BIODIESEL FROM HUMAN FAT

Fill 'Er Up With Human Fat

shared fromPeter C. Beller   12/22/2008 @ 5:00AM

For a time, Beverly Hills doctor Craig Alan Bittner turned the fat he removed from patients into biodiesel that fueled his Ford SUV and his girlfriend’s Lincoln Navigator.

Liposuctioning unwanted blubber out of pampered Los Angelenos may not seem like a dream job, but it has its perks. Free fuel is one of them.

Love handles can power a car? Frighteningly, yes. Fat–whether animal or vegetable–contains triglycerides that can be extracted and turned into diesel. Poultry companies such as Tyson are looking into powering their trucks on chicken schmaltz, and biofuel start-ups such as Nova Biosource are mixing beef tallow and pig lard with more palatable sources such as soybean oil. Mike Shook of Agri Process Innovations, a builder of biodiesel plants, says this year’s batch of U.S. biodiesel was likely more than half animal-derived since the price of soybeans soared.

A gallon of grease will get you about a gallon of fuel, and drivers can get about the same amount of mileage from fat fuel as they do from regular diesel, according to Jenna Higgins of the National Biodiesel Board. Animal fats need to undergo an additional step to get rid of free fatty acids not present in vegetable oils, but otherwise, there’s no difference, she says.

Greenies like the fact that waste, such as coffee grounds and french-fry grease, can be turned into power. “The vast majority of my patients request that I use their fat for fuel–and I have more fat than I can use,” Bittner wrote on lipodiesel.com. “Not only do they get to lose their love handles or chubby belly but they get to take part in saving the Earth.” Bittner’s lipodiesel Web site is no longer online.

Using fat to fuel cars might be environmentally friendly, but it’s definitely illegal in California to use human medical waste to power vehicles, and Bittner is being investigated by the state’s public health department.

Although it’s unclear when Bittner started and stopped making fat fuel or how he made it, his activities came to light after recent lawsuits filed by patients that allege he allowed his assistant and his girlfriend to perform surgeries without a medical license.

Attorney Andrew Besser, who represents three patients, says the assistant and girlfriend removed too much fat from clients and left them disfigured. Dozens of other patients have complained to the state medical board, Besser says. The board is investigating Bittner but declined to comment.

The investigations, however, might go nowhere: Bittner closed his practice, Beverly Hills Liposculpture, in November and moved to South America to do volunteer work at a clinic, according to a note on his Web site. Besser says Bittner likely fled the country because of the investigations. Bittner’s lawyer didn’t return calls seeking comment.

See Also:

Turning Algae Into Gasoline

Superbugs May Save Biofuels

Costly Alternatives

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT BIODIESEL

Myths and Facts About Biodiesel

Myth: Biodiesel is an experimental fuel and has not been thoroughly tested.

Fact:Biodiesel is one of the most thoroughly tested alternative fuels on the market. A number of independent studies have been completed with the results showing biodiesel performs similar to petroleum diesel while benefiting the environment and human health compared to diesel.That research includes studies performed by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Stanadyne Automotive Corp. (the largest diesel fuel injection equipment manufacturer in the U.S.), Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, and Southwest Research Institute.Biodiesel is the first and only alternative fuel to have completed the rigorous Health Effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. Biodiesel has been proven to perform similarly to diesel in more 50 million successful road miles in virtually all types of diesel engines, countless off-road miles and countless marine hours.Currently more than 300 major fleets use the fuel.

Myth: Biodiesel does not perform as well as diesel. 
Fact:: One of the major advantages of biodiesel is the fact that it can be used in existing engines and fuel injection equipment with little impact to operating performance. Biodiesel has a higher cetane number than U.S. diesel fuel. In more than 50 million miles of in-field demonstrations, B20 showed similar fuel consumption, horsepower, torque, and haulage rates as conventional diesel fuel.Biodiesel also has superior lubricity and it has the highest BTU content of any alternative fuel (falling in the range between #1 and #2 diesel fuel).

Myth: Biodiesel doesn't perform well in cold weather. 
Fact:Biodiesel will gel in very cold temperatures, just as the common #2 diesel does. Although pure biodiesel has a higher cloud point than #2 diesel fuel, typical blends of 20% biodiesel are managed with the same fuel management techniques as #2 diesel. Blends of 5% biodiesel and less have virtually no impact on cold flow.

