Advances
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Presentation of the prototype plat of biodiesel production from fried oil waste
The consortium of the Life Bioseville Project presented the prototype for the production of biodiesel from waste oils to the representatives of the European Commission. This prototype, which operates with an oscillating flow reactor system, allows the production of biodiesel continuously, unlike other systems whose production is carried out by "pack", which makes this biodiesel production system faster and more efficient, saving on production costs
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Interview with Paloma Álvarez, Life Bioseville project coordinator
Challenges in the new stage of the Life Bioseville project:
1-Q: Good morning, Professor, I understand that the LifeBioseville project is relaunched with the US as the new coordinating partner of the project, having to distribute its tasks among the rest of the partners, how was the distribution of tasks? Are these tasks going to be developed without budgetary changes?
PA: Due to the problems of the previous coordinating partner, the project had to request an extension of one and a half years. In order to continue with the project, and with the same budget, the rest of the partners have had to reduce our budget in order to face the deficit that the previous coordinator left us. And we have shared the tasks between the US, which assumes the coordination of the project, and the CIEMAT, which assumes the tasks of dissemination.
2-Q: In the coming months, and according to the schedule, the prototype should be working, what is the current status? Are you planning to carry out exploratory experiments in the coming months?
PA: The prototype is currently almost finished. In the coming months we will get it ready and expect it to be at full capacity between January and February of 2018.
3-Q: For the start-up of the prototype, once it is fully ready, you will need frying oil, where is this oil going to be extracted? How much will be necessary?
PA: During the start of the prototype and later, the frying oil will be proportional to the BIOSEL Company. This is an Andalusian company, authorized for the management of non-hazardous waste, which is dedicated to the collection of used vegetable oils. This company, through a physical treatment of frying oil, removes solids in suspension and water, for further processing into biodiesel. For the project we would need about 10 m3 of oil.
4-Q: One of the most important activities of the LIFE projects are the dissemination activities. What are the activities planned for the next conferences? Is it expected to present the work in a congress or conference?
PA: The US will present an oral communication this coming December in the Congress organized by the International Doctoral School.
5-Q: In the long term, and to close the interview, what do you think will be the main conclusions of this project?
PA: Among the main conclusions of this project are the development of a new technology for the production of biodiesel (which will be patented shortly), the reuse of a highly polluting waste such as frying oil, and, finally, the use of the glycerin obtained as a by-product in the production of biodiesel.
1-Q: Good morning, Professor, I understand that the LifeBioseville project is relaunched with the US as the new coordinating partner of the project, having to distribute its tasks among the rest of the partners, how was the distribution of tasks? Are these tasks going to be developed without budgetary changes?
PA: Due to the problems of the previous coordinating partner, the project had to request an extension of one and a half years. In order to continue with the project, and with the same budget, the rest of the partners have had to reduce our budget in order to face the deficit that the previous coordinator left us. And we have shared the tasks between the US, which assumes the coordination of the project, and the CIEMAT, which assumes the tasks of dissemination.
2-Q: In the coming months, and according to the schedule, the prototype should be working, what is the current status? Are you planning to carry out exploratory experiments in the coming months?
PA: The prototype is currently almost finished. In the coming months we will get it ready and expect it to be at full capacity between January and February of 2018.
3-Q: For the start-up of the prototype, once it is fully ready, you will need frying oil, where is this oil going to be extracted? How much will be necessary?
PA: During the start of the prototype and later, the frying oil will be proportional to the BIOSEL Company. This is an Andalusian company, authorized for the management of non-hazardous waste, which is dedicated to the collection of used vegetable oils. This company, through a physical treatment of frying oil, removes solids in suspension and water, for further processing into biodiesel. For the project we would need about 10 m3 of oil.
4-Q: One of the most important activities of the LIFE projects are the dissemination activities. What are the activities planned for the next conferences? Is it expected to present the work in a congress or conference?
PA: The US will present an oral communication this coming December in the Congress organized by the International Doctoral School.
5-Q: In the long term, and to close the interview, what do you think will be the main conclusions of this project?
