DESC:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to the field of chemical engineering. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automated system for the batch-wise conversion of multiple feedstocks and/or raw materials into biodiesel. A method of operation is also provided thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Biodiesel refers to an alternative fuel consisting of fatty acid alkyl esters synthesized from oil feedstock. During esterification and trans-esterification reactions, the free fatty acids and triglyceride molecule react with an alcohol in the presence of a catalyst to form the fatty acid alkyl ester (or biodiesel) and crude glycerol. Biodiesel is a biodegradable and non-toxic fuel and when burned, it has lesser toxic emissions compared to petrol and diesel. Biodiesel can be used as such for example, B100 which is around 100% biodiesel, or may be blended with diesel to obtain biodiesel blends that find applications in transportation and industrial sectors especially in the working of generators, boilers, etc.
[0003] Biodiesel is commonly produced by chemical catalysis where the feedstock is subjected to esterification and trans-esterification reaction in the presence of an alcohol and acidic or alkaline catalysts to produce corresponding fatty acid alkyl esters. During a conventional chemical-catalyzed reaction, large amount of wastewater containing acids or alkali is generated. Acids being corrosive may cause damage to the equipment and the reaction rate is also observed to be low. Furthermore, the separation and purification of by-products such as glycerol is more difficult in chemically catalyzed reactions.
[0004] Conventional biodiesel production is done at big-scale plants that are large and need different units of operating facilities. Alternatively, a few small-scale biodiesel processing systems and apparatus are in the market.
[0005] Patent literature US-2007/0056214-A1 discloses a processor for producing biodiesel from natural fats and oils. This integrated biodiesel processor includes a main reaction tank, secondary tanks, a stirring propeller, various pumps, programmable electronic controllers, conductivity sensor and heater. This invention also claims a process of producing biodiesel using base catalyst.
[0006] Patent literature US-2014/0294693-A1 describes a portable biodiesel manufacturing or processing plant. This system works on a continuous basis from a raw oil feedstock. The disclosure relates to a system and apparatus including a housing containing power generation, oil heating vessel, reactor, separation or settling tank and flash evaporation system. An esterification and trans- esterification process using chemical catalysis or catalyst free method using supercritical alcohol is disclosed is this document.
[0007] Patent literature US005972057A describes a method and apparatus for producing diesel fuel oil from waste edible oil. The method uses an alcoholic solution containing an alkaline catalyst for biodiesel production. The production apparatus comprises a plurality of tanks and means for liquid-liquid and solid-liquid separation.
[0008] Patent literature US 2006/0260184 A1 discloses an apparatus and process for the refinement of biodiesel fuel. The process comprises the reaction of triglyceride base with a solution including an alcohol and an alkaline catalyst followed by recovering the excess alcohol portion, cleansing the biodiesel fuel and filtering the biodiesel fuel prior to use. This invention incorporates a compact processor including a vapour recovery system for removing excess alcohols from the fuel. Additionally, a chemical cleaner in the form of an adsorbent material is introduced into the fuel prior to filtering in order to remove particulate matter and other impurities in the biodiesel fuel.
[0009] Patent literature US 2013/01801.65 A1 discloses an invention for biodiesel production in a mobile production facility using ultrasound. The production system comprises a reactor including a reaction vessel which houses ultrasonic transducers to promote a trans-esterification reaction of vegetable oil and or animal fat, a mechanical stirrer and a heater. In other embodiments, the system further includes a dry wash purification column.
[0010] Patent literature GB 2509938 A describes an automated method and apparatus for generation of biodiesel from vegetable oil. The generator includes at least three tanks together with a dry wash for the product biodiesel. The invention employs sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide as catalyst. Pre-programmed controllers automate every stage of the operating sequence without operator intervention.
[0011] Patent literature CN 202063897U discloses a complete equipment for biodiesel production. The complete equipment comprises a raw material pre-treatment tank, a reactor, a methyl alcohol recovery tower, a water washing tower, a vacuum distillation tower and at least one feed pump which are respectively electrically connected with an instrument control system and are connected with each other through metal pipelines. The invention uses acid as a catalyst for esterification reaction, and then a base as a catalyst for trans-esterification.
[0012] Patent literature 571/MUM/2014 discloses an improved device and process for small-scale production of biodiesel, especially as a home appliance at a domestic level. The processes in the device include oil extraction, filtering, neutralization, trans-esterification, separation, and heating.
[0013] The prior arts do not discuss a decentralized batch wise model of biodiesel production having Indian Standard (IS 15607:2016) with a capacity of less than 10 Kilolitres in a fully automated machine. Further, they do not address the separation and purification of the biodiesel in an automated mode. At present, there is no standard equipment for automated batch wise based biodiesel production that produces biodiesel with Indian Standards. In view of this, the present invention addresses the shortcomings in the existing production equipment for small-scale biodiesel production. Unlike the systems and methods known in the art, the present invention is well-suited for purified biodiesel production.

OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a small-scale decentralized automated batch wise model system for the conversion of multiple oil feedstock (animal, vegetable and synthetic origin) into purified biodiesel, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] Another object of this invention is to provide a primary reactor for pre-treatment of oil feedstocks that is configured to perform an esterification process, crucial for converting feedstocks with high free fatty acid (FFA) content (over 5% FFA) into low free fatty acid (FFA) esterified oil, according to an embodiment of the present invention
[0016] Yet another object of this invention is to provide a reactor that is configured to operate the esterification steps using a methanol to oil ratio of 30% by volume, with 0.3 vol % sulphuric acid at 60-degree Celsius, and is equipped with a stirring mechanism set to 400 rpm for 60 minutes, according to an embodiment of the present invention
[0017] Another object of this invention is to provide a second reactor that is configured to perform the trans-esterification of the oil feedstock using methanol and a catalyst, such as a 0.25 wgt % - 0.4 wgt % of sodium hydroxide per kg of raw materials in methanol or 30% sodium methoxide in methanol. The system maintains a temperature of 60°C and a stirring condition of 450 rotation per minute (rpm) for 90 minutes.

[0018] Another object of this invention is to provide a distillation tank, where vacuum-based distillation is performed under a negative pressure of 400mm Hg wherein the methanol distilled out/recovered which will be transferred back to the methanol storage tank for the reuse of the methanol in the transesterification process.

[0019] Another object of this invention is to provide a collection tank, where methanol-free trans-esterified products (biodiesel) will be collected and used for a filtration process.

[0020] Another object of this invention is to provide a filtration unit that is connected to the lower portion of the collection tank, enabling the completion of three sequential processes with the assistance of a motor pump.

