Turn fish fat into biodiesel

Pangasius fatty acids in the Mekong River can not be recycled but can be renewed into biodiesel. This is the work of the staff at the Institute of Materials Science in Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Science and Technology Vietnam.

Pangasius fat can be processed into biodiesel

Biodiesel, also known as biodiesel, is a term used to refer to a fuel used for diesel engines made from vegetable oils or pure metastas from vegetable oils or animal fats. Historically, vegetable oil was used as a fuel for engines in the 1900s. However, at that time, cheap oil and grease was not really needed. Until the price of fuel increases, the risk of fuel shortages on the stretcher increases, so finding alternative sources becomes necessary.

In 2004, the Institute of Materials Science in Ho Chi Minh City successfully researched the production of biodisel oil from animal and vegetable fats. In particular, Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thanh's research team has "launched" the technology of producing biodiesel from waste oil and fish oil. Mr. Thanh analyzes: Grease is the triglyceride of glycerol and different fatty acids. There are many methods to synthesize biodiesel, but the transesterification of vegetable oils and fats with zeolite catalysts with methanol (ethanol) is considered the best.

The material and the catalyst and methanol are reacted for 4-6 hours, solid and liquid. For the liquid part, after extraction of excess methanol, it splits into two useful substances: glycerin (used for preparing cosmetics) and biodiesel. According to this separation method, one tonne of raw material can produce 100 kg of glycerin and 800 kg of biodiesel. The standards of flash point, product viscosity are standard but the price of biodiesel is reduced about 20% compared to diesel prices on the market.

One of the highlights is that biodiesel from fish grease has the potential to burn off and emit very little greenhouse gases such as sulfur oxide, hydrocarbons, and so on. Research has shown that biodiesel consumption is down by a third Carbon black compared to traditional diesel fuel. At the same time no additional additives to increase the octane and high boiling point is also a favorable factor for long-term storage.

Mr. Thanh said the technology was considered successful in the laboratory. A basa catfish processing factory in An Giang province is negotiating to build a large-scale factory to help solve large volumes of basa fish fat.