PA: Among the main conclusions of this project are the development of a new technology for the production of biodiesel (which will be patented shortly), the reuse of a highly polluting waste such as frying oil, and, finally, the use of the glycerin obtained as a by-product in the production of biodiesel.
LIFE BIOSEVILLE is a pilot project aimed to demonstrate the viability of biofuels produced from used cooking oils on an industrial scale
Used cooking oils can be used as raw material to produce biofuels, like any other vegetable oil
Producing biodiesel from used cooking oils has many advantages. Their use will reduce the pollution caused by road transport by almost 90%, and it will also ease the serious public health problem as well as environmental impact caused by uncontrolled dumping of used cooking oils.
About 58,000 tons of used cooking oils are generated in Andalusia every year, according to the data published by the Andalusian Energy Agency (AAE) in its report "Biofuels in Andalusia" (March 2014). Most of these oils are poured down sinks, toilets, and disposed of through household waste, causing serious public health and environmental impact.
Oil is the main food for cockroaches and rats, which can be found in large numbers in those buildings where oils are poured down the drain. Dumping oils into the sewage system rises the cost of urban wastewater treatment. When oils are dumped in the environment they destroy the ecosystems.
Also, fossil fuel-powered vehicles are the main cause for the high levels of pollution in cities.
Just like any other vegetable oil, used cooking oils can be used as raw material for the production of biofuel, which is similar to diesel fuel of fossil origin (petroleum). Replacing fossil fuels with biofuels will help reduce pollutant emissions by about 90%. According to the study carried out by the Andalusian Energy Agency, "compared to EN-590 diesel, the biodiesel produced from used vegetable oils reduces the emission of 144 g of equivalent CO2 (88%) per km"
Production of biodiesel on an industrial scale began in 1992 in some European countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Sweden), reaching more than 11.5 million tons consumed per year in 2012 (...). We should not forget that the first cars designed with diesel cycle were vegetable oil-powered. Current diesel engines do not require any modification and can operate normally using biodiesel, thus reducing pollutant emissions.
Since biodiesel can also be obtained through the transformation of used cooking oil, the need to recycle used cooking oils has become ever popular, especially those from the hospitality industry. Furthermore, the use of used cooking oils will see a reduction in the cost of raw material as biodiesel will become more competitive with respect to the existing fuels.
Project LIFE BIOSEVILLE aims to demonstrate the feasibility of a biofuel production process, which besides the fact that it is based on the use of innovative technology, makes an alternative for a controlled and environmentally sustainable management of the used cooking oils collected in the city of Seville.
Pouring oil down the drain raises wastewater treatment costs. When oil and soap mix they form "balls" which clog pipes and serve as food for insects and rats.
Oil is the main food for cockroaches and rats, which can be found in large numbers in those buildings where oils are poured down the drain. Dumping oils into the sewage system rises the cost of urban wastewater treatment. When oils are dumped in the environment they destroy the ecosystems.
Also, fossil fuel-powered vehicles are the main cause for the high levels of pollution in cities.
Just like any other vegetable oil, used cooking oils can be used as raw material for the production of biofuel, which is similar to diesel fuel of fossil origin (petroleum). Replacing fossil fuels with biofuels will help reduce pollutant emissions by about 90%. According to the study carried out by the Andalusian Energy Agency, "compared to EN-590 diesel, the biodiesel produced from used vegetable oils reduces the emission of 144 g of equivalent CO2 (88%) per km"
Production of biodiesel on an industrial scale began in 1992 in some European countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Sweden), reaching more than 11.5 million tons consumed per year in 2012 (...). We should not forget that the first cars designed with diesel cycle were vegetable oil-powered. Current diesel engines do not require any modification and can operate normally using biodiesel, thus reducing pollutant emissions.
Since biodiesel can also be obtained through the transformation of used cooking oil, the need to recycle used cooking oils has become ever popular, especially those from the hospitality industry. Furthermore, the use of used cooking oils will see a reduction in the cost of raw material as biodiesel will become more competitive with respect to the existing fuels.
