MOU SIGNATURE
The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) and IPT Energy Center (IPTEC), with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Lebanon, signed an MOU to install a pilot plant for the production of biodiesel from Waste Cooking Oil (WCO), on Monday 16 July 2018 at USEK campus in Kaslik, in the presence of USEK President Father Professor Georges Hobeika, IPTEC President Dr. Toni Issa, and the Energy and Environment Programme Manager at UNDP Ms. Jihan Seoud.
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ABOUT THE PROJECT
The main objective of this project is to encourage and promote sustainable biodiesel production from WCO by collecting household WCO in storage tanks available at key IPT gas stations and at the USEK university campus, and processing it into biodiesel in a pilot plant installed at the USEK campus. The quantity of biodiesel produced will be equally shared between USEK and IPTEC. USEK's share will be mixed with the green diesel currently used in the university generators, while IPTEC's share will be sold at selective IPT gas stations for commercial use.
The major outputs of this project are to offer biodiesel as an alternative fuel with the same performance as that of conventional diesel, that is ecologically safer and cheaper, raise public awareness about the importance of WCO recycling, reduce the greenhouse gas emissions, upscale the collection, disposal and reuse of waste cooking oil as an alternative fuel, set the technical parameters and specifications for biodiesel from WCO, and promote its use as a clean source of fuel in all sectors while abiding by all national regulations and guidelines in coordination with the UNDP and specialized public institutions.
This project will be supported by awareness campaigns and incentives to encourage participation. It follows quality standards and will be assessed for its replicability at the national level in coordination and with the support of the UNDP. Moreover, USEK and IPTEC, with the support of the UNDP and in coordination with concerned public institutions, will lobby for and support the regularization of the use of Biodiesel in Lebanon.
WHAT IS BIODIESEL?
Biodiesel is a renewable and clean burning fuel that is produced from new or waste vegetable oils (such as waste cooking oils), animal fat or recycled restaurant grease for use in diesel engines. It can be used in pure form (named as B100) or can be blended with petroleum diesel in the form of B5 (5% biodiesel, 95% petrol diesel) or B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% petrol diesel). With a blend up to B20 fuel it can be used directly in current diesel engines without any modification required on the engines.
THE BENEFITS OF BIODIESEL PRODUCED FROM WCO:
Biodiesel produced from WCO has several benefits over petroleum diesel:
- Renewable: Biodiesel reduces dependence on finite fossil fuel reserves and provides an alternative energy source.
- Biodegradable: Biodiesel degrades faster than petroleum diesel.
- Clean and non-toxic: Biodiesel emits less air pollutants, has a less harmful impact on human health, is free of sulfur and aromatics, and reduces GHG emissions.
- Safe: Biodiesel is safer to handle, store, and transport because it is less combustible. It causes less damage than petroleum diesel if accidentally spilled or released into the environment.
- Efficient: Biodiesel offers a better fuel economy, improves fuel lubricity, prevents against engine wear, reduces maintenance costs and has the same energy efficiency as petroleum diesel.
- Affordable: Biodiesel is an affordable option as compared to petroleum diesel.
BIODIESEL PRODUCTION PROCESS
Waste Cooking Oils in households and restaurants are being poured into city sewers without knowing the big impact they have on the environment. One liter of waste cooking oil discharged in sewers can pollute 1 million square meter of sea water. Through this project, people will now be able to dispose of their cooking oils in WCO Collecting Machines at IPT gas stations and USEK campus, to be treated in a mini plant for the production of high-quality biodiesel according to the following process:
A- Disposal of WCO: Households and restaurants dispose their WCO in collecting machines installed at IPT gas station and USEK campus.
B- Quality Detection of Disposed WCO: the machines detect the quality of waste oil poured. Contaminants will be separated automatically and discharged in a waste container and the remaining oil will be collected in a separate tank inside the machines.
C- Processing Cycle:
- The waste cooking oil collected will then be transported to the mini biodiesel plant located at the USEK campus for processing, where three storage tanks are connected to the mini plant; one dedicated for waste oil, one for methanol and for the catalyst.
- The operator fills the three storage tanks with initial products (oil, alcohol, catalyst) according to the pre-calculated proportions. After the products are charged to the tank, the operator turns on the transfer pump.
- The pump transfers the mixture to the cavitation reactor where the cavitation processing of the mixture begins.
- When the temperature of the mixture reaches the preset temperature, the operator turns off the machine and the pumps transfer the processed mixture into the separation tanks.
D- Separation of Biodiesel and Glycerol:
- Depending on the properties of source oil, it takes 30-60 minutes to separate the mixture between biodiesel and glycerol.
- After the separation of biodiesel and glyecerol is completed both products are discharged to the storage tanks and the separation tank is ready to receive the next charge of processed mixture.
- The biodiesel produced from this process will be tested in USEK laboratories to confirm the quality and usage.
E- Biodiesel Usage: The final product will be used in power generators at the USEK campus and will be also available at IPT gas stations for commercial use.
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