Yield Characteristics of Biodiesel Produced from Chicken Fat-Tall Oil Blended Feedstocks

Abstract

The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the information presented herein. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program, in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the contents or use thereof. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the conversion of chicken fat and tall oil, both individually and in a blend, into biodiesel. The conventional base-catalyzed method of biodiesel production has shown to be inappropriate for the conversion of high free fatty acid-containing feedstocks such as tall oil, due to the undesired saponification reaction that takes place. Likewise, the acid-catalyzed method of biodiesel production has been shown to be inappropriate for the conversion of triglyceride-containing feedstocks, such as chicken fat, due to the long reaction times and large excess of methanol required. Therefore, an alternate reaction