Optimization of Biodiesel Synthesis from Solid Wastes of Oil-refining Factories

Biodiesel is one of the renewable guel for diesel engines consisting of the alkyl monoestersof fatty acids from vegetable oils or animal fats. The high value of vegetable oils ma;eproduction of a cost-effective fuel very challenging. Because of that, we use soapstock, a byproductof edible oil production, for cheap bioadiesel production.Beside, the study also aimed to optimize the biodiesel productin parameters by design ofexperiment. The parameters involved in the optimization process were the amount of catalyst,reaction temperature and molar ratio of methanol to oil.The high F.F.A. level of soapstock fat was reduced to less than 2% by q two-steppretreatment process. Each step car 20:1 molar ratio methanol to oil in the presence of 5%weight sulfuric acid as an acid catalyst in 2 hour reaction at 65°C. The second step product at thebottom was transesterified usin 6:1 molar ratio of methanol to oil and 0.7% weight sodiummethoxide as alkaline catalyst at 55°C to produce biodiesel. Based from these optimomconditions, the observed ester yield was 96.325. Thus soapstock might be a valuable renewableraw material for the biodiesel production.

Keywords:

New Energies , Biodiesel , Fatty Acid Mono Esters , Soapstock , Transesterification