Biodiesel Production

In the fundamental biodiesel production process, vegetable based oils and animal fats are converted into biodiesel using a process called transesterification. Vegetable oils and animal fats are primarily composed of triglycerides , which are a combination of fatty acid esters and glycerin. The oils and fats are filtered and preprocessed to remove water and contaminants. If free fatty acids are present, they are removed or transformed into biodiesel using special pretreatment technologies. The pretreated oils and fats are then mixed with an alcohol (methanol or ethanol) and a strong alkali catalyst (sodium or potassium hydroxide). The oil molecules (triglycerides) are broken apart and reformed into methyl/ethyl esters and glycerin, which are then separated from each other and purified. Glycerin (used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, among other markets) is produced as a co-product.