ROBERT A. EVANGELISTA

BIODIESEL from WASTE RESTAURANT OIL

HOME Please click the camera icons to view photos.

Assisted in the entire operations of a production biodiesel facility: the collection of waste oil, the processing of the waste oil into biodiesel, the recycling of process wastes, and the delivery of the liquid biodiesel fuel to customers. Attended meetings of a newly forming biodiesel producer cooperative. Provided chemical engineering design in the selection and sizing of appropriate pumping equipment for waste oil. Part of an international consortium to make biofuels energy accessable to the poor in developing countries.

 

Collection of waste oil

Waste oil was collecd from the surrounding community restaurants. The timing of the oil pickups were based on phone calls from restaurants and a scheduled "milk run."

 

Waste Oil into Biodiesel

Please note, process details can not be disclosed due to client confidentiality. After waste oil was delivered to the facility, the oil was sequentially prefiltered and pretreated before the main step transformation into biodiesel, transesterification. During transesterification, the pretreated oil waste was converted into biodiesel and glycerol, a waste product at this time. The biodiesel was next sent to post treatment to "polish" the liquid into a trouble-free diesel fuel substitute.

 

Recycling of Process Wastes

The main process waste, glycerol was delivered to a community composting facility for recycling by mixing with green waste, food waste, manure, waste stable straw, and other components. The resulting products were various grades of farm and garden compost.

 

Biodiesel distribution

Biodiesel was loaded into 55-gallon drums and 250-gallon totes and transported for direct distribution and sale to regional consumers who used pure (100%) biodiesel (b100) directly into their diesel-powered equipment, ambient temperature permitting. If temperatures were too cold for b100 use, customers formulated their own biodiesel blends with other liquid fuels and additives.

 

Producer Cooperative

Attended meeting of a producer cooperative to offer client advise after the meeting. The cooperative was forming to coordinate and enhance the economic position of Vermont's biodiesel producers.

 

Chemical Engineering Design

Provided engineering for the selection and sizing of an appropriate pump that could handle viscous waste oil contaminated with particulates. Pump had to be able to provide double duty for a possible future process modification that would expose the pump to a highly corrosive environment. Cost effectiveness was the highest priority in design after performance.

 

Consortium to Investigate Biofuels Energy Development and Microlending

Separate from the above project, I was part of an international consortium, involving an international bank, a large research university, an international energy advisor for developing countries, and non governmental organizations (NGOs) in India and Tanzania, assembled to acquire funding to provide research and educational outreach with the express purpose of making biofuels energy from biomass and microloans available to the poor in developing countries. The objectives for making biofuels energy and microloans available to the poor was to create new jobs, make energy accessable to the poor, and achieve technical (education) transfer, all with the intent of providing economic development in developing nations. Details of the proposal are confidential.

 

These project were for private clients; no publications or reports are available.