Simple Chemical Tests for Monitoring Home-Brewed Biodiesel Quality
Location
CSU 253/4/5
Start Date
5-4-2010 10:00 AM
End Date
5-4-2010 12:00 PM
Student's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Mentor's Name
Daniel Swart
Mentor's Department
Chemistry and Geology
Mentor's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Description
In the recent past, biodiesel has become an alternate source of renewable energy exhibiting a low net carbon load. Biodiesel, commonly synthesized from free used vegetable oils, potassium or sodium hydroxide, and methanol, can readily be made at home for a fraction of the cost of standard diesel. Previously, research on biodiesel production utilized complex chemical analysis techniques such as gas / liquid chromatography to evaluate product purity and reaction completion. Since it is not feasible for home-brewers to use such laboratory grade tests, the home-brewer of biodiesel must rely on several physical tests of purity which often produce unreliable results. By applying straightforward, inexpensive chemical analyses to the area of biodiesel quality control, it is the goal of the current work to provide the amateur biodiesel producer with simple tests for monitoring their biodiesel generation, thus increasing their yield and decreasing their level of possible waste.
Previously studies in the literature have shown that biodiesel production relies heavily on factors such as temperature, time, and mole ratios of reagents and catalyst. In this current study, the parameters of biodiesel production were varied to affect the purity and quality of the biodiesel product. Soap production and yield from these modified processes were measured via simple acid titration. Incomplete reaction products (mono and diglycerides) and intermediates were monitored by various simple and affordable planar chromatography techniques (thin layer and paper chromatography). Results of these home-brew friendly tests were corroborated versus the benchmark of gas chromatography.
Simple Chemical Tests for Monitoring Home-Brewed Biodiesel Quality
CSU 253/4/5
In the recent past, biodiesel has become an alternate source of renewable energy exhibiting a low net carbon load. Biodiesel, commonly synthesized from free used vegetable oils, potassium or sodium hydroxide, and methanol, can readily be made at home for a fraction of the cost of standard diesel. Previously, research on biodiesel production utilized complex chemical analysis techniques such as gas / liquid chromatography to evaluate product purity and reaction completion. Since it is not feasible for home-brewers to use such laboratory grade tests, the home-brewer of biodiesel must rely on several physical tests of purity which often produce unreliable results. By applying straightforward, inexpensive chemical analyses to the area of biodiesel quality control, it is the goal of the current work to provide the amateur biodiesel producer with simple tests for monitoring their biodiesel generation, thus increasing their yield and decreasing their level of possible waste.
Previously studies in the literature have shown that biodiesel production relies heavily on factors such as temperature, time, and mole ratios of reagents and catalyst. In this current study, the parameters of biodiesel production were varied to affect the purity and quality of the biodiesel product. Soap production and yield from these modified processes were measured via simple acid titration. Incomplete reaction products (mono and diglycerides) and intermediates were monitored by various simple and affordable planar chromatography techniques (thin layer and paper chromatography). Results of these home-brew friendly tests were corroborated versus the benchmark of gas chromatography.
Recommended Citation
Tambi, Sandra and James Thorne. "Simple Chemical Tests for Monitoring Home-Brewed Biodiesel Quality." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 5, 2010.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2010/poster-session-A/8