Project LIFE BIOSEVILLE aims to demonstrate the feasibility of a biofuel production process, which besides the fact that it is based on the use of innovative technology, makes an alternative for a controlled and environmentally sustainable management of the used cooking oils collected in the city of Seville.
Pouring oil down the drain raises wastewater treatment costs. When oil and soap mix they form "balls" which clog pipes and serve as food for insects and rats.
Andalusian company joins project Life Bioseville
Our goal is to produce a new biofuel on an industrial scale from used cooking oils.
Seville, October 21, 2015. LIFE BIOSEVILLE project coordinator, CTAER (Advanced Technology Centre for Renewable Energies), has been oficially informed that Campo Sur Investiga S.L. will become the project ‘s new benificiary partner.
This will allow the project to resume its activity and meet the targets set out, which are, in general terms, the construction and demonstration of the technical and economic feasibility of a prototype to obtain high-quality biodiesel from used cooking oils in the city of Seville.
Campo Sur Investiga is a private company "dedicated to applied technological research whose main aim is to promote the use of natural resources for sustainable economic and social growth." The Andalusian company’s task will be to design, assemble and finalize the glycerin esters production prototype module , which will enable industrial-scale production of a new biofuel from used cooking oil.
Campo Sur will be joining the consortium which carries out project LIFE BIOSEVILLE, which is made up of other four entities: CTAER, as the coordinating beneficiary, the University of Seville, CIEMAT (Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology, the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) and CARTIF Technology Centre.
The biofuel obtained will be used in Seville’s urban city bus fleet and its behavior as a fuel and its environmental emissions will be measured. This will allow identification of the environmental and public health benefits compared to fossil fuels.
This is how project LIFE BIOSEVILLE will go through an experimental phase to produce a new biofuel from used cooking oils, from the oil collection process to the application of the biofuel in the urban city bus fleet. The demonstration of this phase will enable technical and economic feasibility analysis, thus boosting the business network. For more information: info@lifebioseville.es
These pictures show the Biofuels laboratory in the Faculty of Chemistry (University of Seville), where biodiesel from used cooking oils has been produced at a laboratory scale. It has interesting technical, environmental and economic advantages, which now project LIFE BIOSEVILLE seeks to take to an industrial scale.
Francisco Rodriguez (foreground) Campo Sur Investiga Representative, observing the biodiesel generator in the mentioned laboratories.
This will allow the project to resume its activity and meet the targets set out, which are, in general terms, the construction and demonstration of the technical and economic feasibility of a prototype to obtain high-quality biodiesel from used cooking oils in the city of Seville.
Campo Sur Investiga is a private company "dedicated to applied technological research whose main aim is to promote the use of natural resources for sustainable economic and social growth." The Andalusian company’s task will be to design, assemble and finalize the glycerin esters production prototype module , which will enable industrial-scale production of a new biofuel from used cooking oil.
Campo Sur will be joining the consortium which carries out project LIFE BIOSEVILLE, which is made up of other four entities: CTAER, as the coordinating beneficiary, the University of Seville, CIEMAT (Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology, the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) and CARTIF Technology Centre.
The biofuel obtained will be used in Seville’s urban city bus fleet and its behavior as a fuel and its environmental emissions will be measured. This will allow identification of the environmental and public health benefits compared to fossil fuels.
This is how project LIFE BIOSEVILLE will go through an experimental phase to produce a new biofuel from used cooking oils, from the oil collection process to the application of the biofuel in the urban city bus fleet. The demonstration of this phase will enable technical and economic feasibility analysis, thus boosting the business network. For more information: info@lifebioseville.es
These pictures show the Biofuels laboratory in the Faculty of Chemistry (University of Seville), where biodiesel from used cooking oils has been produced at a laboratory scale. It has interesting technical, environmental and economic advantages, which now project LIFE BIOSEVILLE seeks to take to an industrial scale.
Francisco Rodriguez (foreground) Campo Sur Investiga Representative, observing the biodiesel generator in the mentioned laboratories.
Image biofuels laboratories of the Faculty of Chemistry. University of Seville.