Thankfully biodiesel is a product that could be produced from both seed oil and yellow grease producers to add value to their products. Since BIOX Process is the only biodiesel process on the market that is likely to be cost competitive with petroleum diesel production costs, the benefits would be seen both in the markets of the feedstock and in the environment. The BIOX Process is an economical new method for turning waste greases and other oils into biodiesel and promises to make biodiesel cost-competitive with petroleum diesel on the market. The kinetic data for this reaction has been previously misinterpreted. At the University of Toronto he has shown that the methanolysis is slow because the initial reaction mixture consists of two phases, and the reaction is therefore mass transfer limited.
Continuous processes are now feasible.
The acid catalyzed process, which is required when the substrate contains fatty acids, is complete in minutes rather than the usual several hours. The reaction does not go to completion, and therefore requires a second and even third pass to achieve the necessary purity. The reaction cannot handle substrates which have fatty acid contents much above one percent, simply because the acids neutralize the catalyst to form soaps. Uses an inert, cheap recyclable co solvent to make the reaction one phase, thus improving mass transfer and thereby, the reaction rate. Uses more methanol to increase the polarity of the mixture, which maintains the ionization of the catalyst.