[0021] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a processor equipped with a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) that supports a system that is innovatively designed for both automatic, manual and hybrid modes, ensuring coordinated operation of all functionalities and processes.
[0022] Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements and advantages thereof, will be clarified in or be apparent from the following description and the accompanying figures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The following summary is provided to facilitate a clear understanding of the new features in the disclosed embodiment and it is not intended to be a full, detailed description. A detailed description of all the aspects of the disclosed invention can be understood by reviewing the full specification, the drawing and the claims and the abstract, as a whole.
[0024] An aspect of the present invention discloses an automated system for batch-wise biodiesel production, encompassing various units for feedstock preparation, reaction, distillation, and filtration. The system starts with a preparation unit that stores and filters oil feedstock through multiple tanks, equipped with an automated heating system to remove excess water.
[0025] Another aspect of the present invention also includes an esterification unit for pre-treating feedstock with high free fatty acid content, enhancing the flexibility of the system to handle various feedstock types.
[0026] Yet another aspect of the present invention comprises the feedstock being processed in a reaction unit, where it is mixed with methanol and a catalyst in a main reactor, maintained at 60°C, to undergo transesterification. The reacted mixture is transferred to a distillation unit to separate methanol, followed by the separation of crude biodiesel and glycerol.
[0027] A further aspect of the present invention includes a filtration and storage unit designed to purify the crude biodiesel through a multi-stage filtration process, resulting in premium-grade biodiesel. The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system automates the entire process, ensuring precision and safety, with features for manual operation if necessary.
[0028] Another aspect of the present invention includes a step-by-step operation of the system, starting with the storage and filtration of oil feedstock, followed by water removal, transesterification, distillation, and final purification of biodiesel. The process also specifies conditions for the esterification of high free fatty acid feedstock, as well as the recycling of methanol. The system and process are designed to produce high-quality biodiesel efficiently and safely, with integrated features for leak detection and hybrid operational modes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0029] The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figure(s). Throughout the drawings, the same drawing reference numerals will be understood to refer to the same elements and features. The features and advantages of the present proposed system will become more apparent from the following detailed description along with the accompanying figure(s), which forms a part of this application.
[0030] FIG.1 illustrates a representation of a multiple feedstocks-based automated system for batch-wise biodiesel production in accordance with the present invention.
[0031] It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrates only typical embodiments of this system and are therefore should not be considered limiting of its scope, for the system may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
1-Primary tank
2- Pump
3-Secondary tank
4-Third tank
5-Main reactor
6-Methanol storage tank I (for Transesterification process)
7-Catalyst tank
8-Distillation tank
9- Distillation apparatus
10- Methanol storage tank
11- Vacuum controlling system
12-Pump
13- Radiator-based cooling system
14- Major tank
15- Filtration system
16- Biodiesel storage tank
17-Glycerol storage tank
18- Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system
19- Esterification unit
20- Methanol storage tank II (For Esterification process)
21- Conc.Sulphuric acid storage tank
100 - Automated batch wise model system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0032] The following is a detailed description of the present disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. However, it may be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art that the present subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. The subject matter of the disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following description of the embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not drawn to scale.
[0033] If the specification states that a component or a feature “may” or “can” be included, that particular component or feature is not required to be included or have the characteristic. The use of open-ended terms like “comprising” and variations herein is meant to encompass the steps listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.
[0034] The term “small scale” refers to a model having a capacity of less than 10 kilolitres per day of biodiesel production. The term “crude biodiesel” refers to biodiesel containing a small percentage of glycerol, water, soap, feedstock contaminants, free fatty acids, etc. The term “premium grade biodiesel” refers to 100% Biodiesel (or fatty ester) without any contaminants. The term “rpm” refers to rotations per minute.
[0035] The present invention relates to a small scale decentralized automated batch-wise model system (100) for the production of biodiesel (fatty acid methyl esters) from multiple oil feedstocks utilizing methanol and catalyst, the said model having a capacity of less than 10 kilolitres per day of biodiesel production. This may be accomplished by the trans-esterification process. Conventional biodiesel production is carried out in big-scale plants whereas the present invention provides equipment for small-scale production of biodiesel through chemical transesterification steps.

[0036] FIG.1 depicts a fully automated model system (100) for a small-scale batch wise biodiesel production from multiple feedstocks according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG.1, the system includes storage tanks are interconnected and designed to hold release the oil feedstocks into a main reactor. These storage tanks include a primary tank (1) immersed in the soil, where a primary oil stock is maintained. Depending on the batch size model, the volume of the primary oil feedstock ranges from a minimum of 6,000 litres to a maximum of 50,000 litres.
[0037] According to Fig.1, an initial preparation of the raw feedstock is done. After allowing the oil a settling down period of about one hour, a pump (2) is used to transfer the primary oil through a filter, that may be a 200–300-micron stainless steel mesh attached to a valve. The filtered oil is then moved to a secondary tank (3), which is placed at a height on a stand and has a capacity to hold between 1,000 liters and 3,000 liters of the filtered oil. After a further or a secondary settling period of approximately 1.5 hours (or 90 minutes), the oil is transferred from the secondary tank (3) via a 100-150 micron sized stainless steel mesh filter to a third tank (4) using the gravity flow distribution mode. The capacity of the tanks is determined based on the capacity of the reactor capacity, and the flow of oil is regulated using a level controller system. Moreover, an automated heating system is maintained at the bottom of the third tank (4) for maintaining the oil feedstock at a temperature of up to 110°C for a time period of 30 to 45 minutes, so as to remove the excess water content present in the stored oil feedstock, to obtain a water-extracted feedstock. The derived water-extracted feedstock is stored in a tank with a capacity ranging from 100 liters to 2,500 liters, depending on the system's batch-wise model. For optimal operation, the tank capacity should be approximately five times the designated batch size. For instance, in a 20-liter batch model, the tank capacity should be around 100 liters, while for a 500-liter batch model, the tank capacity should be approximately 2,500 liters.

