Making Biodiesel in the Classroom - April Lanotte Big Sandy Schools

Making Biodiesel in the
     Classroom
                         April Lanotte
                    Big Sandy Schools
              alanotte@bigsandy100j.org

What is Biodiesel?
• Biodiesel is made from vegetable oil or animal
  fat (triglycerides) reacted with methanol or
  ethanol and a catalyst (lye), yielding biodiesel
  (fatty acid methyl or ethyl esters) and glycerin
  as a by-product
  – Fatty acid chains are removed from the chemical
    reaction by a catalyst (KOH), then bound with
    methanol, creating biodiesel. Glycerol, the
    remaining part of the triglyceride, is a byproduct
    of the reaction, which is later removed before use.

Why Biodiesel?

• One gallon of petroleum diesel fuel, once combusted,
  releases 22.384 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere.
  Biodiesel does not contribute extra CO2 into the
  atmosphere.
• Biodiesel reduces particulate matter emissions by at least
  55%, VOCs by 55%, and CO by 45% compared to fossil
  diesel. * (different sources have provided different figures—I’ve taken the lowest of the figures)
• Biodiesel is lower in sulfur—reduction in SO2 in the
  atmosphere (which contributes to acid rain). Jet fuel:
  3,000+ ppm sulfur; US off-road diesel: 500+ ppm; US regular
  road diesel 15-500 ppm; US ultra-low sulfur diesel: 15 ppm
   (2004 US Transportation Research Board report)

• Biodiesel can be made from just about any kind of fat or oil.

Who’s Using Biodiesel?
• Airlines (Virgin Atlantic, Continental Airlines,
  Air New Zealand, and Japan Airlines)…Eight total
  US airlines that operate out of LAX have also signed a deal to
  use more than 1.5 million gallons of biodiesel a year for their
  ground vehicles starting in 2012.

Biodiesel Use cont…
• Commerical trucks
• Personal diesel trucks, cars, SUVs
• Farm equipment

Home biodiesel-kit

Biodiesel set-up cont…

Biodiesel set-up part three…

Biodiesel Lab
• Materials needed:
   –   Gloves, goggles, aprons
   –   Buret set-up and funnel (for titrations)
   –   Scale
   –   125 ml Erlenmeyer flasks
   –   Graduated cylinders
   –   100 ml, 250 ml beakers
   –   Half-pint jars with lids (2 per group)
   –   Weigh boats
   –   Scoop
   –   Pipets
   –   Vegetable oil (various sources, including virgin oil and used vegetable oil)
   –   0.1 M KOH
   –   Isopropyl alcohol
   –   Phenolphthalein
   –   Bromophenol Blue
   –   Methanol
   –   0.01 M HCl

Biodiesel Lab Activities
• Activity One: Feedstock Titration
  – Titration activity to test for free fatty acids
    within the feedstock sample
  – Used to determine amount of KOH that will
    be needed in biodiesel production
• Activity Two: Biodiesel Production
  – Making biodiesel using virgin vegetable oil
• Activity Three: Advanced Biodiesel Production
  – Making biodiesel using used vegetable oil
    (WVO)

Biodiesel Lab Activites cont…
• Activity Three: Soap Titration
   – Calculate the amount of soap created when making biodiesel
   – Less soap is better!!! (highway quality biodiesel production
      standards conduct 19 different tests—soap analysis is not one of
      them. However, soap content can affect many other fuel quality
      parameters)
• Activity Four: Quality Control Option #2
   – Methanol test—dissolving biodiesel into methanol—any remaining
      triglycerides won’t dissolve in methanol and will settle to bottom
      of the flask
   Activity Five: Testing Biodiesel—Comparing Heat of Combustion
      (biodiesel vs. diesel)
   -- using a set-up similar to a calorimeter, burn samples of fuel-soaked
      candle-wicking set under aluminum cans with water inside for 5
      min.—compare mass of fuel burned and change in water temps.
   Activity Six: Testing Biodiesel #2—Engines
   --Use a small diesel-powered R/C engine to test your fuel, or make
      small steam-powered, diesel boat engines

