Production of Biodiesel from Tall Oil

Abstract

Tall oil is a by-product of coniferous wood recovered in the Kraft pulping process. Fatty acids can be recovered from tall oil by vacuum distillation. Biodiesel is becoming a displacement alternative for petroleum diesel. Chemically, biodiesel is a fatty acid (m)ethyl ester. Fatty acid derivatives as alternative fuels have become more attractive recently because of their environmental benefits and the fact that they are made from renewable resources. After saponification, acidulation, and methylation procedures, methyl esters (biodiesel) of the fatty acids were obtained from the tall oil samples. The properties of the various individual fatty esters that comprise biodiesel determine the overall fuel properties of the biodiesel. The kinematic viscosity and density values of biodiesel from tall oil fatty acids were 4.1–5.3 mm²/sec at 311.2 K and 0.878–0.885 kg/L at 288.7 K, respectively.

Keywords:

• biodiesel
• fatty acids
• Kraft process
• tall oil
• wood

Notes

^a The numbers denote the number of carbons and double bonds. For example, in oleic acid, 18:1 stands for 18 carbons and one double bond.

^b Viscosity values determined at 313.2 K.

^a Melting point of highest melting, most stable polymorphic form.