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Biodiesel Production – Waste Streams and Management Practices

Lee LitvinPacific Biodiesel Technologies

Quality Manager9.10.2008

llitvin@biodiesel.com

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Presentation Overview

Background Biodiesel Production Biodiesel Waste Streams and BMPs Areas of Concern for Pretreatment Brown Grease Processing Q&A

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Pacific Biodiesel

Company History Formed in 1996 in Maui HI to

recycle used cooking oil Bob King (King Diesel) University of Idaho

Multi-feedstock, distributed production focus

Began offering process technology in 1997

Since 1996: 10 facilities with PB technology 6 facility expansions 7 U.S. States from HI to MD and

Japan PB owns and operates facilities

in HI, OR, TX

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Biodiesel Production

Renewable fuel made from naturally occurring fats and oils

Converts vegetable oils and fats to Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) by reaction with methanol, glycerin formed as a byproduct

Sold as a blendstock for petroleum diesel or for neat (100%) consumption

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Biodiesel Production

Common Feedstock in Northwest include: Used cooking oils/fats Canola oil Imported palm oil Soybean oil

Quality Governed by ASTM standard D6571

Approximately 160 plants nationwide with an annual production of 250-500 Mgpy

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Biodiesel Process Flow DiagramFeedstock Rendering/

Storage

Esterification/Transesterification

Methanol

Phase Separation Glycerin Byproduct

Crude Oil/Fat

FAME RefiningWater Process Water:

Water/Solids

Refining or end use

Discharge

Post Treatment End Use

Catalysts (H2SO4, NaOH, KOH)

Silica Spent Silica

Biodiesel

Virgin Vegetable Oil/Fat

May vary dependingUpon facility

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Feedstock Collection Waste Streams

Waste Vegetable Oil Feedstock collection and rendering creates wastewater High BOD High FOG

Minor Spills at restaurants and collection facilities

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Process Water from Feedstock Rendering

Separated from oil collected at restaurants

Composed of water, oil, food waste emulsion

VERY HIGH in: BOD COD FOG TSS

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Biodiesel Plant Waste Streams

Production process and waste streams vary considerably depending upon: Facility size Feedstock oil or fat (virgin vs. used) Refining process employed (water wash vs dry

wash) Process utilities employed (steam vs. thermal

fluid)

Very few “rules of thumb” for characterizing facilities

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Biodiesel Plant Waste Streams Process Water from Used Feedstock

Rendering Process Water from FAME Refining Boiler and Cooling Tower Blowdown Spills and Off-spec Product

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Biodiesel Plant Waste Streams

Common Contaminants to Look For Fats, Oils, Grease FAME/Biodiesel (behave like FOG) Methanol (CH3OH)

Glycerin (C3H5OH3) Catalysts/Treatment Chemicals KOH,

NaOH,H2S04, HCl

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Process Water from Feedstock Rendering

BMP Sewer is NOT recommended without

significant pretreatment Off-site treatment typically employed Dewatering with polymer and disposal Anaerobic digester feed

Only a concern at facilities operating on un-rendered feedstock

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Process Water from FAME Refining

Used to “wash” polar contaminants from the FAME

May Contain: FOG/FAME Methanol Glycerin Soaps (stable

emulsion) Loadings vary

considerably depending upon process and pretreatment

Raw and Acidified Process Water

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Process Water from FAME Refining

BMPs Could be sewered w/

or w/o pretreatment Decanting Acidification –

decanting - neutralizing

Constant monitoring necessary

Grease trap recommended

Regular pumping required

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Boiler and Cooling Tower Blow down

Typical of any other facility using boilers or cooling towers

Higher levels of insolubles (Ca, Mg)

MSDS on water treatment chemicals

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Spills and Off-Spec Product Mostly issues with

FOG, methanol Potential

groundwater/storm water contamination issue

Biggest issue facing small biodiesel plants

Disposal is expensive and messy

Requires attention in planning and construction phases

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Spills and Off-Spec Product Secondary

Containment a MUST Truck Loading Tank Farm Process Area

Well developed SPCC plan

Well implemented SPCC plan

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Spills and Off-Spec Product

Disposal of Off-Spec Product Common during startup and

feedstock change over Raw glycerin often disposed of

illegally Can generate large amounts of waste

if not handled properly Work with producer on developing

disposal/reprocessing strategy

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Enforcement Challenges

Biodiesel is a competitive market Investment $ is difficult to come by Budgets for remediation and

disposal often neglected Firms come from a variety of

backgrounds, many with no processing experience

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Enforcement Challenges Homebrew

