Optimization of transesterification process for biodiesel production from waste oil

Abstract

Biodiesel, which is considered as a possible substitute of conventional diesel fuel, is vegetable oils by transesterification with methanol. The resulting Biodiesel is quite similar to conventional diesel fuel in its main characteristics. Direct usage of these triglyceric esters (oils) is unsatisfactory and impractical for long term usages in the available diesel engines due to high viscosity, acid contamination, and free fatty acid formation resulting in gum formation by oxidation and polymerization and carbon deposition. In the transesterification of different types of oils, triglycerides react with an alcohol, generally methanol or ethanol to produce esters and glycerol. To make it possible a catalyst is added to the reaction. The present investigation was carried out to study the waste oil transesterification by using alkali (NaOH) as a catalyst and 85% esters (biodiesel) conversion was obtained.