Bringing Biodiesel to the Classroom

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Bringing Biodiesel to the Classroom

• Erin Gawron
• Chemistry Teacher
• Heritage High School
• Conyers, GA

2
Background

• Worked at part of the GIFT (Georgia
  Intern-Fellowships for Teachers) program
• Spent the summer at UGA in Athens working with
  the Faculty of Engineering
• Project Topic Biodiesel Fuel
• Mentors Dr. Tom Adams and Dan Geller

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Biodiesel Basics

• Biodiesel is made by reacting fats or oils with
  alcohol in a base-catalyzed process called
  transesterification
• It contains no petroleum but can be blended with
  any amount of petroleum diesel for a cleaner
  burning fuel (B20 is common)
• It can be used in any diesel engine with little
  or no modification (depends on the percentage of
  the blend)
• Advantages made from renewable resources, lower
  emissions, and is less toxic than table salt
• Not the same thing as using straight vegetable
  oil as fuel

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Biodiesel Production

• The most common form of Biodiesel is that made
  by the transesterification of vegetable oils

C
R1
C
OH
MeR1
NaOH
C
R2

3MeOH
C
OH
MeR2

C
R3
C
OH
MeR3
Triglyceride(fats and oils)
Methanol(alcohol)
Glycerol
Methyl Ester (Biodiesel)
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Using Peanuts

• In the United States, soybean oil is most
  commonly used to make biodiesel
• In Europe, rapeseed (canola) oil is most common
• However, peanuts have a much higher oil content
  than either of the common used oils

Data from Main World Sources of Oil
(http//www.cyberlipid.org/glycer/glyc0051.htm)Pe
rsonal Communication GA Peanut Commission
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Peanut Oil Biodiesel

• Peanut oil yield per acre MUCH greater than
  soybean and rapeseed
• Peanuts able to be grown across the US
• Possible new market available for peanuts - helps
  Georgia farmers
• The UGA project is funded by Georgia Peanut
  Commission and National Peanut Board

Data from Main World Sources of Oil
(http//www.cyberlipid.org/glycer/glyc0051.htm)GA
Farm Bureau (http//www.gfb.org/agfacts/crop.htm)

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Project Overview

• The UGA engineers were starting a project to
  make biodiesel out of peanut oil (good for GA
  farmers)
• I started by doing an extensive literature search
  for what has been done with peanut oil
• I searched for peanut cultivars with a high oil
  yield per acre
• I made several batches of biodiesel from
  different feedstocks
• Tested properties of the oils and biodiesels
• Created classroom activities based on my research

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Making Biodiesel

• Used sunflower oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and
  chicken fat as feedstocks
• Mixed methanol with sodium hydroxide and added
  oil while mixing for 15 minutes
• Let settle in a separatory funnel
• Also made a 4 gallon batch
• Easy for students to make in the lab

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Testing Properties

• Tested each of the feedstocks and their
  respective biodiesels
• Tested viscosity and heats of combustion

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Classroom Projects

• Good resources for information areFrom the
  Fryer to the Fuel Tank Joshua
  Tickellwww.biodiesel.orgwww.journeytoforever.org
  
• I decided to do things throughout the year with
  biodiesel 4 quarterly projects and 1 weekly
  project
• Id also have students help write a proposal for
  a grant to get our school buses run on part
  biodiesel

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Class Projects

• Weekly Project - Give articles once a week and
  have students discuss and write journal entries
• First Quarter Research paper on alternative
  fuels
• Second Quarter Create a pamphlet on an
  alternative fuel of choice using Microsoft
  Publisher
• Third Quarter Website portfolio using Microsoft
  FrontPage
• Fourth Quarter Lab project making biodiesel,
  and testing properties of various oils and
  biodiesel
• NOT BEEN DONE YET

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Wishes

• To gain access to more sophisticated equipment to
  do further testing
• To procure a classroom engine for testing
  possibly get physics classes involved
• To have our horticulture classes grow oilseeds in
  the greenhouse so we can press them and make fuel
  from the oil

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Comments/Questions

• Contact me egawron_at_rockdale.k12.ga.us
• Website http//hhsweb.rockdale.k12.ga.us/webs/gaw
  ron/
• When I return to school I will post my
  activities for you to download and change to fit
  your classroom
• Any questions?