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ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research _______________ISSN 2231-5780
Vol.3 (9), September (2013)
Online available at zenithresearch.org.in
**MERADO, LUDHIANA
ABSTRACT
The biodiesel production process in reality is much more than just a chemical reaction. The
practical aspects of how to convert a locally available bio-oil resource into a modern biodiesel
fuel in a rural-scale biodiesel plant is of utmost importance for enhancing its techno-socio-
economic viability. It has been proven, under Indian conditions that the industrial-scale biodiesel
plant application had failed due to variety of feedstock problems and its management. This paper
gives details of work carried out in developing assembly of a prototype semi-continuous batch
biodiesel production plant that is not only portable but also suitable to support rural population
that wish to become self manufacturer of biodiesel. The batch biodiesel plant has a daily
production capacity of approximately 100 liters when working on two shifts of 10 hour each. It
can be set up for virgin vegetable oil (edible or non-edible), waste cooking oil as well as high
free fatty acid (FFA) oil. It can support esterification reaction as well as transesterification
process that uses a non-pressurized reaction vessel and elevated reaction temperatures. Another
key advantage of the proposed plant design is that it has methanol recovery unit, without adding
much extra cost. With the initial total capital investment of about ` 2 lacs the proposed 100LPD
biodiesel plant (annual production capacity of 30 tons of biodiesel) can earn a profit to the tune
of ` 70 thousand giving about 35% Return on Investment (ROI) and break even in merely less
than 3 years.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Biodiesel, an alternative to fossil petroleum diesel fuel, is made from renewable biological
sources such as vegetable oils and animal fats. It is biodegradable, nontoxic and has low
emission profiles making it environmentally benign (Michael et al, 1996). Under Indian
conditions to avoid conflict with scarcity of cultiviable land for growing demand of food crops,
an emphasis by the Government has always been to explore the possibility of using non-edible
oils for biodiesel production (Planning Commission Report, 2003). There are number of ways to
make the vegetable oil equivalent to diesel fuel. These methods include; transesterification,
pyrolysis, micro-emulsion, blending and thermal depolymerization (Srivastava and Prasad,
2000). One of the most common methods used to reduce oil viscosity in the biodiesel industry is
called transesterification. The major objective during these interventions then was to develop a
simplified method for extracting glycerol during soap production which was much needed for
war-time explosives production (Gerpen, 2005).
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ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research _______________ISSN 2231-5780
Vol.3 (9), September (2013)
Online available at zenithresearch.org.in
There is an urgent need to develop and demonstrate technologies to potential plant operators and
fuel consumers, and to develop new technologies for reducing the input costs to enhance
economic viability of biodiesel production. Hence, an effort was made to design an assembly of
a 100 LPD semi-continuous biodiesel pilot plant suitable for rural application. The work was
carried out at the Mechanical Engineering Research and Development Organization (MERADO)
Ludhiana (India) an extension centre of Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute,
Durgapur (India). The AUTODESK INVENTOR 10.0 software was used for design.
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ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research _______________ISSN 2231-5780
Vol.3 (9), September (2013)
Online available at zenithresearch.org.in
and the purified biodiesel product. This section consists of four storage tanks, E1 and E2. The
purified biodiesel from the reactor BR1 was pumped into biodiesel storage tank E2 and glycerol
in tank E1 and the recovered methanol into tank A3. Tank BW1 is for the storage of waste from
pre-treatment step.
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ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research _______________ISSN 2231-5780
Vol.3 (9), September (2013)
Online available at zenithresearch.org.in
Since the pre-treatment reactors (BR1) contain corrosive sulfuric acid, stainless steel was chosen
as the material of construction. Stainless was also chosen for the transesterification reactor CR1,
because of the corrosive caustic being used as a catalyst.
3.3 Frame
The frame for the biodiesel plant was designed to fix the reactors, separating vessel, mixing tank,
pumps and transmission system on it. The total frame height was 2.12 meters. Both of mixing
vessel were placed such that, there was gravitational flow methoxide into reactor. The frame was
built with 60x60x60 mm square hollow pipe of carbon steel material.
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ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research _______________ISSN 2231-5780
Vol.3 (9), September (2013)
Online available at zenithresearch.org.in
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ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research _______________ISSN 2231-5780
Vol.3 (9), September (2013)
Online available at zenithresearch.org.in
The production rate of biodiesel is 700 liters per week, and according to the current diesel price
of ` 39 per liter, weekly revenue of ` 27300 could be realized. This provides the net profit of
` 1624 per week and is estimated to be a profit of ` 2.32 per liter of biodiesel produced without
including the revenue from the selling of by-product (glycerol). In the whole biodiesel
production cost calculation, the revenue from the glycerol sell is taken to be negligible. With the
process consuming just over one kg of methanol for every 4.5 liters of biodiesel produced, the
cost of methanol per liter of biodiesel is 6.67 paise. With the production rate of 30 tons of
biodiesel annually, a profit of ` 70 thousand each year is realized. By considering the initial Total
Capital Investment of 1.91 lacs, this equates to a Return on Investment (ROI) of 35%, and the
biodiesel production plant will break even at approximately 2.74 years.
In order to discharge the wastewater, the sulphate, soap and methanol concentration must be
reduced, along with pH. To reduce sulphate concentrations, it may be treated by either
precipitating with barium ions (at low pH), or through anaerobic digestion. The pH can be
reduced through the addition of an acid, such as HCl. Glycerol is produced as a by-product in the
main transesterification reactions. Approximately 220 kg of glycerol is produced in one week,
which will contain amounts of biodiesel, un-reacted methanol, KOH and soap. Due, to
complexity in the purification of glycerol, it is decided that the glycerol by-product will not be
purified in this rural facility, instead, the glycerol will be sent to specialty waste facility for
proper purification.
7.0 CONCLUSION
The designed biodiesel plant is capable to handle both esterification reactions as well as
transesterification process in a non-pressurized reaction vessel, thus can be handled by a semi-
skilled labour in remote areas. The biodiesel plant has a production capacity of approximately 30
tons per annum (100 LPD) when working in two shift of 10 hour working. It is set up for virgin
vegetable oil (edible or non-edible), waste cooking oil as well as high free fatty acid (FFA) oil.
The key advantage of this plant design is that it has a methanol recovery unit, without adding
51
ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research _______________ISSN 2231-5780
Vol.3 (9), September (2013)
Online available at zenithresearch.org.in
much extra cost, hence lot of saving on working capital from the use of recovered methanol
resulting in reduced biodiesel production cost. With the production rate of 30 tons of biodiesel
annually, a profit of ` 70 thousand each year can be realized with pay back period of
approximately 2.74 years.
REFERENCES
Gerpen, J.V., 2005. Biodiesel processing and production. Fuel processing Technology, vol. 86,
1097-1107.
Michael, S. G. and Robert, L.M., 1998. Combustion of fat and vegetable oil derived fuels in
diesel engines. Prog. Energy combust. Sci., Vol,24, pp125-164.
Planning Commission Report, 2003. National mission on biofuels. Published by Ministry of
planning commission, Govt of India.
Srivastava, A, Prasad R. 2000. Triglycerides-based diesel fuel. Renewable and Sustainable
Energy Reviews. Vol 4, 111-133.
http://www.dfwbiodiesel.com/technology.html (access on 15/07/2007)
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