Clinton County Bio Energy

How we Make Biodiesel and why CCBE is different than other Producers  

The beginning of the biodiesel process at CCBE does not differ significantly from most other plants in the United States.  We start with mainly vegetable oil (soyoil or corn oil) from Iowa crush plants and ethanol plants as feedstock.  In some cases we may blend in a portion of animal fat (Tallow, Choice White Grease) with the vegetable oil as feedstock.. Such feedstocks consist almost entirely of triglyceride molecules that are made up of a glycerin “backbone” molecule attached to one, two or three fatty acid molecules. When three fatty acid molecules are attached, the resulting compound is called a triglyceride.

              The basic chemistry of the biodiesel production involves the reaction of the triglyceride feedstock with methanol using a base catalyst.  This process has been in use for over 20 years and it has the advantage of simplicity, low temperature and pressure, and no special construction materials are required.

              To produce the biodiesel, feedstock, methanol and catalyst are pumped into the reaction phase. With agitation the reactor causes rapid transesterification to take place. The transesterified oil falls into a large horizontal decanter where heavy glycerin molecules and lighter methyl esters separate. The glycerin is pumped from the bottom of the decanter and the methyl ester is pushed into a second reaction phase. This second reaction phase ensures that in excess of 99% of the oil is converted into methyl esters and glycerin.

The next and Final Phase is Where we Shine                             

              We use a distillation process to perform the final cleaning of the crude biodiesel and glycerin.  Using heat and the distillation towers we remove the excess methanol and unreacted products.  Using this process allows us to make pure biodiesel and a pure Glycerin with no added water and reduces any “waste” material. The excess water and alcohol vapors are captured, rectified, distilled and recycled back into the process. The excess water is generally sent off-site to digesters where any excess energy is used in the digester.

              In the production of biodiesel, one hundred pounds of vegetable oil or animal fat is reacted with 10 pounds of methanol in the presence of a catalyst (sodium or potassium hydroxide). The reaction yields approximately 100 pounds of methyl ester and 7 pounds of USP glycerin.  The biodiesel produced is referred is certified by testing to the

ASTM criteria as Agri-Biodiesel and is sold to local fuel distributers, where it is blended with diesel fuel as a transportation fuel.

              The remaining bi-products in this process consist of unreacted heavy free fatty acids with a high btu content.  The bi-product is generally sold to cement and blacktop companies to use as an alternative to fuel oil in their boilers.

Check out our Sample Results.  Note that our Free and Total Glycerin are significantly below the limit and the norms using this process.

5640 44th Ave S., Clinton, IA 52732.  Phone 563-522-2344, Fax 563-522-2382. ccbe@ccbebiodiesel.com