• Seed Preparation
• Removal of foreign objects
• Removal of seed hulls or shells for some seeds
• Extraction
• Seed is processed by a mechanical press
• Removing 65-80 of oil contained in the seed

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Mechanical Extraction

• Required Equipment
• Mechanical Press
• Power source for the press
• Seed Bins
• Meal Bins
• Oil Tanks
• Pumps, Filters, Plumbing

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Final Products

• Meal
• The oilseed processed determines many of the
  attributes of the meal
• Oil content of the meal also determines some of
  the attributes of the meal

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Final Products

• Meal Markets
• On-Farm Use
• Local Markets
• Other Markets
• Transportation costs may be limiting

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What is Biodiesel

• Oil alcohol biodiesel and glycerin

Basic Catalyst
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Stages of Biodiesel Production

• The reaction
• The lighter biodiesel stays on top and the
  heavier, darker glycerin settles to the bottom

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Stages of Biodiesel Production

• The Washing
• Washing the biodiesel removes all the impurities
• Glycerin
• In-completely reacted oil
• Methanol
• Lye
• Soaps

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Stages of Biodiesel Production

• The Drying
• All the water needs to be evaporated
• The difference in clarity is visable with the
  removal of the water

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Stages of Biodiesel Production

• The Testing
• Standards of quality have been established to
  prevent engine damage
• Measures completeness of the reaction and
  contaminates in the fuel
• Ensures consumer confidence

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Byproducts
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Pros and Con

• Pros
• Reduced emissions
• Burns more completely
• High lubricity
• Biodegradable
• Renewable
• Positive energy balance
• 3.2 units gained per unit expended

• Cons
• Lower energy
• 8 less energy/gallon
• Higher cold flow point
• Jells faster
• Varies with type of oil used
• Shorter storage life
• Not always less expensive

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Ethanol Production
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What is Ethanol

• CH3CH2OH
• Grain Alcohol
• Ethyl Alcohol
• Clear and colorless
• The same regardless of feedstock
• Can be blended at low (E10)
• Or High levels (E85)

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Chemistry of Ethanol
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Ethanol Production

• Ethanol is a metabolic byproduct
• Yeast breaks down glucose for energy
• Ethanol is an intermediate that the yeast does
  not need
• Classic illustration of microbiology

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Ethanol

• US ethanol is produced from corn
• Production Technologies have been improved
  significantly since the 1970s
• 1984 1 bushel 2.40 gallons
• 1994 1 bushel 2.52 gallons
• 2004 1 bushel 2.72 gallons
• In 2007 about 23 of the US corn production was
  used to produce ethanol

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Feedstocks

• Corn
• 70 Starch
• 2.5 gal ethanol/bu
• Average yield of 140 bu/acre
• 91 of Ethanol in USA

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Corn Ethanol Montana

• Montana Corn Acres in 2006 were 65,000
• 18,000 acres were corn for grain
• Average Yield of 146 bu./acre
• if 100 of the corn for grain was converted to
  ethanol
• Total production would be 7.1 million gallons
• Roughly 1.4 of Montanas gasoline consumption

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Feedstocks

• Milo
• Less than 6 of Ethanol produced
• Little production in MT (not a grain crop)

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Feedstocks

• Wheat
• Less than 1 of Ethanol
• Gluten must be removed
• Montana is 3rd in the nation for production

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Feedstocks

• Sugar cane (and other sugars)
• ½ the worlds ethanol
• Most Efficient Feedstock
• Limited in Growing region

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Feedstocks

• Cellulose
• Wood waste
• Crop reside
• Grasses
• Poplars, etc.
• Land fill
• Expensive
• Multiple steps
• Extensive research being conducted

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Ethanol Plants
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Dry Milling
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Wet Milling
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Co-products

• Distillers Grains
• 1/3 of grain
• High Energy
• High Protein
• Livestock feed

• CO2
• 1/3 of grain
• Can be used in carbonated drinks
• Research to feed algae
• Lignin
• Burned in boilers
• Particle board

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Pros and Con

• Pros
• Reduced emissions
• Burns more completely
• Higher Octane
• Cleans injectors
• Prevents gas line freeze up
• Biodegradable Renewable
• New feed stocks being researched
• Positive energy balance
• 30 energy gain per unit expended or more

• Cons
• Lower energy
• 34 less energy/gallon
• High blends not approved in all vehicles
• E10 approved in all
• Higher require Flex Fuel Vehicles
• High water use
• Not always less expensive