title: Biodiesel: small scale production and quality requirements.
abstract: Biodiesel is produced by reacting vegetable oils or animal fats with alcohol in the presence of an alkaline catalyst. The resulting methyl esters, which are the biodiesel fuel, are separated from the by-product glycerin, and then washed with water and dehydrated to produce fuel that must meet standardized specifications. Degraded oils containing high levels of free fatty acids can also be converted to biodiesel, but pretreatment with acid-catalyzed esterification is required. The resulting fuel is suitable for use as a neat fuel in diesel engines or blended with conventional diesel fuel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Gerpen
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D056804:Biofuels / Q000032:analysis / Q000600:supply & distribution; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D004951:Esterification / Q000502:physiology; D008832:Microchemistry / Q000379:methods; D008954:Models, Biological; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011786:Quality Control
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D010938:Plant Oils