Myth: Biodiesel causes filters to plug. 
Fact: Biodiesel can be operated in any diesel engine with little or no modification to the engine or the fuel system.Pure biodiesel (B100) has a solvent effect, which may release deposits accumulated on tank walls and pipes from previous diesel fuel use. With high blends of biodiesel, the release of deposits may clog filters initially and precautions should be taken to replace fuel filters until the petroleum build-up is eliminated.This issue is less prevalent with B20 blends, and there is no evidence that lower-blend levels such as B2 have caused filters to plug.

Myth: A low-blend of biodiesel in diesel fuel will cost too much. 
Fact:Using a 2% blend of biodiesel is estimated to increase the cost of diesel by 2 or 3 cents per gallon, including the fuel, transportation, storage and blending costs.Any increase in cost will be accompanied by an increase in diesel quality since low-blend levels of biodiesel greatly enhance the lubricity of diesel fuel.

Myth: Biodiesel causes degradation of engine gaskets and seals.
Fact: The recent switch to low-sulfur diesel fuel has caused most Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to switch to components that are also suitable for use with biodiesel. In general, biodiesel used in pure form can soften and degrade certain types of elastomers and natural rubber compounds over time.Using high percent blends can impact fuel system components (primarily fuel hoses and fuel pump seals) that contain elastomer compounds incompatible with biodiesel, although the effect is lessened as the biodiesel blend level is decreased. Experience with B20 has found that no changes to gaskets or hoses are necessary.

Myth: No objective biodiesel fuel formulation standard exists.
Fact: The biodiesel industry has been active in setting standards for biodiesel since 1994 when the first biodiesel taskforce was formed within the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). ASTM approved a provisional standard for biodiesel (ASTM PS 121) in July of 1999.The final specification (D-6751) was issued in December 2001.Copies of specifications are available from ASTM at http://www.astm.org.

Myth: Biodiesel does not have sufficient shelf life.
Fact: Most fuel today is used up long before six months, and many petroleum companies do not recommend storing petroleum diesel for more than six months. The current industry recommendation is that biodiesel be used within six months, or reanalyzed after six months to ensure the fuel meets ASTM specifications (D-6751). A longer shelf life is possible depending on the fuel composition and the use of storage-enhancing additives.

Myth: Engine warranty coverage would be at risk.
Fact:The use of biodiesel in existing diesel engines does not void parts and materials workmanship warranties of any major US engine manufacturer.

Myth: The U.S. lacks the infrastructure to prevent shortages of the product.
Fact::There are presently more than 14 companies that have invested millions of dollars into the development of the biodiesel manufacturing plants actively marketing biodiesel.Based on existing dedicated biodiesel processing capacity and long-term production agreements, more than 200 million gallons of biodiesel capacity currently exists.Many facilities are capable of doubling their production capacity within 18 months.

Myth: There is no government program to support development of a biodiesel industry.
Fact:: The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in January 2001 the implementation of the first program providing cost incentives for the production of 36 million gallons of biodiesel.Bills supporting the use of biodiesel and ethanol were also introduced to the U.S. Congress in 2003, including one that would set a renewable standard for fuel in the U.S. and one that would give biodiesel a partial fuel excise tax exemption.More than a dozen states have passed favorable biodiesel legislation.