Difficult to find and enforce

Disposal problems unlikely to surface

Spills and fires more common

“Under the Radar” commercial operations Not well funded Little organization More likely to cause

discharge and spill issues

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Enforcement Approach early

Site design Containment Discharge permits

Remain Approachable Reduce illegal disposal Engage employees at every level

Test discharges regularly Auto samplers or daily spot sampling best

Insist on proper disposal and pretreatment strategies Secondary containment SPCC plan

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Mis-Management Examples

Iowa Falls, IA 2006 Overloaded POTW

with high FOG waste Illegally land applied

said waste after sewer discharge halted

$100,000 fine

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Mis-Management Examples Alabama 2005-2008

Never applied for discharge permits

Multiple discharge violations related to spills and intentional dumping

Oily runoff into Black Warrior River

Settled out of court

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Mis-Management Examples Missouri 2007

Dumping glycerin and process water in agricultural drainage ditch

Federal charges filed against operator

Clean water act violations

$500,000 fine expected

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In Conclusion Get Involved early with producers Stand your ground on pre-treatment,

discharge and containment Remember – most biodiesel

producers are environmentalists, help them to understand the issues and they will work with you

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Grease Trap Waste Recovery Options and Program

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Grease Trap Waste Presentation Overview

Background Grease Trap Disposal Options PB Grease Trap Waste Program Successes Future Work Q&A

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Grease Trap Disposal Options

Land Application Headworks Injection Dewatering and Landfill Anaerobic Digestion Grease Separation and Fuel Use

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Land Application Overhead

application can cause oily runoff

Can kill vegetation due to oil content

Sometimes mixed with septage

Not a clean or effective solution

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Headworks Injection Good collection

point, can be injected similar to septage

Increases load on primary clarifier

Increases power consumption for aerobic treatment

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Dewatering and Landfill

Small, low capital cost

Easy to Install Hauler Owned Difficult to get

consistent results Requires

substantial polymer use, landfill cost

Typically 30% solids achieved

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Anaerobic Digestion

High carbon content

Good gas production

Issues with “cap” incorporation

Relatively low value return compared to separation and fuel use

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Grease Separation and Fuel Use Separate Grease

from water and solids

Grease used as replacement for fuel oil in boilers

Potential biodiesel production feedstock

Substrates used for AD or composting

Water discharged

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PB Grease Trap Program

Prior Disposal Routes in Hawaii1. Unload GTW in concrete pit2. Add sugar cane bagasse or compost to

solidify3. Add to working face on landfill

Issues with fires, overheating, difficult and messy incorporation

Disposal in POTW ended in ~2001 Some haulers using dewatering

systems

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PB Grease Trap Program

Started 1999, expanded in 2000 to Honolulu Plants located at central landfill (Maui) and Sand

Island, adjacent to POTW (Oahu) Accept grease trap waste and cooking oil only Current capacity 30,000 gal/day Process grease trap waste into four streams:

“Bio bunker” heavy fuel replacement (10%) Co-composting liquid additive (8%) Landfill solids (1%) POTW discharge water (81%)

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PB Grease Trap Program

MixedWaste

SeparatedGrease

CompostAdditive

DischargeWater

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PB Grease Trap Program

Oahu Biofuels Grease Trap Plant

Successes: Significant

diversion of GTW from landfills, approximately 150,000 tons to date

Approximately 4,000,000 gallons of low sulfur alternative fuel oil produced

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PB Grease Trap Program Tipping fees charged at

both locations Separated water is

discharged to POTW after pH adjustment

Solids and emulsion composted in industrial compost facility on Maui

Boiler fuel used by 10-20 major users as a replacement for bunker oil including: Sugar Mills Canneries Asphalt Plant Power Plant

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PB Grease Trap Program

Much lower disposal costs for haulers compared to landfill

Keeps illegal dumping down Produces value added product Potential for even more value added

as biodiesel production increases

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PB Grease Trap Program

Future Work Expansion to Hawaii (Big Island)

2009 Increase collection % on all islands Explore more value added products

from substrates

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Any Questions?