1. Continuous Flow Biodiesel Reactor
F07-59CFBIODSL
Saluki Engineering Company Engineers:
Brett Seagle, Project Manager, ME
Edward Kramer, ME
Jeff Rohrich, ME
Shawn Robertson, ME
Kohki Ishii, ME
Cole Sheldon, ME
Faculty Technical Adviser: Dr. Kanchan Mondal

2. Outline Executive Summary (Brett) Discussion
Safety and Handling of Chemicals (Brett)
Chemical Management (Ed)
Input Tanks (Jeff)
Piping, Valves, & Fittings (Shawn)
Pumps (Kohki)
Mixing Tank (Brett)
Settling Tanks (Cole)
Plan to Complete Project (Jeff)
Tasks to be Performed
Designation of Principle Responsibilities
Projected Timeline
Resources Needed (Shawn)
Summary (Cole)

3. Executive Summary Continuous Flow Biodiesel Reactor
All other biodiesel production systems have been batch style
Better Suited for industrial applications
Deliverables
Working Prototype
Complete set of instructions
Plan to scale up design
Team Responsibilities
Brett Seagle - Project Manager, Mixing Tank
Edward Kramer - Chemical Management
Jeff Rohrich - Input Tanks
Shawn Robertson - Piping, Valves, & Fittings
Kohki Ishii - Pumps
Cole Sheldon - Settling Tank
Total Estimated Cost: $482

4. Safety and Handling of Chemicals
Concerns When Working With Methanol
Health Problems
Type of alcohol (methyl alcohol CH4O)
Inhaling fumes (toxic fumes)
May cause blindness or even death
Highly flammable
Flame is clear
Low flash point (12 °C)
Higher vapor concentration at room temp
Concerns When Working With Sodium Hydroxide
Lye or caustic soda (NaOH)
Prevent skin contact and inhalation
Strong base (causes harmful burns)
Slightly unstable (collects moisture from air)

5. Chemical Management 3 Major chemicals in reaction Methanol
Sodium Hydroxide
Vegetable Oil
Oil composition
Reaction model
Reaction coefficients

6. Chemical Management Titration List of deliverables
Activities already accomplished

7. Input Tanks Material Selection for Input Tanks
High Density Polyethylene Carboy (4 Liters)
Closed container
Transparent
Resistant to chemical properties of methanol
Inexpensive
Mixing Of Chemicals
Methoxide will be added to tank
Safety equipment (gloves, goggles, fume hood)
Methoxide will be at room temperature

8. Piping, Valves, and Fittings
Flexible polypropylene ¼” diameter
Flexible polypropylene 1” diameter
Fittings
Threaded fittings with barb ends to connect piping to valves and tanks
Rigid polypropylene or CPVC T-fitting to connect circulation tube to settling tanks
(courtesy of usplastics.com)
(courtesy of usplastics.com) 8

9. Piping, Valves, and Fittings
2 Needle valves made of CPVC
Needle valves can be adjusted to achieve the very small flowrates required
Used to meter vegetable oil input and crude biodiesel output
1 Three way valve CPVC
Directs flow between two settling tanks
(courtesy of usplastics.com)
(courtesy of usplastics.com) 9

10. Pumps Type – Peristaltic
No contact between corrosive fluid and moving parts of the pump
Uses compression to move fluid
Adjustable flow rate by speed of rotor and size of tubing
Two pumps
One for mixing/circulation
One for methoxide input
Relatively inexpensive
Cost between $80-$100 each
Calibration
Low flow rate for methoxide input
Large flow rate for mixing/circulation
Schematic Model
Rotor
Tube

11. Mixing Tank Objective Heating the Solution
Bringing the Solution to Steady State
Electrical Tape on Column and Tank if necessary
Optimal reacting temperature of 50 °C
Quickly heating the solution reduces reaction time
Baffles create turbulence through static mixing
Mixing blade not suited for our design
The Tank
The size of a 20-lb propane tank
Column has to be removable
Packing material on a perforated shelf inside the tank
Packing material increases agitation
½˝ High Density Polyethylene Balls

12. Settling Tank Objectives Stratify biodiesel from glycerin
Separate biodiesel from glycerin
Flush glycerin once capacity is reached
Input Mixture will contain biodiesel, glycerin with dissolved methoxide, and some unreacted vegetable oil.
Biodiesel has a lower density than glycerin and will rise to the top
Over a span of 24 hours, biodiesel will overflow off the top as the glycerin level rises.
Once full, a valve will be switched to direct the input flow to fill the other tank so that the glycerin can be flushed.

13. Tasks to be Performed* Make large batch of Methoxide
Fabricate Mixing Tank
Cut propane tank, fabricate packing shelf, & attach fabricated baffles
Fabricate Settling Tanks
Cut tubes and install fittings & valves
Test input tank flow rates
Build stand for pumps and tanks
Calibrate Pumps
Test quality of biodiesel
* tasks to be completed in first 4 weeks

14. Designation of Principle Responsibilities
Chemical Management -Edward, ME
Input Tank -Jeff, ME
Piping, Valves, and Fittings -Shawn, ME
Peristaltic Pumps -Kohki, ME
Mixing Tank -Brett, ME
Settling Tank -Cole, ME

15. Projected Timeline

16. Resources Needed Chemicals $100 Input Tanks $12 Mixing Tank $30
Settling Tanks $70
Piping, Valves, & Fittings $70
Pumps $200
Total $482
Access to Machine Shop
Labor

17. Summary Continuous Flow Biodiesel Reactor Consists of
Chemical Management
Input Tanks
Piping, Valves, & Fittings
Mixing Tank
Settling Tanks
Plan to Complete Project
Tasks to be Performed
Designation of Principle Responsibilities
Proposed Timeline
Resources Needed
$ 482 for supplies
Access to Machine Shop