Fat-free fuel - A catalyst and reactor that neutralise fatty acids in plant-oil feedstocks could simplify biofuel production

摘要

A SOLID catalyst being developed by a cross-disciplinary UK team could allow farmers to produce biodiesel from a variety of plant oils in a single step. Because plant-oil feedstock contains small amounts of fatty acids, conventional biodiesel production requires a large reactor and a number of steps. These fatty acids can corrode vehicle parts, so need to be removed or neutralised before the biodiesel is produced. BP Biofuels is supporting researchers from Cambridge, Manchester and Newcastle universities who are designing a catalyst and associated reactor that could neutralise the acids and produce the biodiesel in a single step.