SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND PROPERTY EVALUATION OF BIODIESEL FROM USED PALM OIL

Andrew C. Okeke, Dominic O. Onukwuli, Edwin N. Ikezue, Callistus N. Ude

Abstract


This work was aimed at synthesis of biodiesel from used fried palm oil (PFPO) via trans-esterification with optimization and kinetics of the process. The PFPO was pre-treated and characterized using American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) D4067 (1986) methods to determine its physio-chemical properties. The oil was trans-esterified to biodiesel and the process parameters for trans-esterification, was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The physical and chemical properties of biodiesel were determined using (ASTM) 6751 (1973) methods. The kinetics of this trans-esterification to methyl ester using mechanisms of triglyceride to di-glyceride, di-glyceride to mono-glyceride and mono-glyceride to methyl ester. The results showed that the pre-treatment of fried palm oil reduced, its FFA less than 1%. The optimum value of the parameters for PFPO trans-esterification using RSM were catalyst concentration of 0.5 & 1.5 wt.%, methanol/oil molar ratio 4:1 & 8:1, reaction temperature of 45oC, reaction time of 60 minutes at constant stirring speed of 350 rpm and under these conditions the amount of methyl ester yield was 91.2 %. The properties of biodiesel produced under optimized protocol met the ASTM standard and was within the acceptable limits. The rate parameters showed that the trans-esterification of PFPO has conversion of triglyceride to di-glyceride as rate determining step (RDS). Also, the rate constant for RDS increased as temperature increased from 52 to 64oC. This indicates that the rate determining step of the trans-esterification of the oil was favoured at mild temperatures and heat is required for the reaction. The activation energies determined for PFPO (Tg =18.34, Dg = 9.83 and Mg = 4.9.KJ/mol) trans-esterification indicate that PFPO, mono glyceride trans-esterification requires less energy than di- and tri-glycerides.

 

KEY WORDS: Biodiesel, trans-esterification, optimization, kinetics, used fried palm oil.


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