Progress 07/01/07 to 06/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The goal of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of converting Utah grown safflower into biodiesel. If this can be demonstrated, then it opens up a potential new outlet for safflower, thereby giving Utah dryland farmers a new market for this crop. Most of the current crop is sold as low value bird seed. As a feedstock for biodiesel, the safflower value would be expected to rise. During the last year, we extracted the oil from safflower seeds cultivated on several different plots in Box Elder and Cache Counties. The oil was extracted by mechanical pressing followed by extraction with hexanes. The resulting oils were converted to fatty acid methyl esters (biodiesel) using a standard base catalyzed reaction with methanol. PARTICIPANTS: Brad Wahlen, Biochemistry Graduate Student, Utah State University; Lance Seefeldt, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Utah State University; Clark Israelsen, County Director / Agriculture Agent, Cache County Extension Office; Michael Pace, Agriculture / 4H Agent, Box Elder County Extension. TARGET AUDIENCES: General audience with interest in biofuels. Seed Growers interested in cultivating seed crops for conversion to biodiesel. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
We were able to demonstrate that oils extracted from safflower could be converted in high yield to fatty acid methyl esters (biodiesel). We noted that some crops of safflower contained large amounts of oleic acid, while other crops had higher levels of linoleic acid. Both crops showed equal conversion efficieny to biodiesel. The conditions discovered for high yield conversion to biodiesel were scaled up to a 1 L size and were applied to one batch of high oleic acid biodiesel and to one batch of high linoleic acid biodiesel. The two batches of biodiesel showed normal gross properties as expected for methyl ester biodiesel made from soybean oil. Thus, at the conclusion of this study, we have developed methods that allow high efficiency removal of oils from safflower seeds, high conversion efficiencies, and liter quantities of safflower biodiesel that has normal gross properties. This study demonstrates that safflower can be used as a feedstock for biodiesel production. A follow up study should develop a cost model to analyze the value to Utah farmers to grow safflower as a feedstock for biodiesel. There results from our study will be vital to such a cost model, providing real efficiency numbers for the conversion process.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The goal of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of converting Utah grown safflower into biodiesel. If this can be demonstrated, then it opens up a potential new outlet for safflower, thereby giving Utah dryland farmers a new market for this crop. Most of the current crop is sold as low value bird seed. As a feedstock for biodiesel, the safflower value would be expected to rise. During the last year, we extracted the oil from safflower seeds cultivated on several different plots in Box Elder and Cache Counties. The oil was extracted by mechanical pressing followed by extraction with hexanes. The resulting oils were converted to fatty acid methyl esters (biodiesel) using a standard base catalyzed reaction with methanol. PARTICIPANTS: Brad Wahlen, Biochemistry Graduate Student, Utah State University; Lance Seefeldt, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Utah State University; Clark Israelsen, County Director / Agriculture Agent, Cache County Extension Office; Michael Pace, Agriculture/4H Agent, Box Elder County Extension. TARGET AUDIENCES: General audience with interest in biofuels. Seed Growers interested in cultivating seed crops for conversion to biodiesel. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The project objectives remain the same; to demonstrate the fesability of converting safflower to biodiesel and to determine the quality of the biodiesel. We have accomplished these objectives and now we are preparing the results into a final report.
Impacts
We were able to demonstrate that oils extracted from safflower could be converted in high yield to fatty acid methyl esters (biodiesel). We noted that some crops of safflower contained large amounts of oleic acid, while other crops had higher levels of linoleic acid. Both crops showed equal conversion efficieny to biodiesel. The conditions discovered for high yield conversion to biodiesel were scaled up to a 1 L size and were applied to one batch of high oleic acid biodiesel and to one batch of high linoleic acid biodiesel. The two batches of biodiesel showed normal gross properties as expected for methyl ester biodiesel made from soybean oil. Thus, at the conclusion of this study, we have developed methods that allow high efficiency removal of oils from safflower seeds, high conversion efficiencies, and liter quantities of safflower biodiesel that has normal gross properties. This study demonstrates that safflower can be used as a feedstock for biodiesel production. A follow up study should develop a cost model to analyze the value to Utah farmers to grow safflower as a feedstock for biodiesel. There results from our study will be vital to such a cost model, providing real efficiency numbers for the conversion process.
