Biodiesel production unit
In a first aspect, systems and methods for producing biodiesel fuel include a modular production unit incorporated onto a single platform or into a housing for ease of relocatability. The modular production unit preferably includes a mixing unit, a reactor unit, a separation unit, a distillation unit, and a filtering unit, all incorporated onto or into a self-contained platform or housing that is able to be easily relocated. In a second aspect, the modular production unit is combined with additional fixed and/or relocatable components to provide a biodiesel processing plant. In a third aspect, a raw materials processing system and method includes a roller barrel adapted for recovery, transportation, and introduction of recycled oil feedstock into a biodiesel manufacturing process. The raw materials processing system preferably includes a hot box for filtering and heating the raw recycled oil feedstock.
1. A biodiesel production unit comprising:
a reactor unit,
a separator unit downline in a flow path from said reactor unit, and
a distillation unit downline in a flow path from said separator unit,
wherein said reactor unit, said separator unit, and said distillation unit are incorporated onto a transportable platform or into a transportable housing;
wherein the separator unit comprises an array of three centrifuge units connected in series; and
wherein a first of the three centrifuge units has a first output connected to a first holding tank and a second output connected to a second of the three centrifuge units, and wherein said first holding tank has an output connected to said distillation unit.
2. The biodiesel production unit of claim 1 , wherein the second of the three centrifuge units has a first output connected to a second holding tank and a second output connected to a third of the three centrifuge units, and wherein said second holding tank has an output connected to disposal tank.
3. The biodiesel production unit of claim 2 , wherein the third of the three centrifuge units has a first output connected to a third holding tank and a second output connected to the second of the three centrifuge units, and wherein said third holding tank has an output connected to a filtering unit.
4. The biodiesel production unit of claim 3 , wherein said filtering unit comprises a settling tank.