Scale-up and economic analysis of biodiesel production from recycled grease trap waste

Grease trap waste (GTW) has been considered as a cost-effective feedstock for biodiesel production due to its high lipid content and relatively low cost for collection. However, the costly pre-treatment of this resource is currently the barrier to the commercialization of GTW-derived biodiesel due to its many contaminants. This study analyses the economic feasibility of biodiesel production from GTW collected in Adelaide, South Australia, and is based on the results obtained from laboratory-based study together with the data provided by various industrial sectors. Process simulation using Aspen Plus® V8.8 was applied to construct a simulation model in which biodiesel was produced via two different routes, these being ; esterification without using acetone as a co-solvent (1) ; and esterification using a co-solvent of acetone- ethanol (2). Results showed that the use of acetone as a co-solvent could not result in a lower production cost. The best production price of biodiesel obtained was US$1, 337.5/t which would indicate that GTW maybe a is a promising feedstock for biodiesel production.