3.

1 Overview Feasibility
3.3 Process flow

This section will describe the process of biodiesel production from vegetable oils where the
triglyceride oil is broken into alkyl (biodiesel) and glycerine by reaction with a mono alcohol.
The biodiesel and glycerine phases are then separate and purified. Production processes contain
the same stages, irrespective of the production scale, although the differences in equipment
may be significant.

Process steps are as follows:

1) Feeding the Palm Oil + Methanol and Catalyst

 Biodiesel consists of Fatty Acid Methyl Ester is produced by the chemical reaction
of oils and fats with methanol. A catalyst, usually sodium or potassium hydroxide
is utilize to accelerate the formation of alkyl esters.
2) Reaction Stage/Transesterification
 The objective of the transesterification is to convert the free fatty acid (FFA)
fraction of the feedstock into biodiesel. When the FFA content is high, the reaction
stage will be conduct in transesterification.
3) Separation Stage
 Once the reaction is complete, two major products exist: glycerine and biodiesel.
Each has a substantial amount of the excess methanol that was used in the reaction.
The reacted mixture is sometimes neutralize at this step if needed. The glycerine
phase is much denser than biodiesel phase and the two can be gravity separated
with glycerine simply drawn off the bottom of the settling vessel.
4) Acidulation and FFA Separation
 The glycerine after the separator is usually 50% glycerine, 40% methanol and 10%
soap and catalyst. The catalyst is neutralize and soaps are split to fatty acids and
salts. Free fatty acids and methanol are remove and recovered.
5) Glycerine Neutralization
 The glycerine by-product contains unused catalyst and soaps that are neutralize
with an acid and sent to storage as crude glycerine.
 Refined Glycerine: Crude glycerine are further refined to pharmaceutical or
technical grades or feed grades by removing water and salts by distillation.

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6) Methyl Ester Wash
 Once separated from the glycerine, the biodiesel is sometimes purified by washing
gently with warm water to remove residual catalyst or soaps, dried, and sent to
storage.
 To increases biodiesel purity.
7) Storage (by-product)
 Glycerine is stored in suitable storage tanks.
8) Transport (by-product)
 Transportation is required for the processed co-product glycerine.
9) Storage and Transport (Product)
 Methyl Ester is stored in suitable storage tanks
 Transportation of the final product to the vendor

Feeding the Palm Oil

+ Methanol and Reaction
Separation Stage
Catalyst in the feed Stage/Transesterification
reactor

Acidulation and FFA Glycerin

Methyl Ester Wash
Separation Neutralization

Storage & Transport

Storage (Glycerine) Transport (Processed
(Final Biodiesel:
by-product co-product glycerine)
Methyl Ester)

Figure: Process flow in Block Flow Diagram (BFD)

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3.3 Process flow diagram (PFD)

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3.4 Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID)

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 4.0 MIN MAPPING AND WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE (WBS)

4.1 Mind Map

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4.2 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

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 5.0 PROJECT SCHEDULING

5.1 Activity on Arrow (AOA) Diagram

Table: Project scheduling

Duration
Activity Description Precedent
(hours)
Feeding the palm oil with methanol and catalyst in
A 2 -
the feed reactor
B Transesterification reactor 3 A
C Separation stage 3 B
D Recycle of methanol 1 C
E Acidulation and Free Fatty Acid (FFA) separation 3 C
F Glycerin Neutralization 3 E
G Methyl Ester Wash 2 E
H Storage (Glycerin) by-product 1 F
I Transport of processed co-product Glycerin 2 H
J Storage of final Biodiesel: Methyl Ester 1 G

K Transport of Final Biodiesel: Methyl Ester 2 J

The diagram shown below illustrates the network diagram for the processes in producing a
Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) and Glycerin which acts as a profitable by-product. There
are 3 networks involved in the manufacturing process which is ABCD network, ABCEGJK
network and ABCEFHI network. Of all the networks drawn, the longest duration for a network
is called the critical duration. It is calculated that the critical path network (the longest network
path) which is ABCEFHI network requires a total of 17 hours. This proves that the path cannot
be delay as it will be affecting the project duration as a whole.

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Figure: Activity on Node (AOA) diagram

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5.2 Activity on Nodes (AON) Diagram

Table: Project scheduling

Duration
Activity Description Precedent
(hours)
Feeding the palm oil with methanol and catalyst in
A 2 -
the feed reactor
B Transesterification reactor 3 A
C Separation stage 3 B
D Recycle of methanol 1 C
E Acidulation and Free Fatty Acid (FFA) separation 3 C
F Glycerin Neutralization 3 E
G Methyl Ester Wash 2 E
H Storage (Glycerin) by-product 1 F
I Transport of processed co-product Glycerin 2 H
J Storage of final Biodiesel: Methyl Ester 1 G

K Transport of Final Biodiesel: Methyl Ester 2 J

The diagram shown below illustrates the network diagram for the processes in producing a
Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) and Glycerin which acts as a profitable by-product. There
are 3 networks involved in the manufacturing process which is ABCD network, ABCEGJK
network and ABCEFHI network. Of all the networks drawn, the longest duration for a network
is called the critical duration. It is calculated that the critical path network (the longest network
path) which is ABCEFHI network requires a total of 17 hours. This proves that the path cannot
be delay as it will be affecting the project duration as a whole.

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Figure: Activity on Node (AON) diagram.

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5.3 Gantt Chart

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