[0038] Next step is a reaction unit wherein according to Fig.1, a specific quantity of excess water-extracted oil feedstock is then transferred to a main reactor (5) along with the required quantity of methanol and catalyst with the support of a pump. The catalyst utilized can be either enzymatic or non-enzymatic. The feedstock is held/maintained in the main reactor (5) where methanol from methanol tank (6) and catalyst from catalyst tank (7) is transferred to the main reactor (5). Corresponding reaction mixtures from the methanol tank (6) and catalyst tank (7) is transferred to the feedstock in the main reactor (5) via a solenoid valve system.

[0039] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the reaction mixture of each batch wise model ranges can vary from 20 litres, 50 litres, 100 litres, 250litres and 500 litres per batch. For example, for a 20-litre batch wise model, a water extracted feed stock of 20 litres is initially transferred to the main reactor (5) and a load sensing system (not shown) will sense and halt the process once the specific quantity is reached. Following this, methanol, constituting 27.5% of the feedstock volume, and a catalyst, constituting 2.5% of the feedstock, are automatically measured and added. The system then initiates stirring, and the required temperature is reached automatically.

[0040] This main reactor (5) is specifically designed for the transesterification of oil feedstock, where the reaction is carried out using methanol and a catalyst. The catalyst can be either 0.25 to 0.4 weight percent of sodium hydroxide per kilogram of raw materials dissolved in methanol or a 30% solution of sodium methoxide in methanol. The reactor is equipped with an automated heating system to maintain a precise temperature of 60°C, ensuring the optimal conditions for the transesterification process. Additionally, the system operates with a stirring mechanism set at 450 rotations per minute (rpm), which facilitates thorough mixing of the reactants, promoting efficient conversion of the oil feedstock into biodiesel. The process is sustained for a duration of 90 minutes, allowing sufficient time for the chemical reactions to reach completion, thus maximizing the yield and quality of the biodiesel produced.

[0041] Coming back to Fig.1, the feedstock – reaction mixture in the reactor (5) is quantified by a load-sensing system (not shown) that is attached to the reactor (5). Once the required quantity of reaction mixtures is added to the reactor (5), a temperature-controlling system (not shown) is activated to achieve an optimum temperature of 60oC, necessary for maximum conversion efficiency of the said mixture. After achieving the optimum temperature of 60oC, a motor-based stirrer impeller system in the reactor (5) will be activated thoroughly mixing the reaction mixtures. This process is enhanced by baffles (not shown) placed within the reactor (5) and the mixture is stirred for a period of 90min (or 1.5hrs) at an operation speed of 450rpm.

[0042] Referring back to Fig.1, the reacted mixtures from the reactor (5) are then pumped/transferred to a distillation tank (8) that activates the initiation of the next batch process in a distillation unit. This marks the start of the next batch process, where fresh raw materials are automatically fed into the main reactor (5), and all necessary steps in the transesterification process of the reacted mixtures are initiated for the new batch. All the reaction conditions get satisfied as part of the batch-wise strategy. Once the reacted mixtures are fully transferred to the distillation tank (8), several systems are activated. The temperature controlling system, the radiator-based cooling system (13) and vacuum controlling system (11) are activated once the reacted mixtures are completely transferred to the distillation tank (8). Furthermore, the distillation tank (8) which is equipped with an automated heating system to maintain the oil feedstock at a higher temperature uses a vacuum-based distillation process to separate methanol from the reacted mixtures. The distilled methanol is condensed in the distillation apparatus (9) located at the top of the distillation tank (8). This condensed methanol is then stored in a distilled methanol storage tank (10) and subsequently transferred back to the main methanol storage tank (6) with the support of a pump (12).

[0043] Referring back to Fig.1, the entire distillation process takes about 90 minutes (or 1.5 hours), and carried out at a temperature of 70-degree Celsius under a negative pressure of 400mm Hg which is maintained throughout the process. After the methanol has been removed, the distilled mixture, (now without methanol) is transferred to a major tank (14) which is positioned at a height. This transfer is facilitated with the help of a pump. The condensed methanol that has been recovered will be transferred back to methanol storage tank (6) for reuse in the transesterification process.

