Silica Products for the Production of Biodiesel Fuel Precursor

and Biodiesel Fuel

Environmental, economic and quality benefits
Carlos Alberto Bravo
Grace Davison Engineered Materials Latin America

Abstract:
Since their inception in the mid-1980s, TriSyl Silicas have provided the glyceride oils and fats
industry with substantive and innovative processing options. These innovations have proven, case after case,
that significant economic, quality and environmental benefits can be realized when the biodiesel producer
embraces TriSyl Silica technology combined with the Modified Caustic Refining (MCR) and Modified
Physical Refining (MPR) processes.
MCR with TriSyl Silicas provides an economical and environmentally sound alternative to traditional
caustic refining. MCR allows Biodiesel Feed Stock producers to caustic refine oils and fats while
eliminating the water wash step and the associated high BOD waste stream. TriSyl Silica is used to
efficiently adsorb the high quantities of soaps, phospholipids and associated trace metals in the oil fed directly
from the primary centrifuge. The removal of these contaminants prior to the trans-esterification reaction
improves process rates, biodiesel yields and glycerin quality.
Both, liquid and solid wastes are significantly reduced using TriSyl Silica and the MCR process.
TriSyl Silica offers also an option for the Biodiesel Feed Stock producer to optimize physical refining
process, producing very good quality Biodiesel feed Stock while minimizing the volume of undesired byproducts.
Unlike bleaching earth, the phospholipids capacity of the silica adsorbents is further enhanced by the presence
of soaps. This synergism between soap and phospholipids adsorption is taken advantage of in the new silica
refining process called MPR. The MPR process employs the use of soaps generated by addition of small
quantities of caustic solution to the degummed oil to enhance the adsorption of phospholipids on silica.
In summary, MPR can be used to obtain superior Biodiesel Feed Stock while reducing adsorbent usage,
waste volume and operating cost. This in turn ensures a high biodiesel yield and subsequent cost-effective
downstream purification of the biodiesel and glycerin products.

After glycerin separation and alcohol removal, the alkyl esters have to be further purified by removing soaps
and other impurities. Graces Silica can adsorb high quantities of soaps in a cost-effective manner. Water
washing and associated waste streams can be eliminated.
All in all, TriSyl Silica and the modified refining processes can help biodiesel producers to solve
environmental problems while improving quality and economics.
TriSyl is a trademark of W.R.Grace & Co. Conn.