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

BIODIESEL STUDIES ...A research material

WHITE PAPER Cold Flow Properties of Blends of Tallow and Soybean Oil-based Biodiesel As Presented by Dr. Jon Van Gerpen, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Idaho Introduction Biodiesel is an alternative diesel fuel produced from vegetable oils and animal fats.                                              In the United States, most biodiesel is produced from soybean oil. However, due to  the dramatic increase in soybean oil prices since 2006, soybean oil-based biodiesel prices have risen substantially, and during 2008, soy-based biodiesel has typically traded at a substantial premium to petroleum diesel. Other feedstocks such as other vegetable oils (i.e. palm, cottonseed, peanut, corn, canola, mustard seed, and jatropha oils), tallow (inedible beef fat), choice white  grease (inedible pig fat), used cooking oils, and poultry fat can also be used to make  high-quality biodiesel. Animal fats and used cooking oil feedstocks have traditionally  been lower cost than soybean oil. Given the price advantage of such feedstocks  compared to soy oil, there is now considerable interest in using these lower cost oils  and fats to reduce biodiesel production costs. Unfortunately, animal fats and used  cooking oils are higher in saturated fats, and therefore fuels produced from these  materials will tend to crystallize at higher temperatures. This may make higher  biodiesel blends from these feedstocks unacceptable in regions with cold climates  or during colder months of the year. It has been proposed that blending biodiesel  produced from these saturated feedstocks with soybean oil-based biodiesel could  produce a type of biodiesel with cold temperature properties that would be more  acceptable in colder climates. At the request of Crimson Renewable Energy LP  ("Crimson"), the University of Idaho has tested samples of biodiesel made  from  soybean oil and tallow biodiesel for their cold weather properties. Additionally,  various blend levels of soybean oil biodiesel mixed with tallow biodiesel were  tested for their cold weather properties. The results of these tests are provided in this research summary. Methodology Biodiesel was prepared from samples of biodiesel from soybean oil and tallow (i.e. inedible beef fat). The tallow (a 6% FFA grade) used to produce the biodiesel  for this testing were provided by Crimson and the soybean oil was a food  grade oil purchased at a local grocery store. Biodiesel fuels from each of the feedstocks were made by mixing the oil with    a 6:1 molar ratio of methanol to oil and with 0.5% sodium methylate as a catalyst. The sodium methylate was dissolved in the methanol before adding to the oil.  The process was conducted in two steps with 80% of the methanol/catalyst added  to the oil in the first step. The mixture was stirred for 1 hour at 140°F, and then the  glycerin was allowed to settle in a separatory funnel. The glycerin was removed and  the remaining 20% of the methanol/catalyst solution was added. The mixture was  again stirred for 1 hour at 140°F and any remaining glycerin was settled out and removed. The fuel was then water-washed to remove methanol, soap, catalyst, and free glycerin. The washed fuel was dried by heating to 230°F for 15 minutes. The final  fuel samples were analyzed for free and total glycerin and found to be in compliance  with ASTM D6751, the specification for biodiesel. Samples of B100 and B20 were prepared and the cold flow properties were measured.  The biodiesel fuels that were tested included 100% soybean oil and tallow-based  biodiesels as well as soybean oil-based biodiesel blended with tallow-based biodiesel  in various ratios. The blend ratios tested were 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%  tallow-based biodiesel with the remainder being soybean-oil based biodiesel. The  conventional  diesel used in the B20 biodiesel blends was a standard # 2 diesel obtained  from a service station in Idaho. The cloud point (CP), pour point (PP), and cold filter  plugging point (CFPP) were measured twice and the numbers were averaged. The CP  and PP data were measured in the biodiesel laboratory at the University of Idaho  using the ASTM D2500 and ASTM D97 test methods respectively. The CFPP data were  measured by Magellan Midstream Partners of Kansas City, Kansas. Measuring Cold Weather Performance Cold weather performance is measured by 3 parameters: cloud point, pour point, and  cold filter plug point. The cloud point refers to the temperature at which  small wax  crystals in diesel or biowax in biodiesel fuels form and are first visually observed  as the fuel cools. The accumulation of solidified waxes will thicken the fuel and can  reach the point where fuel filters and injectors in engines become clogged. The  temperature at which this happens is known as the cold filter plug point. The pour  point is lowest temperature at which the fuel will pour or flow; it is a rough  indication of the lowest temperature at which fuel is readily pumpable. It should be  noted that CFPP for biodiesel blends is the measurement used within the biodiesel industry globally to provide a good indicator of the lowest operability temperature for  diesel engines. Soybean Oil-Tallow