Report
Teaser, summary, work performed and final results
Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BioDie2020 (Demonstration of new, challenging and high FFA waste oil and fat feedstock in biodiesel process with improved costs, conversion and high fuel quality)
Teaser
Fossil fuel reserves are declining globally and are a finite resource. At the same time the levels of wastes going to land-fill or incineration are increasing. Green-house gas emissions continue to rise steadily. Waste fats oils and greases (FOGs) are amongst these wastes...
Summary
Fossil fuel reserves are declining globally and are a finite resource. At the same time the levels of wastes going to land-fill or incineration are increasing. Green-house gas emissions continue to rise steadily. Waste fats oils and greases (FOGs) are amongst these wastes. This type of waste can be found in waste water treatment plants. FOG can often interfere with the correct running of these plants if its volume remains unchecked. The disposal of FOG is usually via land-fill. As FOGs are comprised of natural fatty acids these have the potential to be reacted with methanol into biodiesel (fatty acid methyl ester – FAMEs)
Other waste fats including oils from food waste, oleochemical plants and fat traps can be reacted with methanol into FAME also.
The major objective of the BioDie2020 project is to convert waste fats and oils (different types of FOG, brown grease, acid oils, etc) in to high quality biodiesel product. However, the project also includes upgrades to the pre-treatment plant for processing raw material waste oils along with their analysis. The use of microwaves in improving settling times of esterification reactions is to be demonstrated as well as trialling methods for reducing impurities of the biodiesel final product itself.
Finally fuel trials will be carried out to investigate the impact of using the new biodiesel in buses which will include tail-pipe emissions and fuel economy monitoring. A life cycle analysis (LCA) from collection of raw material to tail-pipe emissions will also be undertaken. A business, market uptake and exploitation plan will also be included.
Work performed
All work outlined in the project for completion in the first twelve months of the project has been achieved. Ongoing work is progressing well.
Significant modifications have been made in the pre-treatment plant at Stanlow allowing improved and faster handling of waste fats and oils before esterification. Improvements included segregation of waste water streams, the ability to re-route material between processing lines and solid waste handling from oils. Evaluation of infrared spectroscopy for quick analyses of feedstock samples has been carried out also.
Furthermore, a new test method for the estimation of the settling behaviour of feedstock, which is crucial for the biodiesel process, was evaluated and a threshold value, based on the measured samples, was established. Work has begun on the influence waste streams will have on side products also.
A demonstration scale rig for removing polyethylene from feedstocks was ran for 4 weeks at Stanlow. Further work will be carried out using feedstocks from other biodiesel sites as it was found that the feedstocks being processed at Stanlow seldom contain significant levels of polyethylene. Design of a prototype microwave system has been completed along with a feedback sensor.
Introductory work has begun on sulphur by modifying the distillation capability at Stanlow and this is ahead of timelines stipulated in the project.
2 fuel trials have taken place to check the operation of the equipment used in the trials-proper in 2018. This has proved valuable as some data corruption was noted. Therefore, a more efficient and sensitive system will be in place when the trial begins later in 2018.
Definition and scope of the LCA has been achieved. Argent is producing a monthly mass balance which has greatly assisted data gathering for the LCA.
Work on developing a closed loop business model has begun along with ARGENT continually monitoring regulatory implications upon the biodiesel market. Lobbying and influence continues in this area.
Final results
The real impact of the project (including tail-pipe emissions) will not be understood until work on all work packages has been completed. However off-take and pre-treatment of FOG has occurred. This has led to less water treatment waste going to landfill than would have had the project not been carried out. Work on the socio-economic impact will start in M13.
Website & more info
More info: https://biodie2020.eu/.