Continuous Transesterification for Ethyl Ester Production from Refined Palm Oil through Static Mixer

Abstract:

In this study, the commercial grade of ethanol was used to produce the biodiesel from refined palm oil (RPO) through the continuous static mixer system. The ethanol, an alternative alcohol to adopt in the ethyl ester production, can be used instead of methanol, and this alcohol is more eco-friendly than methanol. The 6-meter in length of SUS304 static mixer reactor is an essential part of mixing the RPO and solution of ethanol and potassium hydroxide to accelerate the base-catalyzed transesterification. The ethanol were varied at the volumetric flow rate of 30, 40, 50, 60 vol.%, KOH as base-catalyst was varied with the weight to volume of oil of 10,12,14 gKOH.L^-1, to investigate the suitable condition which can converted the glycerides to the maximum purity of ethyl ester. The results showed that all varied conditions, the ethyl ester conversion was rapidly increased from 0 to over 95 wt.% when the flowing mixtures flowed through the 1 meter of static mixer. Furthermore, the highest purity of ethyl ester from RPO was succeeded when the condition: the 60 vol.% ethanol, the 14 gKOH.L^-1 of catalyst, 5-meter of static mixer, and 75 oC temperature of RPO, was used in the continuous static mixer.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 705)
• Pages: 64-68
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.705.64
• Online since: December 2014
• Authors: Kichaphum Wijitsopa*, Krit Somnuk, Thanansak Theppaya, Gumpon Prateepchaikul
• Keywords: Continuous, Ethanol, Ethyl Ester, Static Mixer, Transesterification

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