Product Qualities of Biodiesel Produced from a Process Intensify Pilot Plant

Abstract

An investigation on process intensification on biodiesel production was carried with Jatropha curcas seed oil, methanol and five solid base catalysts in a process intensified pilot plant. This Process Intensify Pilot Plant had not the following unit operations as in conventional plants; Neutralizer, Washer, Dryer, Heat exchanger and Condenser to reduce production cost. Five samples of biodiesel were produced with 3 moles of methanol to 1 mole of oil and 1.5 % catalyst loading (w/w of oil). Methyl ester yields of 97.4, 96.94, 95.76, 99.99 and 98.25 % catalyzed by bulk calcium oxide (CaO), super base calcium oxide (CaO/(NH4)2CO3), bulk magnesium oxide (MgO), calcium oxide/magnesium oxide (CaO/MgO) and 10 % impregnated potassium on calcium oxide/magnesium oxide (K-CaO/MgO) were obtained respectively. The products were analyzed in accordance with ASTM, EN and ISO standards for biodiesel and were found satisfactory for use in compression ignition engines. All the biodiesel samples were found not to be easily oxidized as they did not have poly-unsaturated esters such as: linolelaidate (18:2) and linoleneate (18:3). It was found that this process produced clean biodiesel devoid of glycerol. Also one of the findings from this study is transesterification does not support reversibility.