Development of Low Cost Biodiesel Washing Process for Sub-Saharan Africa

Using vegetable oils to produce biodiesel is commonly carried out around the world. However, most techniques for producing biodiesel rely on sophisticated production methods that aren’t appropriate for rural or remote regions of developing countries. Tropical regions such as Cameroon in Central Africa are usually rich in biological resources, such as oil seeds. Most villages have limited resources so a low-tech appropriate technology based approach is required. This presentation will focus on solving a key challenge in the production of biodiesel from vegetable oil – removing the soap produced as a side product of the transesterification reaction – in a manner that is simple and cost effective for underdeveloped regions. The interfacial properties of soap and biodiesel are the basis of the wash method and additives. Evaluation of locally available resources for different wash additives with varying pH was conducted to yield the optimal washing process. The project described herein has been developed by the University of Kentucky Appropriate Technology and Sustainability (UKATS) Research Team in collaboration with the African Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (ACREST), an NGO in Bangang, Village Cameroon. Further, the implementation of this process by a student team in Bangang Village, Cameroon in sub- Saharan Africa will be described. This project is part of a student led People, Prosperity and the Planet design project, sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Award No. SU835303