Biodiesel Blends For B100 biodiesel made from varying proportions of tallow versus soybean oil-based biodiesel, the cloud point, pour point and cold filter plugging point temperatures follow similar trends and the data points for the intermediate blend levels are roughly linear  between the temperatures for the 100% tallow and 100% soybean oil-based biodiesels. Table 1 shows the cold flow data for B20 produced by mixing 80% conventional  petroleum-based diesel fuel with 20% biodiesel from differing blend ratios of tallow  and soybean-based biodiesel. Because the biodiesel only composes 20% of the  mixture, the effect of changing the relative amounts of tallow biodiesel and soybean  biodiesel is much less than effects for B100 biodiesel. Table 1. Cold Flow Properties of B20 with biodiesel made from blends of  soybean oil and tallow-based biodiese Diesel % % Tallow % Soy CP (°F) PP (°F) CFPP (°F) 80 0 20 15.6 .3 -0.4 80 4 16 12.9 3.2 4.1 80 8 12 15.6 7.5 8.6 80 12 8 15.4 9.5 9.5 80 16 4 13.6 10.8 14.9 80 20 0 19.4 13.3 12.2 For petroleum diesel fuel: CP= -1.8°F (-18.8°C), PP=-19.1°F (-28.4°C), and CFPP=-0.4°F (-18°C) These results from Table 1 are plotted in Figure 1. The cloud point of the B20  biodiesel fuel seems to show little effect as the ratio between the tallow and  soybean oil-based biodiesel is varied; the cloud point varied less than 10 degrees  between the extremes of using 100% tallow-based biodiesel or 100% soybean  oil-based biodiesel for the biodiesel portion of the B20 fuel. Also the cloud point  did not necessarily change in a linear fashion as the proportion of tallow-based  biodiesel changed. For instance, the B20 fuel with the biodiesel portion comprised  of 80% tallow / 20% soybean oil-based biodiesel showed a slightly lower cloud  point than the B20 fuel with the biodiesel portion comprised of 40%  tallow / 60% soybean oil-based biodiesel. The pour point (PP) and cold filter plug point (CFPP) did show a roughly linear  effect with 12.6°F to 14.4°F (7 to 8°C) of variation between the extremes.  That said, the impact on the B20 PP and CFPP of going from 100% soybean  oil-based biodiesel for the biodiesel portion to a 50%/50% soy-tallow biodiesel  blend for the biodiesel portion was relatively modest causing an increase of approximately 8°F in PP and CFPP in the B20 fuel. Figure 1. Cold Flow Properties of B20 with biodiesel made from blends of  soybean oil and tallow-based biodiesel For petroleum diesel fuel: CP= -1.8°F (-18.8°C), PP=-19.1°F (-28.4°C), and CFPP=-0.4°F (-18°C) It should be noted that the CFPP temperature for a given biodiesel blend can be  below the pour point temperature. This is a common observation with biodiesel fuels.  While it might initially seem impossible that the fuel could still flow through a filter  at a temperature below its pour point, it should be noted that the test conditions  are very different for the two procedures. First, when the pour point test is  conducted, the temperature is lowered in increments of 5.4°F (3°C) until a point is reached where the fuel no longer pours from a vessel. Then, 5.4°F (3°C) is added  to this temperature to identify the lowest temperature at which the fuel will pour.  Because of the way the pour point (PP) is defined, it is even possible for a fuel that  behaves similar to a pure compound, like biodiesel, to have a pour point that is  above the cloud point. This was not observed in the tests described here. The pour point technique means the actual freezing temperature of the fuel could  be between 5.4°F (3°C) and 10.8°F (6°C) below the measured pour point. Also, the  rate at which the fuel is cooled can affect the observed PP and CFPP temperatures. Conclusions The data presented in this report indicate that blending biodiesel made from tallow  (inedible beef fat) with soybean oil-based biodiesel can improve the low temperature  properties of the combined biodiesel. For B100 the effect is approximately linear  between the values for the pure methyl esters. The effect of changing the relative  amounts of tallow-based biodiesel versus soybean oil-based biodiesel is much  less for B20 biodiesel fuels than the effects for B100 biodiesel. This is due to the simple fact that in a B20 biodiesel fuel the biodiesel only composes 20% of the  mixture and thus, the impact on B20 cold weather performance from changing  the type of biodiesel used is greatly reduced compared to the impact on the  cold weather performance of B100. Blending tallow-based biodiesel with soybean oil-based biodiesel did not always  have a linear effect on the cloud point of B20. However, roughly linear reductions  in the pour point and the cold filter plugging point (CFPP) were recorded as the  portions of tallow versus soybean oil-based biodiesel were adjusted. Since the CFPP  is intended to provide an indicator of the lowest operability temperature for engines,  it appears that blending tallow biodiesel with soybean biodiesel should allow  the fuel to be used at lower temperatures. Acknowledgements The author would like to thank Scott Burn, Joe Thompson, and Paul Wang for their  assistance in conducting the experiments that produced the data provided in this report. ABOUT US CONTACT US HOME © 2007-2011 Crimson Renewable Energy, L.P. All rights reserved. website design by h2oh marketing.

