International Conference on Global Trends in Engineering, Technology and Management (ICGTETM-2016)
Experimental Study: Effect of Process Parameters on Palm
Oil Methylester Yield
Ajaygiri K. Goswami1, Ghyas. A. Usmani2, Prachi A. Kate3
1
Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, University Institute of Chemical Technology, North
Maharashtra University, Jalgaon – 425001, India
2
Professor, Department of Oil Technology, University Institute of Chemical Technology, North Maharashtra
University, Jalgaon – 425001, India
3
Student, Department of Chemical Engineering, University Institute of Chemical Technology, North
Maharashtra University, Jalgaon – 425001, India
Abstract: The palm oil is the cheapest edible oil. Most
poor people consume the palm oil. The cost of palm
oil and soybean oil are quite close in Indian market.
The biodiesel made by palm oil is good source of an
alternative fuel. The cost of manufacturing is also
comparatively less and useful byproduct like glycerol
is obtained. The experimental study is totally focused
on the percentage of palm oil methylester formation
on the basis of process parameters, concentration of
NaOH catalyst, oil methanol ratio and reaction
temperature. This is base catalyzed transesterification
reaction. Any two parameters were kept constant and
other one parameter was changed, resulting to change
in palm oil methyl-ester content. From the
experimental studies, the amount of NaOH catalyst
required was calculated for which maximum ester
yield was obtained. Similarly, methanol palm oil ratio
and temperature of transesterification reaction were
estimated experimentally to obtain maximum palm oil
methylester (Biodiesel) which is useful alternative fuel
for petroleum diesel.
Keywords: Biodiesel,
Transesterification.
I.
Methylester,
Palm
Oil,
Introduction:
The pursuit of alternative fuels has been in the
forefront, of which biodiesel is currently considered to
be a feasible alternative diesel fuel, as it is being
prepared from natural resources which are
environmentally benign [1] The biodiesel is made
from vegetable oils, animal fats has potential to
decrease the demand of petroleum diesel and also
having the qualities to decrease the air pollution
generated by diesel engine emissions [1,2]. Recently
the fuel cost and environmental problems have rapidly
increased due to high requirements of diesel vehicles.
In country like India, Biodiesel is highly viable as an
alternative fuel because the cost of diesel increasing
day by day. Fuel production from biological sources
has a focused attention to academic as well as
industrial experts [3, 4]. In the entire world, the palm
oil is mostly consumed alongside a fact that palm oil
ISSN: 2231-5381
is the world’s cheapest vegetable oil [2]. As compared
to other vegetable oils, the palm oil contains more
monosaturated fatty acids. The biodiesel produced
from palm oil can be correctly termed as Fatty Acid
Methyl Ester (FAME) which has the potential to
substitute petroleum derived diesel oil. The palm oil is
rich source of antioxidants and vitamin E and contains
mono, di- and triglycerides [5]. For Biodiesel
preparation various stocks available like soybean oil,
sunflower oil, neem oil, cottonseed, jatropha, rapeseed
oil, canola and palm oil. As comparison with other
feedstock, the palm oil has better advantages and
potential for biodiesel production. The production of
palm oil is continuous [6]. Use of Fatty Acid Methyl
Ester as an alternative fuel does have an advantage of
low sulphur content, lower aromatic content, higher
heat content, biodegradability and liquid nature
probability [3]
The petroleum properties like density, kinematic
viscosity, cetane number, flash point, cloud point are
very important. The biodiesel produced from palm oil
at 60°C, 60 minutes and at 6:1 methoxide oil ratio and
the above mentioned properties of were within the
American Standard ASTM D 6751 and European
Standard EN 14214 [7]. This represents the palm oil
methyl ester run successfully without diesel engine
modification. In the present study main focus on
production of biodiesel from palm oil in which how
the recovery of methylester can be increased by
changing the process parameters. From the
experiments of several batches the optimum process
conditions of transesterification of palm oil was
studied.
II. Method:
The transesterification of palm oil was done for
preparation of methylester which is the palm oil
biodiesel. The experiments have been carried out in
fifteen batches. In the first five batches, the oil
methanol ratio was taken 1:6 and the reaction
temperature was 65°C. Both oil methanol ratio and
temperature taken to be constant for all the five
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International Conference on Global Trends in Engineering, Technology and Management (ICGTETM-2016)
batches and the catalyst used i.e. base catalyst NaOH
has been increased from 0.2 to 1gm. For next five
batches, the oil methanol ratio was taken 1:6 and the
catalyst concentration was taken 0.4gm. Both oil
methanol ratio and catalyst concentration taken to be
constant for all the five batches and the reaction
temperature has been increased from 60 to 80°C. For
last five batches, the reaction temperature was taken
65°C and the catalyst concentration was taken 0.4gm.
Both reaction temperature and catalyst concentration
taken to be constant for all the five batches and the oil
methanol ratio has been increased from 1:6 to 1:10.