Publications
- Wahlen, B.D., Oswald, W.S., Seefeldt, L.C., and Barney, B.M. 2009. Purification, Characterization, and Potential Bacterial Wax Production Role of an NADPH-dependent Fatty Aldehyde Reductase from Marinobacter aquaeolei VT8. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 75:2758.
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Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During the past year (January 2008-December 2008), we completed three important goals in our efforts to demonstrate that irrigated and dryland crop safflower grown in Utah can be converted into biodiesel: (i) additional strains of safflower and several other oil seed crops were grown and the seeds collected for analysis in early 2009; (ii) the seeds from 14 different safflower strains grown in 2007 were pressed, the oil collected and converted into biodiesel, and preliminary analysis completed; (iii) we developed a new method for the conversion of plant oils and lower quality cooking oils into biodiesel. During the 2008 season, several new crops were planted including camelina, yellow mustard, flax and sunflower in addition to 18 different varieties of safflower that were tested for dryland production. Besides the yields from the safflower, three of these alternative crops yielded sufficient seeds from which to calculate yields, while the sunflower was heavily damaged by birds. We established laboratory protocols and have obtained preliminary data from 14 different varieties of safflower grown during the summer of 2007. To accomplish the oil extraction, we purchased a small scale oil seed press to extract the oil and compare these results to an analytical press. Ten of the safflower oil samples were converted into butyl-ester biodiesel using analytical techniques derived from current literature and an initial analysis of the fatty acid composition has been completed. There were significant differences found in the oil from these varieties. The primary difference is related to the percentage of saturated, unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which could be clearly identified and differentiated in our analysis. Seed oils and waste cooking oils from many sources contain significant quantities of free fatty acid in addition to triglycerides. When free fatty acids are present in elevated quantities, the commonly used base catalyzed method for production of biodiesel fails. We have developed a new method for biodiesel production which overcomes the issues related to very high levels of free fatty acid. PARTICIPANTS: Brad Wahlen, Biochemistry Graduate Student, Utah State University; Lance Seefeldt, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Utah State University; Clark Israelsen, County Director / Agriculture Agent, Cache County Extension Office; Michael Pace, Agriculture / 4H Agent, Box Elder County Extension. TARGET AUDIENCES: General audience with interest in biofuels. Seed Growers interested in cultivating seed crops for conversion to biodiesel. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
A new method for the production of biodiesel from plant sources with high levels of free fatty acids was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Energy and Fuels. Standard protocols to convert seed oils to biodiesel typically utilize a base catalyzed system of sodium or potassium hydroxide and methanol to produce biodiesel. This procedure often fails when free fatty acid content in the oil is high, due to the formation of detergents or soaps during the conversion, making simple cleanup protocols difficult and generally rendering the biodiesel unusable. Using an acid catalyzed approach and slightly larger alcohols, such as propanol and butanol, we were able to demonstrate that when using this technique, seed based oils with any quantity of free fatty acid (up to and including 100%) could be successfully converted to a usable fuel, and that in addition, the free fatty acid is also successfully converted at a rate much higher than can be achieved using methanol. The technique was applied to a bench scale apparatus to produce several liters of fuel for additional testing of fuel qualities. While the cost of these alcohols is higher, the procedure could potentially have a broad impact on the range of oil stocks from seeds or processed cooking oils that are high in free fatty acids which could be converted to a transportation fuel. As an added feature of the method, it appears that the new fuel derived from longer alcohols also has a depressed freezing point, which could improve utilization of this biodiesel in colder climates, where gelling is an issue. In 2008, Clark Israelsen presented data on 16 varieties of safflower grown in Utah on irrigated lands during the 2007 growing season. He reported results such as pounds dry matter per acre (DM/A), percent oil content and gross income per acre based on market prices. He also shared that the top producing variety, Hybrid 9049, produced 2084 lbs of DM/A while the research plots averaged 1495 lbs/A. For the 2007 year, Nutrasaff was the highest in oil content at 43.9%. This information has also been made available to growers who can find current and future research trial results on the Box Elder County Extension office website located at the following address (http://extension.usu.edu/boxelder/htm/agriculture/safflowertrial). Additional presentations to disseminate the results from the 2008 growths on dry lands for different varieties and other oil crops have been planned.