Activity One: Feedstock
                Titration
• Purpose: To determine the
  amount of Free Fatty Acids
  within feedstock sample
• Materials Needed:
   – Gloves, goggles, aprons
   – Buret set-up and funnel
   – Graduated cylinder
   – Scale
   – Pipets
   – Feedstock samples (used
     vegetable oil)
   – Phenolphthalein
   – Isopropyl alcohol
   – 0.1 M KOH

Activity Two: Biodiesel
           Production from virgin
                vegetable oil
•   Purpose: to convert unused       • Procedures:
    vegetable oil into usable fuel   • 1.) Lab Partner One: In one
•   Materials Needed:
     – Gloves, goggles, aprons         jar, pour 30 mL of methanol
     – Weigh boat                      and put lid on.
     – Scoop
                                     • 2.) Lab Partner Two: Take
     – 250 mL beaker
     – 100 mL Graduated                weigh boat and metal
        cylinder                       scoop—measure out 1.05 g
     – Virgin vegetable oil
     – Half-pint jars with lids
                                       KOH.
     – Methanol                      • 3.) Add KOH to jar of
     – KOH flakes                      methanol. Replace lid and
•   SAFETY: Methanol, KOH, and         shake until flakes of KOH are
    the resulting methoxide are
    nasty chemicals. DO NOT            fully dissolved. (The jar will
    INHALE or GET ON CLOTHING          get warm from the
                                       exothermic reaction!)

Activity Two cont…
• 4.) Measure 150 mL of vegetable oil into a 250 mL
  beaker
• 5.) Add oil into the jar of dissolved KOH and methanol
  (methoxide)
• 6.) Replace lid on jar (make sure it’s on tight!!) and
  place tape around seal. DO NOT INHALE!
• 7.) Take turns shaking the jar vigorously for a total of 10
  min.
• 8.) Allow the solution to settle…you will begin to see
  the separation of the biodiesel and the glycerine within
  a minute or two (the glycerine will settle to the
  bottom).
• YOU’VE MADE BIODIESEL!

Activity Three: Soap Titration
• Purpose: To test the
  quality of biodiesel
  (soap is a by-product of
  unreacted Free Fatty
  Acids and KOH)
• Materials Needed:
   –   Gloves, goggles, aprons
   –   Buret set-up and funnel
   –   125 mL Erlenmeyer flask
   –   250 mL beaker
   –   0.01 M HCL
   –   Isopropyl alcohol
   –   1% bromophenol blue

Activity Four: Methanol Test
• Purpose: Another way
  to test biodiesel quality
  (FFA will not fully
  dissolve in methanol)
• Materials Needed:
   – Biodiesel sample
   – Methanol
   – 50 mL Graduated
     cylinder
   – 500 mL beaker

Sources for Biodiesel Info.
• http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel.html
   – Journey to Forever site: This is a great site with more
     information than any one person could use—this site has cross-
     links with all sorts of other sites, and has many references for
     you.
• http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/biodiesel.html
   – This US Dept. of Energy site contains lots of technical
     information about alternative fuels, and in this section, about
     biodiesel
• http://www.powernaturally.org/Programs/SchoolPowerNat
  urally/InTheClassroom/level3.asp?i=9
   – School Power…Naturally site: website that includes many
     different alternative energy lessons, including analysis of
     burning fossil fuels

More sources…
• http://www.biodiesel.org
   – The National Biodiesel Board website contains many links to
     different biodiesel sources.
• http://www.biofuels.coop/education
  -- Piedmont Biofuels, the original developers of Carolina
  Biological’s biodiesel lab, offers college-level training,
  explanations, etc. about biodiesel, along with industry
  processes and testing info. and education links and lessons.
• http://www.dudadiesel.com/?affiliate_pro_tracking_id=4:1
  :US
   – This site is a good source for purchasing biodiesel-making
     supplies