Thesis Abstract

<p> </p><p><b><u>Abstract
</u></b></p><p>The main goal of this project is to design a mobile biodiesel production plant, which is</p><p>capable of producing 3000 L of biodiesel per week. The design constraints specify that</p><p>the biodiesel production plant must be sized to fit into a standard truck-trailer with</p><p>dimensions 8 feet wide by 40 feet long by 9.5 feet tall. The plant is to be self-sufficient in</p><p>one form of energy (provided by the client), adaptable to different grades of waste</p><p>vegetable oil (WVO), environmentally friendly, and economically feasible.</p><p>This report presents the final design of the mobile plant in two-dimensional Process Flow</p><p>Diagrams (PFD’s) and three-dimensional AutoCAD renderings. The main reaction, the</p><p>pre-treatment, and the purification stages are described in detail and the proposed</p><p>process, including equipment design specifications, is introduced. The feasibility of this</p><p>design was evaluated through an environmental impact assessment and economic</p><p>analysis. Although the contents of wastewater are unsuitable for discharge, the economic</p><p>analysis, including wastewater disposal costs, proves the design to be economically</p><p>feasible. With the production rate of 156,000 L biodiesel annually, a profit of $20563</p><p>each year is realized.</p><p>For the continuation of this project, future groups are encouraged to collect data specific</p><p>to biodiesel and determine the demand for a such a mobile plant.</p> <br><p></p>

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><p><b>1.0 Introduction</b></p><p><b></b></p><b></b><p>The purpose of this project is to design an economically feasible mobile biodiesel plant</p><p>capable of processing different grades of waste vegetable oil (WVO) to produce 3000 L</p><p>of biodiesel per week. The mobile biodiesel production unit will travel to locations such</p><p>as cruise ship ports and small communities, where the clients are participating in the</p><p>Biodiesel<i>~In Motion </i>program. The clients are provided with two tanks, one for WVO</p><p>collection and storage and the other for the biodiesel product. It is desired that the mobile</p><p>plant operate to meet the production requirements of 3000 L of biodiesel per week at the</p><p>end of a 40-hour work week, such that the plant requires two full-time operators. The</p><p>biodiesel produced can then be sold back to the client to fuel their diesel-engined</p><p>machinery. In addition, the only client requirements are that they must provide electrical</p><p>energy, water, and steam for the mobile plant process.</p><p>This final report details the plans and decisions that were made leading up to the</p><p>completion of the design of the mobile plant. Section 2.0 will present the main reaction</p><p>that was chosen to convert WVO to biodiesel, including the rationale and consequences</p><p>for this choice. The process which takes WVO through pre-treatment, reaction, and</p><p>finally, purification is described in Section 3.0 and illustrated in Process Flow Diagrams</p><p>and Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams attached in Appendix B. The equipment that</p><p>this process requires is sized and shown in Section 4.0. Section 5.0 discusses the</p><p>environmental impacts of this mobile plant. Finally, based on equipment cost estimates,</p><p>the feasibility of this mobile plant is evaluated in an economic analysis in Section 6.0.</p><p>Finally, recommendations have been proposed for the continuation of this project.</p> <br><p></p>