The experimental set up containing three neck bottom
flask of capacity 500 mL contains a magnetic needle
and solution mixture. This is then placed on the
magnetic stirrer. The flask has three opening from
which central opening is for reflux condenser. The
methanol is volatile and vaporized during the reaction
so reflux condenser is used to taper so as to return the
vapors back into flask. The second opening is for
thermometer to monitor the temperature continuously
during the reaction and third is for filling the reactants
into the flask. Palm oil in a three neck round bottom
flask was taken, heated the oil at 110˚C temperature
for removing moisture content, cooled & thereafter
filtration was done. In the separate beaker, the catalyst
NaOH was mixed with the methanol and sodium
methoxide was formed. The oil was poured, heating
and stirring started at same time. It was heated upto
40˚C & sodium methoxide was added into the round
bottom flask by opening, mixing continued for 2-3
hours at specified temperature. The mixture was
allowed to settle for 24 hours at which two separate
layers were obtained. The top layer was methyl ester
of oil and the bottom one of glycerol. Using a conical
separating funnel, the glycerol is separated at the
bottom. In a good completion reaction glycerol begins
to separate immediately when stirring and heating is
stopped, two layer i.e. ester and glycerol is separated
by means of separating funnel. In the ester, the traces
of glycerol, unreacted methanol are present. Soap
present in these traces could be removed by adding
warm water to the ester and separation was obtained
after around three hours. The methanol & soap is
separated and glycerol is separated as byproduct. The
recovery of methylester is obtained.
changes, which results into variations in the biodiesel
yield was studied in fifteen batches.
A. Oil: Methanol Ratio and Temperature is constant
and catalyst concentration changes:
Fresh Palm oil was used to prepare biodiesel by
transesterification process. First five batches in which
Oil: Methanol Ratio and temperature is constant and
catalyst concentration changes and recovery of
biodiesel is obtained for all five batches.
For fresh palm oil, the results of all five batches where
oil methanol ratio was 1:6 and temperature 650C was
kept constant and concentration of catalyst NaOH
changed from 0.2 to 1.0 gm. The graph for the same is
as given as follows.
Table 1 Percentage Recovery of Biodiesel for Different
Concentration of Catalysts
Batches
1
2
3
4
5
gm. of NaOH
(Concentration
of catalyst)
gm. of
Biodiesel
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
165.5
198.3
176.1
160.5
156.7
% Recovery
of Biodiesel
64.47
77.11
68.48
62.41
60.71
III. Results and Discussion:
All the three parameters of transesterification process
such as reaction temperature, catalyst concentration
and oil methanol ratio has optimum value for getting
good biodiesel yield. Here two parameters are kept
constant and third one is changed and variation in
biodiesel yield has been estimated experimentally.
Three observation tables where Oil: Methanol Ratio
and temperature is constant and catalyst concentration
changes, Oil: Methanol Ratio and Concentration are
constant and temperature changes, concentration and
temperature is constant and Oil: Methanol Ratio
ISSN: 2231-5381
Fig. 1 Graph of Catalyst Concentration versus Percentage Recovery
of Biodiesel
B. Oil: Methanol Ratio and Concentration is kept
constant and temperature changes:
Fresh Palm oil was used to prepare biodiesel by
transesterification process. First five batches in which
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International Conference on Global Trends in Engineering, Technology and Management (ICGTETM-2016)
Oil: Methanol Ratio and Concentration is kept
constant and temperature changes and recovery of
biodiesel was obtained for all five batches.
Table 3 Percentage Recovery of Biodiesel for Different Oil:
Methanol Ratio
Oil methanol ratio i.e. 1:6 and concentration of
catalyst i.e. 0.4 gm is kept constant and the
temperature is changed from 60 0C to 800C. The graph
for the same is given as follows.
Batches
Oil:Methanol
Ratio
gm of
Biodiesel
%
recovery of
Biodiesel
1
1:6
198.3
77.11
Table 2 Percentage Recovery of Biodiesel for Different
temperatures
2
1:7
179.7
68.38
3
1:8
175.5
65.81
4
1:9
167.0
61.85
5
1:10
164.2
60.21
Batches
Temp.
°C
gm of
Biodiesel
1
60
185.3
72.06
2
65
198.3
77.11
3
70
176.2
68.52
4
75
164.8
64.08
5
80
153.5
59.69
% recovery of
Biodiesel
Fig. 3 Graph of Oil: Methanol Ratio versus Percentage Recovery of
Biodiesel
IV. Conclusion:
Fig. 2 Graph of temperature versus Percentage Recovery of
Biodiesel
C. Concentration & Temperature is constant and
Methanol: Oil Ratio changes:
Fresh Palm oil was used to prepare biodiesel by
transesterification process. First five batches in which
concentration and temperature id constant and
Oil:Methanol Ratio changes and recovery of biodiesel
was obtained for all five batches. Concentration of
catalyst being 0.4gm and temperature being 650C are
kept constant and oil methanol ratio is changed from
1:6 to 1:10.
ISSN: 2231-5381
From the experimental outcomes it has been observed
that by taking two parameters constant and changing
the remaining, the biodiesel yield either increases or
decreases. The optimum values were obtained from
the experimental study of fifteen batches for all the
three cases in which initially the NaOH concentration
is increased and then temperature is increased and
finally the methanol oil ratio is increased. The results
were obtained from all fifteen batches suggested that
for preparing biodiesel from palm oil need the proper
values of the process parameters for biodiesel
production for the proper conversion of palm oil to
methylester (Biodiesel) which can be used as
alternative diesel fuel. From the experimental
outcomes, the optimum process temperature was
obtained as 65 0C, the base catalyst NaOH
concentration of 0.4gm and the ratio of methanol oil
was 1:6 for better results in terms of recovery of
biodiesel.
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International Conference on Global Trends in Engineering, Technology and Management (ICGTETM-2016)
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