Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019).

Biodiesel is produced from renewable lipid feedstocks, such as vegetable oil and animal fats. Generally, oil andx000D
methanol are reacted in the presence of a catalyst to yield biodiesel and glycerol as a by-product. Biodieselx000D
obtained after separation from the by-product contains impurities such as soap, water, glycerol and freex000D
potassium ions that affect the performance of biodiesel adversely. These impurities need to be separated fromx000D
biodiesel to meet the requirements of ASTM standards. The company, BIO-LIQ INC, tried to eliminatex000D
impurities by using synthetic resins, but the resins imparted H+ ions (acidity) and water into the biodiesel in ax000D
continuous process. Ion-exchange resins having negatively charged sulphonate group are able to removex000D
positively charged impurities (H+, potassium and sodium ions, soap, free glycerol) from the crude biodieselx000D
while silica-based resin (SIPERNAT) with large surface area for adsorption is capable of trapping all types ofx000D
impurities. In order to respond to the need of the company to purify biodiesel in a continuous process, anx000D
appropriate resin needs to be selected which can remove impurities so that the biodiesel follows the ASTMx000D
standards. First, a batch study will be conducted to treat crude biodiesel with different resins. Then, the selectedx000D
resin will be tested in a continuous column operation where process parameters (flow-rate, columnx000D
back-pressure) and impurities in the purified biodiesel will be continuously monitored. The continuous processx000D
of biodiesel purification using column operation is economical, effective and industrially feasible unlikex000D
wet-washing techniques requiring a large amount of expensive solvents and produce large amount ofx000D
wastewater. The process developed from the proposed research will help BIOLIQ and other industries ofx000D
Canada to produce biodiesel in a continuous mode, eliminating the use of large holding tanks.