Effects of Acid Catalyst Types and Concentrations on Free Fatty Acid Reduction in Mixed Crude Palm Oil Using Continuous Static Mixer

Abstract:

Free fatty acid (FFA) in mixed crude palm oil (MCPO) must be reduced to less than 1 wt.% or 2 mgKOH.g^-1 of acid value by the acid-catalyzed esterification process when the base-catalyzed transesterification was used to produce the biodiesel for the two-stage process. This study was to investigate the effects of acid catalyst types: sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄), and hydrochloric acid (HCL) at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 vol.% of acid catalyst concentration on the reduction of acid value in MCPO by the continuous static mixer. Results indicated that H₂SO₄ has the most significant variable affecting the acid value in MCPO. The acid catalyst concentration of 1.0 and 1.5 vol.% H₂SO₄ can reduce the acid value to less than 2 mgKOH.g^-1 with 15 vol.% of methanol and 5-meter in the length of static mixer, while both H₃PO₄ and HCL could not reduce the acid value was reduced to less than 2 mgKOH.g^-1. Moreover, the results clearly indicated that HCL has the lowest significance effect on the acid value reduction in MCPO by the esterification reaction.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 446-447)
• Pages: 1523-1527
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.446-447.1523
• Online since: November 2013
• Authors: Krit Somnuk, Gumpon Prateepchaikul
• Keywords: Acid Catalyst, Esterification, Free Fatty Acid, Mixed Crude Palm Oil, Static Mixer

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