National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Biodiesel: Today’s Agricultural Fuel
K. Shaine Tyson
BioEnergy: The Future of Rural AmericaNovember 6, 2003
NREL/PR-510-35259Operated for the U.S. Department of Energy by Midwest Research Institute • Battelle • Bechtel
What is BiodieselA clean burning
renewable fuel made from agricultural products
Soy bean oilSunflower oilCanola and rapeseed oilAnimal fatsRecycled cooking oil
100 lbs oil + 10 lbs methanol + catalyst = 100 lbs biodiesel + 10 lbs glycerol
Biodiesel: Mono alkyl fatty acid esters made from renewable vegetable oils, recycled cooking greases, or animal fats that meets ASTM standards
Benefits of BiodieselIt does not cost American lives to produce
Produced by US FARMERSRECYCLERS
It is not dirty to produceUSA Today 11-3-03
Benefits of Biodiesel
Keeps dollars in the US
Not exporting dollars to foreign countries
Provides new crop and production opportunities to agricultural industry
Benefits of BiodieselDiversifying the fuel supply
postpones shortagesstretches the petroleum fuel we have furtherincreases consumer choices
Dampen price spikesAlternatives reduce market power of petroleumDampens how much price gouging can occur
STOP!$ 2 8. 9
Biodiesel Terminology
Pure biodiesel or 100% Biodiesel (B100)Also called NEAT BiodieselNot recommended for common use
Biodiesel BlendBXX for XX% biodieselB20 is 20% biodiesel and 80% petro diesel fuel
Most common blend in commercial use
B5 is 5% biodiesel and 95% petro diesel fueloffers largest petroleum displacement potential
Benefits of B20
BTU content similar to diesel No. 2Similar power and fuel efficiencyUsed in existing diesel equipment with NO modificationsSafer than diesel fuel (higher flash point)High lubricity – off the scaleEnhances biodegradabilityReduces CO, PM, NMHC, and Air toxic exhaust emissions
Griffin IndustriesGriffin
Industries
EPA Emission Analysis
RELATIVE EMISSION RATE (MG/HP-HR)
0 2 4 6 8 10
tetramethyl butaneethyl benzene
xylene (dimethyl benzene)C9 n-nonane
ethyl methyl benzeneHeptanol
C10 n-decaneHeptenoic acid, methyl ester
ethyl hexanoldiethyl benzene
methyl propyl benzeneC4-Benzene or C2-benzene
phenyl ethanonemethylisopropylbenzene
C11 n-undecanebenzoic acid
ethyl dimethyl benzeneoctanoic acid (caprylic acid)
nonanolbutoxyethoxy ethanol
1-dodeceneC12 n-dodecane
dimethyl undecanehexyl cyclohexane
nonanoic acidmethyl tridecane
tetrahydro dimethyl naphthaleneC13 n-tridecane
methyl naphthaleneundecanol
trimethyl dodecaneC14 n-tetradecane
ethyl naphthalenedimethyl naphthalene
hexanedioic acid, bis methylethyltetramethyl hexadecane
2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-dioneC15 n-pentadecane
1,1'-ethylidenebis-benzene1.1'-biphenyl, 3-methyl-
methyl ethyl naphthalenetrimethyl naphthalene
C16 n-hexadecanetrimethyl pentadecane
diphenyl methanoneC17 n-heptadecane
C18 n-octadecanehexadecanoic acid methyl ester
octadecadienoic acid methyl esteroctadecenoic acid methyl ester
0 2 4 6 8 10
B100 B20
0 2 4 6 8 10
2D
HEAVY HC SPECIATION - CUMMINS N14 ENGINE
Tier I Health Effects Data supplied by SWRI, 1997-8
Biodiesel emits 78.5% less CO2 than petroleum diesel
Soybean Production
Soybean Crushing
Biodiesel Production
Biodiesel End Use
169.34 g carbon in fat and oil
1.24 kg soybeans
-0.81 g C in wastewater
-7.73 g C in meal residual oil
160.81 g carbon in soy oil
-8.31 g C in glycerine, soapstock
-2.36 g C in wastewater
-1.74 g C in solid waste
148.05 g C in CO2
0.34 g of C in THC, CO and TPM
Transport Transport
148.39 g Cin biodiesel
Transport
21.29 g C from CO2
1 bhp-hwork
Energy Efficient
Biodiesel yields 3.2 units of fuel energy for every unit of fossil fuel consumed in its life cycle.
Petroleum diesel yields 0.83 units of fuel energy per unit of fossil energy consumed.
00.20.40.60.8
11.2
PetroleumDiesel
Biodiesel
MJ Fossil Used per MJ Fuel
Biodiesel Challenges
Expensive to produce because of expensive feedstocks
$1.30 to $2.50/gal of B100B20 can cost 20 cents/gal more than diesel fuel
By product glycerol is flooding the marketStorage stability and cold weather performance affected by type of feedstocksGreases and some animal fats need pretreatment technologyFeedstock supply is limited to 10% of diesel needs (or less)Solutions for supply need to include byproduct oilseed meals
NREL Research Projects
Developing new products from glycerolEvaluating technology to change feedstock chemistry
Improve stability and cold flowDeveloping biorefinery modelsTesting various pretreatment configurationsAdvanced emission testing on new diesel engines
A Biodiesel Biorefinery
Oil CropsRenderingProducts
Com
mon
con
vers
ion
and
sepa
ratio
n st
eps
Fatty Acids
Glycerol
Biodiesel
Chemicals/Products
Chemical/Products
Protein MealChemicals/Products
Animal Feed
OilFuel, Refinery Feed
Chemical/Products
For More Info
National Biodiesel Boardwww.biodiesel.org1-800-841-5849
K. Shaine Tyson and Robert McCormickwww.ott.doe.gov/biofuels303-275-4616 Tyson202-275-4432 McCormick