[0044] As depicted in Fig.1, the distilled mixtures in the major tank (14) are separated into 90 – 95% crude biodiesel and 5 – 10% glycerol that is converted from the feedstock either by gravitational settling or through a centrifugal process. The tank (14) is configured to transfer the crude biodiesel into a filtration and storage unit comprising a filtration system (15) with a 70 -100-micron mesh size filter. This filtration system comprises of three stages, arranged in series: active carbon, wood shavings/chips, and ion exchange resins. These filtration stages work together to significantly reduce the contaminants present in the crude biodiesel, such as soaps, catalysts, unreacted fatty acids, traces of methanol and water. Using a pump, the crude biodiesel is pushed through each stage—active carbon, wood shavings/chips, and ion exchange resins. This thorough filtration process effectively purifies the biodiesel, ensuring that the final product is a premium grade biodiesel, which is 100% Biodiesel (or fatty ester) without any contaminants.

[0045] Following the filtration steps, the produced premium grade biodiesel is now transferred to the biodiesel tank (16) for storage. The storage capacity of the biodiesel tank (16) can vary from a range of a minimum of 2000 Litres to a maximum 35,000 Litres capacity corresponding to low capacity and high-capacity based batch wise models. Simultaneously, the glycerol which has settled at the bottom of the tank (14) is transferred and stored in the tank (17). This transfer can be accomplished either by a gravitational settling or through a centrifugal mode, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

[0046] Referring back to Fig,1, again, the entire system (100) for the conversion of multiple oil feedstock from animal, vegetable and synthetic origin into a premium grade purified biodiesel is automated. The system is configured and assembled using a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system (18) as illustrated in Fig.1, wherein the system is being programmed for batch-wise biodiesel production steps. Moreover, to detect the leakage of methanol, which is a highly inflammable material that is used in the reaction mixtures, methanol sensors are integrated into the system. These sensors continuously monitor for leaks, and any detected presence of methanol triggers alerts and controls via the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) system. This setup ensures prompt detection and management of leaks, enhancing safety by preventing potential hazards associated with methanol.

[0047] Additionally, the PLC system (18) depicted in Fig.1, includes manual operating procedures that can be employed in hybrid mode operating procedures if there are any programmable failures. It features a user interface equipped with switches, indicators, a standard input mechanism, and an electronic display in the system. The system is supported by a frame assembly, which comprises of a base frame with anchor legs and a mount frame for mounting the housing of the machine.

[0048] Further referring to Fig.1, if the oil feedstocks have a higher free fatty acid (i.e., more than 5%) content, the process then involves an additional step before the raw materials are added to the main reactor (5). Particularly, the raw materials, after removing the excess water, are transferred to an esterification unit (19) before adding the raw materials to the main reactor (5). The esterification unit (19) is connected to a methanol storage tank II (20) and a concentrated sulphuric acid storage tank (21). The esterification unit is further equipped with an automated heating system for pretreatment of the oil feedstock. The esterification unit (19) thus maintain the oil feedstock at a higher temperature is configured to perform the esterification process under specific conditions: a 30% methanol to oil ratio (by volume) and the addition of 0.3 vol % Sulphuric acid. The process operates at 60-degree Celsius with a continuous stirring at 400 rpm for 60 minutes.

[0049] The required quantity of raw materials will be transferred to the esterification unit via a pump to ensure accurate processing. The exact quantity of raw materials will be sensed/monitored using a load sensing system. In addition, the required amounts of methanol and concentrated sulfuric acid for the esterification process are stored in chemical-grade polymer tanks, specifically the methanol storage tank II (20) and the concentrated sulfuric acid storage tank (21), respectively. The chemicals are then transferred to the esterification unit (19) via a solenoid valve system supported by a load sensing system placed in the lower outer portion of the reactor tank. This setup ensures precise control and accurate delivery of the required substances for the esterification process.

[0050] According to the embodiment of the invention, the batch capacity of the small-scale biodiesel production system (100) can vary depending on the specific batch size. The system is designed to accommodate a range of batch capacities, including 20 litres, 50 litres, 100 litres, 250 litres, or 500 litres per batch. Each batch operates on a cycle time of 1 hour and 30 minutes. This means that at the start of each 1.5-hour cycle, the appropriate volume of raw materials (oil feedstock) is transferred to the main reactor (5) along with the required quantities of methanol and catalyst, which initiate the transesterification process. This reaction results in the production of biodiesel and glycerol.

[0051] The expected output of biodiesel from each batch is approximately 90-95% of the total raw materials, with the remaining 5-10% being glycerol. The system's main tank (5) capacity is designed to support this process, ensuring that the total volume accommodates both the raw materials and the additional components needed for the reaction, such as methanol and catalyst.

