Chapter 5
Principle and Processing of Biodiesel
Production
Changzhu Li, Aihua Zhang, and Rukuan Liu
Abstract At present, a major industrial technology for producing biodiesel is transesterification. The large-scale production of biodiesel mainly relies on soybean oil,
rapeseed oil, palm oil, and waste cooking oil as raw materials. Transesterification
takes place between these raw material oils and methanol with the help of catalytic
agents, which produced biodiesel. This chapter elaborates on the principle and process of biodiesel production by transesterification. The principle and processes were
emphasized in this chapter.
Keywords Biodiesel · Transesterification · Biodiesel production · Production
process · Production principle
5.1 Introduction
Today, the production process of biodiesel is developing with three distinctive features—large production equipment; continuous, automatic, digitalized, and
standardized production process; and “green” treatment of products and “Three
Wastes”.
The production process has a direct impact on the output and quality of biodiesel.
Meanwhile, the output and quality of biodiesel produced from raw material oil per
unit have a direct impact on the production cost of biodiesel. Researches have indicated that different raw materials have different production technologies. Therefore, countries all over the world are improving their biodiesel production process.
C. Li (B) · A. Zhang · R. Liu
State Key Laboratory of Utilization of Woody Oil Resource, Changsha 410004, China
e-mail: lichangzhu2013@aliyun.com
Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Utilization Science for Southern Woody Oil
Resource, Changsha 410004, China
Hunan Academy of Forestry, Provincial Branch of Chinese Academy of Forestry, Changsha
410004, China
National Joint Laboratory of Oil Energy Plants High Efficient Conversion, Changsha 410004,
China
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
C. Li et al. (eds.), Industrial Oil Plant,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4920-5_5
127
Principle and Processing of Biodiesel
Production
Changzhu Li, Aihua Zhang, and Rukuan Liu
Abstract At present, a major industrial technology for producing biodiesel is transesterification. The large-scale production of biodiesel mainly relies on soybean oil,
rapeseed oil, palm oil, and waste cooking oil as raw materials. Transesterification
takes place between these raw material oils and methanol with the help of catalytic
agents, which produced biodiesel. This chapter elaborates on the principle and process of biodiesel production by transesterification. The principle and processes were
emphasized in this chapter.
Keywords Biodiesel · Transesterification · Biodiesel production · Production
process · Production principle
5.1 Introduction
Today, the production process of biodiesel is developing with three distinctive features—large production equipment; continuous, automatic, digitalized, and
standardized production process; and “green” treatment of products and “Three
Wastes”.
The production process has a direct impact on the output and quality of biodiesel.
Meanwhile, the output and quality of biodiesel produced from raw material oil per
unit have a direct impact on the production cost of biodiesel. Researches have indicated that different raw materials have different production technologies. Therefore, countries all over the world are improving their biodiesel production process.
C. Li (B) · A. Zhang · R. Liu
State Key Laboratory of Utilization of Woody Oil Resource, Changsha 410004, China
e-mail: lichangzhu2013@aliyun.com
Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Utilization Science for Southern Woody Oil
Resource, Changsha 410004, China
Hunan Academy of Forestry, Provincial Branch of Chinese Academy of Forestry, Changsha
410004, China
National Joint Laboratory of Oil Energy Plants High Efficient Conversion, Changsha 410004,
China
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
C. Li et al. (eds.), Industrial Oil Plant,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4920-5_5
127