UIUC BIODIESEL INITIATIVE ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS

1. UIUC BIODIESEL INITIATIVEENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS Great Lakes Regional Conference Local Projects Focus

2. Mission Statement The UIUC Biodiesel Initiative is a local project focused primarily on lowering the emissions of the university and promoting education of renewable fuel sources. Our team strives to make the UIUC Biodiesel Initiative a model for university and community biodiesel production.

3. Agenda • Project Briefing • Similar projects at other universities • Starting a project at your university • Questions Picture from www.dervaesinstitute.org

4. Biodiesel basics • Biodiesel is an alternative fuel to petroleum diesel that is more campus- and environmentally-friendly • When produced from waste vegetable oil, it’s a very eco-friendly and economically-friendly fuel

5. Biodiesel basics • Pros of Biodiesel • Lower emissions • Renewable fuel source • Waste recycling • Cost savings • Produced and used locally • Cons of Biodiesel • Cold weather properties • Short shelf life • Warranties • Materials incompatibility

6. UIUC Biodiesel Initiative: From Fries to Fuel • Collect waste oil from dining halls • Buy other inputs (methanol and KOH)‏ • Perform the transesterification reaction • Separate the glycerin and rinse the biodiesel • Test the biodiesel • Implement fuel system for campus trucks and tractors

7. Waste oil collection • Waste vegetable oil from University Housing • serves >8000 students daily • ~400 gallons/week • 7 Residence Halls across campus

8. Reaction • Biodiesel is a product of a transesterification reaction • Inputs: • Waste Vegetable Oil • Methanol • Catalyst (i.e. KOH)‏ • Reactions: • Heat to 55C for 2 hours • Outputs: • Glycerin • Biodiesel • The batch process can take place on a scale smaller than the Appleseed (water heater) or several times greater than our 400-gallon reactor soap-queen.blogspot.com

9. Reaction • Produces 400 gallons per batch. • 1:1 ratio of WVO to Biodiesel • 1:1 ratio of methanol to glycerin • Uses water to purify fuel. • Roughly a 4:1 water to waste oil ratio • Our 400 gal. reaction will require 1600 gal. water

10. Testing • As close as possible to ASTM Standards • 7 tests reasonably assure quality • Viscosity • Specific Gravity • Acid Number • Water and Sediment • Cloud point • Flashpoint • Gas Chromatography

11. Integration • Splash blending in underground tank • Subsequent to positive testing results • Major ramifications if a bad batch enters underground tank • Testing is a crucial step • Biodiesel Blend will vary based on timing • First week: ~3% blend • Fourth week: ~18% blend www.stickerguy.com

12. Future plans • Waste oil collection expands to • Private dining halls • Local restaurants • Algae • Excess biodiesel used in campus • Tractors • Buses • Outreach expands • Reactor as tool for education and research • Local community outreach • Agronomy Day, EOH, and other Learning Fairs • Exhibit at regional and national biodiesel conferences • Aid and encourage other biodiesel initiatives

13. Similar projects at other universities • CU Biodiesel- University of Colorado at Boulder • Small-scale reactor • Buy biodiesel and implement in all buses • Rice University Biodiesel Initiative • Started really small (200 mL batches)‏ • Starting this semester, produces 70 gallon batches for use in campus fleet Picture from http://www.answers.com/topic/biodiesel

14. Starting a biodiesel project • Develop a goal • Find a market for your product • Simple, one or two customers to start • Check warranties • Find good contacts for consulting • Past EWB helpful professors or consultants • Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department • Waste Management and Research Center • Publicize and Apply for grants

15. Organizing a biodiesel project • UIUC Biodiesel • 4 different steps • WVO acquisition • Reactor Design • Testing • Outreach • 4 different committees • 2 goals, production, outreach • Officers and Committee Leaders • X University Biodiesel • How many steps? • Committee framework or step-by-step implementation • Is production the main goal? Is outreach more important? Is there a third factor? • Formal hierarchy or more decentralized

16. Conducting a biodiesel project • Small-scale set-up • Architecture - mock-up • Build experience on small scale • Small-scale set-up has many future uses • Outreach • Publicity • Other oil sources (algae?)‏

17. Barriers Concerns Resolutions • Picking up and moving the WVO • Spill concerns at pick up • Finding a secure and proper location to react • Pickup truck and barrels at dining halls • Secondary containment and spill kit • Facilities and Services Garage and Carpool

18. Barriers Concerns Resolutions • Safety for students • Where to grow? • Sustainability of the initiative • Developed guidelines for all participants • Expanding within university • Positive benefits insured over time

19. A happy ending • Demand for biodiesel soared over the past semester • The construction plans to construction services by October 17th. • Modifications to be complete by the new year • Reactor construction to begin in January • Production to begin in February

20. Thank you • Dean Bruce Litchfield • Professor Alan Hansen • Doug Bennet- WMRC • Facilities and Services • UIUC Dining Services • Kraft Foods • ADM • Liftomatic

21. QUESTIONS?