Biodiesel frequently asked questions

BIODIESEL FAQ

BIODIESEL BASICS

What is Biodiesel?

Biodiesel is a  domestic, clean burning fuel for diesel engines made from animal and vegetable fats and oils. Unlike petroleum-based diesel, biodiesel is a renewable source of fuel because it can be naturally replenished using local resources. Unmodified diesel engines can potentially run on 100% biodiesel or any blend of biodiesel and petroleum diesel. A blend containing 20% biodiesel is called “B20,” a 5% blend is called “B5” and so on. Our biodiesel is produced locally from locally collected, recycled cooking oil.

Biodiesel is superior to conventional diesel in many ways. Biodiesel is non-toxic and biodegradeable, making it less damaging to the environment in the event of a spill or leak. Biodiesel has superior lubrication properties compared to diesel fuel. It increases engine life and can be used to replace the sulfur usually added to petroleum diesel, a lubricating agent that causes acid rain. Biodiesel is also safer to transport because of its higher flash point or ignition temperature.

Biodiesel can play a significant role in reducing air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to smog and global warming. Using biodiesel greatly decreases the carbon footprint of diesel vehicles. A recent U.S. Department of Energy study has shown that the production and use of biodiesel resulted in a 78% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions when compared to petroleum diesel. Biodiesel also has the highest energy balance of any transportation fuel. For every unit of fossil energy used to produce a gallon of biodiesel, 3.24 units of energy are gained.

Technical Definition for Biodiesel (ASTM D 6751) and Biodiesel Blend: 
Biodiesel, n – a fuel comprised of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats, designated B100, and meeting the requirements of ASTM D 6751.

Biodiesel Blend, n – a blend of biodiesel fuel meeting ASTM D 6751 with petroleum-based diesel fuel, designated BXX, where XX represents the volume percentage of biodiesel fuel in the blend.

For more information, or to learn more about biodiesel, please go to: www.biodiesel.org or www.californiabiodieselalliance.org

How is biodiesel made?

Biodiesel is made through a chemical process called transesterification whereby the glycerin is separated from the fat or vegetable oil. The process leaves behind two products -- methyl esters (the chemical name for biodiesel) and glycerin (a valuable byproduct usually sold to be used in soaps and other products).

Is biodiesel the same as veggie oil?

NO!!! Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act. Our biodiesel meets strict industry specifications (ASTM D6571) and is legally registered with the Environmental Protection Agency as a legal motor fuel for sale and distribution. Vegetable oil is not registered with the EPA, has not met federal health effects testing requirements and is not a legal motor fuel.

Is biodiesel used as a pure fuel, or can it be blended with diesel fuel?

Biodiesel can be used as a pure fuel or blended with petroleum in any percentage. B20 (a blend of 20 percent by volume biodiesel with 80 percent by volume petroleum diesel) has demonstrated significant environmental benefits with a minimum increase in cost for fleet operations and other consumers.

Who can answer my questions about biodiesel?

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) maintains the largest library of biodiesel information in the US. Information can be requested by visiting the biodiesel web site at www.nbb.org, by emailing the NBB at info@biodiesel.org, or by calling NBB’s toll free number (800) 841-5849.

Can I use biodiesel in my existing engine?

Biodiesel can be operated in any diesel engine with little or no modification to the engine or the fuel system. Biodiesel has a solvent effect that may release deposits accumulated on tank walls and pipes from previous diesel fuel storage. The release of deposits may clog filters initially and precautions should be taken. Ensure that only fuel meeting the biodiesel specification is used.

How do biodiesel emmissions compare to regular petroleum diesel?

Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. The use of biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine results in substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter compared to emissions from diesel fuel. In addition, the exhaust emissions of sulfur oxides and sulfates (major components of acid rain) from biodiesel are essentially eliminated compared to diesel. Of the major exhaust pollutants, both unburned hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides are ozone or smog forming precursors. The use of biodiesel results in a substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons. Emissions of nitrogen oxides are either slightly reduced or slightly increased depending on the duty cycle of the engine and testing methods used. Based on engine testing, using the most stringent emissions testing protocols required by EPA for certification of fuels or fuel additives in the US, the overall ozone forming potential of the speciated hydrocarbon emissions from biodiesel was nearly 50 percent less than that measured for diesel fuel.

Does Biodiesel cost more than other alternative fuels?

When reviewing the high costs associated with other alternative fuel systems, many fleet managers have determined biodiesel is their least-cost-strategy to comply with state and federal regulations. Use of biodiesel does not require major engine modifications. That means operators keep their fleets, their spare parts inventories, their refueling stations and their skilled mechanics. The only thing that changes is air quality.

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