[0052] For example, in a 20-litre batch model, the total capacity of the main tank (5) is calculated as 35 litres, which includes the 20 litres batch volume plus an additional 15 litres (75% of the batch volume) to allow for the necessary methanol and catalyst during the reaction. This approach ensures that the tank not only holds the raw materials but also maintains optimal conditions for the reaction, including the right temperature and mixing required for efficient biodiesel production. Each batch-wise model follows a similar design principle, with the tank capacity adjusted according to the specific batch size to ensure smooth operation and effective production.

[0053] The present invention therefore comprises a fully automated continuous workflow, batch processing, efficient conversion technique, along with a novel processor design, that is remotely controlled and its novel working modality. The automated workflow will reduce the biodiesel production and separation time. The efficiency of the system is increased due to automation and it also reduces the filtration time. No manual intervention is required for the biodiesel batch-wise processing. The batch-wise model can scale down the entire process from the conventional biodiesel production models. Fire and Safety of the machine are also ensured in the sensor-linked automated workflow.

[0054] The invention is not limited only to the embodiment(s) described above and shown in the drawings, which primarily have an illustrative and exemplifying purpose. This patent application is intended to cover all adjustments and variants of the preferred embodiments described herein; thus, the present invention is defined by the wording of the appended claims and the equivalents thereof. Thus, the equipment may be modified in all kinds of ways within the scope of the appended claims.
,CLAIMS:We claim:
1. An automated batch-wise biodiesel production system (100) for multiple feedstocks, comprising:
a. a preparation unit comprising a primary tank (1) for storing a primary oil feedstock in the range of 6000 litres to 50,000 litres, a transfer mechanism configured to move the oil feedstock from the primary tank (1) through a filtration unit to an elevated secondary tank (3) to store a secondary feedstock, in the range of 1000 litres to 3000 litres and a third tank (4) with a capacity of in the range of 100 litres to 500 litres configured to receive the said secondary feedstock through an additional filtration unit via a gravity flow distribution system or a centrifugal transfer, wherein an automated heating system is integrated within the tanks configured to receive said oil feedstocks to maintain the said oil feedstocks temperatures up to 110°C for 30-45 minutes to remove an excess water content to obtain a water-extracted oil feedstock;
b. a reaction unit comprising primary reactor (5) configured with a methanol storage tank I (6) and a catalyst tank (7) to receive a combination of the water-extracted oil feedstock, methanol and a catalyst to obtain a reaction mixture, the main reactor (5) integrated with a temperature controlling system to maintain a reaction temperature at approximately 60°C;
c. a distillation unit comprising a distillation tank connected to the main reactor to separate the methanol from the reacted mixture utilizing a vacuum control system to obtain a distilled reacted mixture; a distillation apparatus (9) positioned on top of the distillation tank (8), for condensing the separated methanol, a major tank (14) configured to separate the distilled reacted mixture into a 90-95% crude biodiesel and a 5-10% glycerol product;
d. a filtration and storage unit comprising a filtration system (15) configured with a 70–100-micron mesh filter, incorporating at least three serially arranged filtration stages employing active carbon, wood shavings/chips, and ion exchange resins to purify the obtained crude biodiesel, and a biodiesel storage tank (16) for storage of a purified, premium-grade biodiesel after filtration; and
e. a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system (18) configured to automate the batch-wise production of biodiesel production integrated with a Manual operating procedures within the PLC system (18) employed for a hybrid mode for operation.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an esterification unit (19) is configured to pre-treat the water-extracted oil feedstock, under a condition of a free fatty acid content greater than 5%, before sending to the main reactor (5).

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the esterification unit is interconnected with a methanol storage tank II (20) and a concentrated sulfuric acid storage tank (21).

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filtration unit between the primary tank (1) and secondary tank (3) is a 200–300-micron stainless steel mesh filter and the additional filtration unit is a 100–150-micron stainless steel mesh filter.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the methanol storage tank I (6) and a catalyst tank (7), each are configured with a solenoid valve system for precise transfer of methanol and catalyst to the main reactor (5).

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a motor-based stirrer impeller system is integrated with the said main reactor (5) for thorough mixing of the said reaction mixture, operating at 450 rpm for 90 minutes.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a distilled methanol storage tank (10) is configured to store and transfer the condensed separated methanol back to the main methanol storage tank I (6) via a pump (12).

