Mechanically enhanced separation of reaction products in biodiesel production

Abstract

Apparatus and related methods for reacting a natural oil with a short chain alcohol in the presence of an alkaline catalyst and mesh to produce biodiesel, significantly decreasing the amount of time for the glycerol byproduct to settle out of the reaction mixture. The process for the production of biodiesel includes providing animal or vegetable oil to create a first component, combining a short chain alcohol with a strong base to create a second component, and combining the first and second components together in the presence of a mesh, such that the mesh is in contact with the combined components. The combined compositions represent a reaction mixture that undergo a transesterification reaction and produce fatty acid methyl ester biodiesel and also a glycerol byproduct. The mesh material that is present during the transesterification reaction decreases the amount of time required for the glycerol byproduct to settle out of the reaction mixture.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.