Biodiesel process analysis and quality contril by FTIR spectroscopy

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Within the target area of Sustainable Energy Systems of the NSERC Strategic Project Grants program, one ofthe priorities that NSERC has identified is research on Biomass Conversion and Co-Product Optimization. Theresearch proposed in this application addresses this topic by focusing on the development of methodology forthe analysis of biodiesel feedstocks, process monitoring and quality assessment of end products based on theapplication of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Although biodiesel is commonly viewed asrunning engines on waste cooking and vegetable oils, the viscosity of such oils is too high for them to beeffectively atomized by most diesel injector systems. Thus, biodiesel generally consists of fatty acid methylesters produced by transesterification of triacylglycerols derived from fats and oils of plant, animal or marineorigin with methanol. A wide variety of sources of triacylglycerols are used for biodiesel production, includingbiomass, vegetable oil, tall oil, used cooking oils or rendered fats. Thus, one of the challenges to be met by thebiodiesel industry is to convert highly variable feedstocks into consistent products that meet the performancestandards for biodiesel. In the proposed research program, which will be undertaken in collaboration with aCanadian lubricant formulation/technology company (Thermal-Lube Inc.) and a major Canadian biodieselproducer (Rothsay), FTIR methods that the applicant has developed for the analysis of lubricants and edibleoils will be adapted to assess the quality and physicochemical characteristics of both biodiesel feedstocks andproducts as well as to monitor the processes that convert one into the other. These new methodologies will beimplemented on automated instrumentation designed by Thermal-Lube and will be evaluated in Rothsay'sbiodiesel production facility. The successful completion of this project will support the growth of the emergingbiodiesel sector by providing a rapid, versatile, and cost-effective analytical tool for monitoring biodieselproduction and for quality control of its products. The FTIR methods developed will be proposed to theAmerican Society of Testing and Materials as new procedures to facilitate meeting biodiesel standards.