Consulting and Technology Transfer Project on Biodiesel Quality Control and Laboratory Set Up for Thai Biodiesel Oil Co.,Ltd.

Introduction: In the present day, Thailand and many countries as oil imported countries are

facing a difficulty due to an unstable rising of petroleum fuel price. While the

fuel consumption rate keeps increasing, especially, Diesel fuel which is the

most consumed by Thai transportation sector. Therefore, Thai government is

promoting a renewable energy strategy, which calling for a minimum of 8%

share of energy consumption to be of renewable resources by 2011. Biodiesel

is included in this strategy and the target for biodiesel use in Thailand by 2011

will reach 4.5 MLPD. It is expected that more than 80 biodiesel production

plants will be set up around Thailand especially in the rural area.

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel from renewable resource. The raw materials for

biodiesel production are vegetable oil which is extracted from various types of

oil plants such as crude palm oil (CPO), soybean oil, etc and used vegetable

oil. The production plants of biodiesel using a conventional transesterification

reaction are widely established around Thailand. However, not many biodiesel

production plants have testing the quality of biodiesel that they had produced.

This causes the quality of biodiesel to be unqualified as specify by the bio-

diesel standard set by Ministry of Energy. Therefore, National Metal and

Materials Center by MTEC Energy Research Group had started a project to

provide consulting and technology transfer on biodiesel quality control and

laboratory set up for Thai enterprises.

Vituruch Goodwin, Parncheewa Udomsap, Ukrit Sahapatsombat and Rapeepun Rahong.

Biofuel Testing Laboratory, Bioenergy Research Group

National Metal and Materials Technology Center, (MTEC)

MTEC Energy Research Group places importance on quality control and

technology transfer of biodiesel production to upgrade both quality and

production process of Thai enterprises. Our group also promotes the

implementation of good quality biodiesel that pass standard specification to

avoid any damage to the engine run on biodiesel. Our group anticipates that

this project to setting up of Biodiesel Quality Testing Laboratory for Thai

Biodiesel Oil Co., Ltd. will lead to good quality control of biodiesel produced in

rural area of Thailand.

Project detail:Thai Biodiesel Oil Co.,Ltd. is located in Kanchanaburi province approximately

129 kilometers west of Bangkok. This biodiesel production plant was

established in 2005. The average production of biodiesel is range from

70,000-80,000 LPD using crude and refined palm oil and used vegetable oil

as raw materials.. MTEC Energy Research Group had visited the plant in

2007. While Thai Biodiesel Oil Co.Ltd was seeking for an advice to establish

Biodiesel Quality Testing Lab in order to improve the biodiesel production

process and quality. MTEC then start the consulting and technology transfer

project to setting up a laboratory for Thai Biodiesel Oil Co.,Ltd. in August.

Objectives:

1. To transfer the testing technology

of raw materials such as Acid Value

measurement of crude and used oil

to calculate the quantity of catalyst

for transesterification process.

2. To set up Biodiesel Quality Testing

Laboratory included providing

advice on floor plan of laboratory,

selection of testing apparatus such

Gas Chromatograph (GC)

Acid Value measurement by titration

Biodiesel training session

Thai Biodiesel Oil Co.,Ltd. Plants in Kanchanaburi

as Viscometer, Gas Chromato-

graph (GC), and Karl Fischer

Coulometer and reagents as

required by standard methods.

3. To train biodiesel quality testing

technique for biodiesel labora-

tory operators.

Karl Fischer Coulometer

Viscometer