Alternative Feedstocks for the

Production of Biodiesel
Daniel P. Geller, M.S.
Biological and Agricultural
Engineering Department
The University of Georgia
Traditional Biodiesel Feedstocks

The most common form of Biodiesel is

that made by the transesterification of
vegetable oils
• In the US, soybeans provide the most
common feedstock
• In Europe, rapeseed provides the most
common feedstock
 Other Common Feedstocks
• Sunflower oil is commonly used in
France and Eastern Europe
• Palm Oil is common in Malaysia
• Used cooking oil is quickly becoming a
common feedstock in the US
• Tallow is also becoming common and
contains highly Saturated Fatty Acid
Triglycerides.
 Tallow
• Inexpensive,
plentiful feedstock

• High FFA content

• High Saturation
NOx Reduction from Tallow Biodiesel
60 53 52
Percent increase in NOx
Over Petroleum Diesel

50 B100
40 B20

30

20
10 10
10 3
0
0
Canola Soy Tallow
Feedstock
Data from Schmidt, Lawrence. 2004. Biodiesel Vehicle Fuel: GHG Reductions, Air Emissions, Supply and
Economic Overview.http://www.climatechangecentral.com/info_centre/discussion_papers/
 Tallow Biodiesel
• Lower NOx than plant based biodiesel
– Important for non-attainment areas (ATL)
• High FFA content must be addressed before
transesterification
• Elevated cold filter plug point when using
B100, may complicate use in colder climates
• Potential blending with other Biodiesels to
optimize NOx levels
 Emerging Feedstocks
• Hydroxylated Fatty Acid Triglycerides:
Castor Oil and Lesquerella Oil

• Short-chain Fatty Acid Triglycerides:

Cuphea Viscosissima
 CASTOR
• 48% of seed is oil
• 90% hydroxylated fatty acids
• Allergens and ricin not
present in oil.

LESQUERELLA
•24% of seed is oil
•60% hydroxylated fatty acids
•Gum with high value produced
with oil
 Lubricity of Hydroxylated Fatty Acid
Methyl Esters
0.05 EMA/ISO Lubricity Limit

.045mm
HFRR Score (mm)

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
Low Sulfur 0.5% Soy 0.5% Castor
Diesel Biodiesel in LSD Biodiesel in LSD

Fuel
Use of High Lubricity Biodiesel
• Castor and Lesquerella oil prices are
relatively high making them impractical
for use as biodiesel feedstock.
• However, increased lubricity at low
levels (<1%) may provide an effective
lubricity enhancer for low sulfur, low
lubricity diesel fuels.
• Low volume, high value market.
Cuphea
• Plant indigenous to North
America, can be grown in
many US regions including
Georgia

• Produces predominantly
short-chained fatty acids
C8:0 and C10:0
 Cuphea Oil Viscosity
0.08
0.07
Viscosity (Pa s)

0.06
x

0.05
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
No. 2 Diesel Biodiesel Cuphea Oil Vegetable Oil

Fuel
 Viscosity and Fuel Performance
• Normal Vegetable oils
have high viscosity
which leads to injector
coking and eventual
engine failure.
• Reduced viscosity of
Cuphea oil makes it a
candidate for a fuel
without
transesterification
• This is not Biodiesel but
a straight vegetable oil
(SVO) fuel
 Straight Vegetable Oil Fuels
(SVOs)
• SVOs have been used as substitute
diesel fuels.
• Require dual tank systems with heated
fuel lines and other engine mods

Can Cuphea or other emerging oilseeds

oil be used as a fuel without
modification to oil or engine?
 Cuphea Oil Fuel Performance
1.4

1.2
Coking Index

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
D2 60 % C8:0 20% Cuphea Oil Vegetable Oil
40% C10:0 80% D2

Fuel Type
 Cuphea Fuel Performance
• Cuphea oil and mixtures
with #2 Diesel
performed well in
engine durability tests.
• Performance exceeded
vegetable oils and
petroleum #2 Diesel.
• Results suggest short-
chain triglycerides may
provide adequate diesel
fuel substitute.
 Cuphea Obstacles

•Small, sticky seeds

•Agronomics not yet developed
– harvesting difficult
•Oil is semi-solid at room
temperature
– Requires heated fuel systems