1. Valorisation of side-stream products (SSRP) obtained
WP 2: Optimisation of oil-rich crops primary processing
Deliverable D 2.2
Valorisation of side-stream products (SSRP) obtained
during refining of vegetable oils
dr. ir. Camelia Echim
Prof. dr. ir. Roland Verhé
Prof. dr. ir. Christian Stevens
~Workshop Foggia, 23-26th April, 2009~

2. Vegetable oils composition:
Sterols (free, esterified)
FFA
Tocopherols, tocotrienols
Minor compounds
Color pigments
Glycerides
Squalene, phosholipids,
metals etc.
abbbbbbb
Foggia th April 2009

3. Refining process of vegetable oils
(NBD)
(RBD)
Foggia th April 2009

4. Deodorizer distillates
Typical composition of the SSRPs
Compounds (%)
Soapstock
Acid oil
Deodorizer distillates
Spent bleaching earth
RBD
NBD
Water
32-67
<1-3 -
FFA
10-28
39-79
80-90
30-60
10-13
Acylglycerols
12-13
18-30
<1-14
5-12
up to 30
Phospholipids
5-9
traces
Unsaponifiable
matter
<1
<1-4
5-10
25-33
Foggia th April 2009

5. Deodorizer distillates
Applications of the SSRPs
Soapstock
Acid oil
Deodorizer distillates
Spent bleaching earth
Source of free fatty acids
Food additives
Disposed:
Incineration
Land filling
Low-grade oil
Pharmaceutical industry
Medium grade soap products
Cosmetics
Oleochemicals
Animal feed
Foggia th April 2009

6. Production of biodiesel/biofuel from SSRPs
Foggia th April 2009

7. Estimates for the production of SSRPs
Oil crop
Crude Oil production*
(mil. t/year 2007)
FFA (%)
Side stream refining products
FAD**
Soapstock***
Acid oil#
Palm (PO)
36.84 -
Soybean (SBO)
35.26
Rapeseed (RSO)
18.36
Sunflower (SFO)
11.10
Total
101.56
*Source: Malaysian Palm Oil, 2007
**DD=1.2 x FFA of crude oil (Vries RJ, 1984)
#AO=1.7 x FFA of crude oil (Vries RJ, 1984)
*** SS= 2 x AO
PO=100%RBD
SBO, RSO= 50%RBD+50%NBD
SFO=75%RBD+25%NBD
Foggia 23-26th April 2009

8. Biodiesel production scheme for soapstock (SS) and acid oil (AO)
Chemically or enzymatically catalysed processes
Incomplete conversion =>
-pre-treatment
soap-splitting and/or
hydrolysis or
drying/filtration or
transesterification
-post-treatment
distillation
SOAPSTOCK
(FFA, acylglycerol, etc)
Drying and/or filtration
Hydrolysis
Soap-splitting (AO)
Transesterification
Hydrolysis
Esterification
Esterification
Esterification
Distillation
Distillation
BIODIESEL
BIODIESEL
BIODIESEL
via direct conversion
via hydrolysis route
via soap-splitting route
EN14214: YES NOT NOT YES

9. Biodiesel production scheme for acid oil (AO) via acylglycerol route
Chemically catalysed process or non-catalytic process
Incomplete conversion =>
-post-treatment
distillation
EN14214: YES

10. Biodiesel production scheme for deodorizer distillates by direct conversion
Chemically or enzymatically catalysed process
Incomplete conversion =>
-pre-treatment
hydrolysis
-post-treatment
transesterification or distillation
EN14214: YES YES NOT

11. Biodiesel production scheme for deodorizer distillate via acylglycerol route
Enzymatically catalysed process or non-catalytic process
Incomplete conversion =>
-post-treatment
distillation
EN14214: YES NOT

12. Case study 1 FACT (Fatty Acid Conversion Technology)*
STAND ALONE PROCESS
For high acidity feedstocks
(fatty acid distillates)
Chemically catalysed process
(heterogenesous catalyst, 90°C,
3.5 bar)
To produce biofuels
To produce biodiesel according to
EN14214 by distillation of FAME
*F. Soragna, Desmet Ballestra Group (2008, 2009)

13. Case study 2 FACT (Fatty Acid Conversion Technology)*
INTEGRATED PROCESS
For medium/high acidity feedstocks
Chemically catalysed process (heterogenesous catalyst, 90°C,
3.5 bar)
Integrated transesterification step
To produce biofuels
To produce biodiesel according
to EN14214
*F. Soragna, Desmet Ballestra Group (2008, 2009)

14. References:
Vries RJ (1984) Utilization of Malaysian Palm oil and Palm Kernel Oil for fatty acids and derivatives. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc, 61 (2):
Malaysian Palm Oil. Fact sheets (2007). Malaysian Palm Oil Council and Malaysian Palm Oil Board: 2-63.
EN 14214:2003. Automotive Fuels - Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) for Diesel Engines - Requirements and Test Methods.
Soragna F. (2008) Alternative routes to process low quality raw materials to produce biodiesel. Biofuel. 3 rd Annual meeting October, Berlin.
Soragna F. (2009) New Desmet Ballestra FACT (Fatty Acids Conversion Technology), personal communication.
Foggia th April 2009

15. Conclusions
There are multiple routes to converting the SSRPs to biodiesel, some of which have found industrial application and others have a scientific value.
There is a general trend to pre-treat the soapstock before converting it to FAME, either by acidulation, in order to generate AO (soap-splitting route) or by hydrolysis of neutral oil (hydrolysis route).
Starting from deodorizer distillate two processes (direct conversion or via acylglycerols route) are shown to produce biodiesel.
Pre-treatment of the feedstock or post-treatment of the final biodiesel is often required in order to meet the quality specifications.
Using a combination of technologies, low-value lipid resources are converted into biodiesel that complies with the EU and ASTM specifications.

16. Thank you
for your attention!!
Foggia 23-26th April 2009