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From Left: Joshua Harbert, Christian Ocier, Mitch Kenyon, Fred Thielke, Adebo Alao

Calvin College. From Left: Joshua Harbert, Christian Ocier, Mitch Kenyon, Fred Thielke, Adebo Alao. Outline. What – Project Overview Why – Underlying Reasoning How – Technical Requirements Who – Other Potential Users Acknowledgements Questions. Our Project.

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From Left: Joshua Harbert, Christian Ocier, Mitch Kenyon, Fred Thielke, Adebo Alao

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  1. Calvin College From Left: Joshua Harbert, Christian Ocier, Mitch Kenyon, Fred Thielke, Adebo Alao

  2. Outline • What – Project Overview • Why – Underlying Reasoning • How – Technical Requirements • Who – Other Potential Users • Acknowledgements • Questions

  3. Our Project • Design and construct a process to convert Yellow Grease into biodiesel • Capable of processing high Free Fatty Acid (FFA) feedstock • 45 gal capacity • 2-stage process

  4. Our Project • Yellow Grease is obtained from Campus Dining Services • Tentative plans for reactor • Donate to Calvin College • Campus Student Organization will operate reactor to fuel a campus commuter van

  5. Why Are We Doing This? • We believe that: • There is an energy crisis arising • There is no single solution • We also believe that the solutions will be dependent on: • Life style changes • Cultural and regional resource use • Sustainable/renewable energy • Education and good examples • will be very important • in solving this problem

  6. Where Does Biodiesel Come From? • Soy oil has limited potential • Soy oil costs $2.16/gal • Processed yellow grease costs between $0.91-$1.13/gal

  7. Alternatives For Our Process? • Trap grease is an alternative to yellow grease • Contain high FFA • Difficult to collect • Difficult to process • Virtually Free • A process like ours is ideal for high FFA feedstocks

  8. Inputs and Outputs

  9. How We Are Doing This? • Basic Components • Reaction vessel • Filter • Polisher • Pump • Agitator • Vacuum Pump • Methanol Condenser

  10. How We Are Doing This?

  11. Glycerin • Waste glycerin can be reprocessed and: • Produces Ethylene Glycol and Propylene Glycol • Yields a profit of $1.34 per gallon of glycerin Based on a study by University of Waterloo Engineering Department

  12. Adsorption Polishing Column Polymer Adsorbent

  13. Vacuum Distillation • Vacuum Distillation: • Pulls a vacuum on the reactor to recover the methanol and remove the water • Advantages: • Water in oil boils at ~140°C • With a vacuum it is only 60°C • Prevents fume leakage of Methanol and Potassium Methoxide, which are flammable and poisonous • Uses significantly less energy

  14. Energy and Cost • Some data based on calculations and lab work • $0.78/gal (free WVO) • $1.88/gal (WVO @ $1.13/gal) • Input energy=1.17MJ/kg • Energy delivered=12.72MJ/kg

  15. Who Should and Shouldn’t do This • Suitable for: • Trucks, boats, generators, personal vehicles • Most unmodified diesel engines • Most moderate climates • Not Suitable for: • Very cold environments • Older diesel engines (natural rubber parts)

  16. Questions?

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