Optimization of biodiesel production for self-consumption: considering its environmental impacts

In the present study, we worked to optimize biodiesel production with a production capacity of 40–200 L day−1, taking into consideration the necessity of identifying and reducing the impacts of the process so as to construct appropriately scaled equipment. To analyze the impacts, we built an interactive matrix derived from the Leopold Matrix. This matrix considers the various steps in the process and attempts to minimize their impacts. The identified measures were implemented, thereby reducing the environmental impacts of biodiesel production by the equipment developed in the study. The main measures were the substitution of raw materials, equipment design modifications and the elimination of losses during the process. We highlight that the relevant results were obtained with the equipment modifications which has as a consequence a reduced long-term negative impact (20%), a minimum irreversible negative impact (5%) and an improvement of the regional and local positive impacts of 8–40%. Replacing the methanol with ethanol there was 69.9% less negative impacts compared to the previous results with methanol. This equipment is suitable for the local production of biodiesel on family farms.