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a glycerol storage tank (17) is configured to store the glycerol product separated from the crude biodiesel via a gravity flow distribution system or a centrifugal transfer.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PLC system (18) includes an integrated methanol sensors for detection and alert of methanol leaks.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PLC system (18) features a user interface equipped with switches, indicators, a standard input mechanism, and an electronic display.
11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the biodiesel production system (100) comprises a frame assembly having a base frame with anchor legs and a mount frame for securely housing the biodiesel production machine.

12. A process for an automated batch-wise production of biodiesel from multiple feedstocks, the steps comprising:
i. storing a primary oil feedstock in a primary tank (1) and allowing to settle for approximately one hour;
ii. transferring the said primary oil through a 200–300-micron stainless steel mesh filter using a pump (2) to a secondary tank (3) and settling for about 1.5 hours;
iii. transferring the settled oil via a 100–150-micron stainless steel mesh filter to a third tank (4) employing gravity flow;
iv. maintaining the oil feedstocks to up to a temperature of 110°C for 30-45 minutes to remove excess water to obtain a water-extracted oil feedstock;
v. trans-esterifying the water-extracted oil feedstock in a main reactor (5) by reacting the said water-extracted oil feedstock with required quantities of methanol and a catalyst to obtain a feedstock-reaction mixture;
vi. quantifying the said feedstock-reaction mixture in the said main reactor (5) employing a load-sensing system;
vii. activating a temperature-controlling system to achieve an optimum temperature of 60°C, and stirring the said mixture for 90 minutes at an operational speed of 450 rotations per minute (rpm), to obtain a reacted mixture;
viii. transferring the said reacted mixtures from the main reactor (5) to a distillation tank (8), maintained at a temperature of 70°C and a negative pressure of 400 mm Hg throughout a distillation process;
ix. separating methanol from the said reacted mixtures through a vacuum-based distillation process to obtain a distilled mixture, condensing the separated methanol in a distillation apparatus (9), and transferring the condensed methanol to a distilled methanol storage tank (10) for recycling;
x. transferring the said distilled mixtures to a major tank (14) for separation into 90-95% crude biodiesel and 5-10% glycerol;
xi. filtering the crude biodiesel through a three-stage filtration system (15) with active carbon, wood shavings/chips, and ion exchange resins to obtain a premium grade biodiesel; and
xii. storing the premium grade biodiesel in a biodiesel tank (16) and the glycerol in a tank (17);
wherein the automated batch wise production of biodiesel from multiple feedstocks is controlled via a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC).

13. The process as claimed in claim 12, wherein the water-extracted oil feedstock is esterified in an esterification unit (19) before transferring to the main reactor (5), if the oil feedstocks have a free fatty acid content greater than 5%.

14. The process as claimed in claim 12 wherein the water extracted feed stock having a range from 20 litres, 50 litres, 100 litres, 250 litres and 500 litres per batch.

15. The process as claimed in claim 12, wherein the feedstock-reaction mixture further constitutes 27.5% of the added feedstock, and a catalyst, constituting 2.5% of the added feedstock.

16. The process as claimed in claim 12, wherein the esterification process in the esterification unit (19) is conducted with a 30% methanol-to-oil ratio by volume, and a 0.3 vol% sulfuric acid, at a temperature of 60°C, with continuous stirring at 400 rpm for 60 minutes.

17. The process as claimed in claim 12, wherein trans-esterifying the water-extracted oil feedstock comprising the steps of:
i. introducing the water extracted oil feedstock into the main reactor (5);
ii. adding methanol and a catalyst to the said reactor, where the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of 0.25 to 0.4 weight percent sodium hydroxide per kilogram of raw materials in methanol or a 30% sodium methoxide solution in methanol; and
iii. stirring the reaction mixture at 450 rotations per minute (rpm) for a duration of 90 minutes, while maintaining the reactor at a temperature of 60°C.
18. The process as claimed in claim 12 wherein the condensed methanol in the methanol storage tank (10) is recycled back for reuse for trans-esterifying the water-extracted oil feedstock.
19. The process as claimed in claim 12 wherein the catalyst utilized in the trans-esterifying the water-extracted oil feedstock is enzymatic or non-enzymatic.