Publications
- Wahlen, BD, Barney, BM, Seefeldt, LC 2008. Synthesis of Biodiesel from Mixed Feedstocks and Longer Chain Alcohols Using an Acid-Catalyzed Method. Energy and Fuels 22:4223-4228.
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The biodiesel from Utah grown safflower project was begun in July of this year. Approval and funding of the project arrived too late to begin initial growth test plots including other seeds such as sunflower or rapeseed in the spring of 2007, so those growths were delayed until spring 2008. An additional growth of safflower was performed by Clark Israelson and Michael Pace as part of another project, and additional seeds remaining from those trials will be used as part of additional laboratory projects currently underway. This brings the total amount of seed available to well over 100 pounds each from the 2006 and 2007 seasons, which can be analyzed as part of this project. Significant progress was made over the past six months towards the goal of comparing different alcohols and methods for the production of biodiesel from vegetable (or seed) oils. Utilization of a laboratory scale microwave device obtained in cooperation with the USTAR biofuels program allowed us to make
rapid comparisons of different alcohols, and their suitability in biodiesel production. In this work, four different alcohols were utilized (methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol and 1-butanol) and yields were obtained using both base and acid catalysis. This work has generated some very interesting findings, which may find application in expanding the range of oils that can be used for conversion into biodiesel, including those high in free fatty acids. In addition, methods for the analysis of biodiesel components (esters and remaining triacylglycerides) were optimized using gas chromatography to compare quality of conversion processes. These protocols are based on the established test method protocol (ASTM) for biodiesel analysis. In addition, a nuclear magnetic resonance protocol was also utilized and modified for the analysis of biodiesel from alcohols besides methanol. Each of these methods will be key in the analysis of the oils and biodiesel prepared from various strains of safflower.
Efforts towards removing oil from safflower seeds were directed at comparing two primary techniques for removing oil. The first is a mechanical method based on a screw press technology. The second involves the use of chemical solvents. Both techniques are used to varying degrees by the seed oil industries. As part of this work, we have purchased a small scale seed press and several soxhlet setups to compare the advantages of each method. We have also hired a student research technician to perform the initial extractions of seed oils, and perform routine conversions of the oils to biodiesel. Finally, initial efforts towards utilizing the remaining seed matter following solvent extraction or pressing is now underway. This will include initial efforts towards biological techniques of converting these materials to additional fuels.
PARTICIPANTS: Brad Wahlen, Biochemistry Graduate Student, Utah State University; Lance Seefeldt, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Utah State University; Clark Israelsen, County Director / Agriculture Agent, Cache County Extension Office; Michael Pace, Agriculture / 4H Agent, Box Elder County Extension.
TARGET AUDIENCES: General audience with interest in biofuels. Farmers interested in growth of seed crops for conversion to biodiesel.
Impacts
As part of the work described above using different alcohols and vegetable oils, it is anticipated that a publication will be submitted to the american Chemical Society journal Energy and Fuels in January 2008. Instrumentation and techniques have been developed for the rapid extraction and conversion of seed oils to biodiesel, and for the analysis of this biodiesel for comparison to biodiesel generated from other crops.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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