Overview of Biodiesel/ Methyl Esters

The progressive utilization of biofuel that replaces the dependence on diminishing

petroleum fuel is currently one among the global trends when it comes to energy matter.
This innovation is a consequence of the wide application of fossil fuels as petroleum
feedstock in generating mechanical power. Fossil fuels contribute adverse effects in the
environment including high emission levels of CO2 and nitrogen oxides. Biodiesel is a
potential biofuel that is viable as an energy resource and conforms to sustainable
development in terms of energy security, and socio- economic and environmental
concerns.
Biodiesel is a fuel comprised of mono- alkyl esters such as methyl ester of long
chain fatty acids derived from renewable energy sources primarily vegetable oils, animal
fats and waste oils. It can be produced by subjecting the oils and fats to a chemical
reaction termed transesterification. In the reaction, the vegetable oil or animal fat is
reacted in the presence of a catalyst with an alcohol (methanol) to give the corresponding
alkyl esters (methyl esters) of the fatty acid mixture that is found in the parent vegetable
oil or animal fat.
Biodiesel is technically competitive to petroleum fuel. It has a higher cetane
number than petroleum diesel, no aromatics, and contains about 10 to 11% oxygen by
weight. These characteristics of biodiesel reduce emissions of carbon monoxide (CO),
hydrocarbon (HC), and particulate matter (PM) in the exhaust gas compared with diesel.
The carbon dioxide produced by the combustion of biodiesel is recycled during
photosynthesis, thereby minimizing the impact of biodiesel combustion on the
greenhouse effect.
Overview of BR for Transesterification of Biodiesel/ Methyl Esters

Figure 1. Schematic diagram of acid/base transesterification process

Stirred tank batch reactor is the most widely used reactor type both in the
laboratory and industry. This type of reactor is more flexible and easier to control
compared to flow reactors. The feed material is treated as a whole for a fixed period of
time and is generally designed under controlled pressure, temperature, mixing rate,
catalyst type and concentration, and methanol: oil molar ratio. A schematic diagram of a
batch reactor for the transesterififcation process is given in figure above.
The end products of the transesterification process are raw biodiesel and raw
glycerol. In a further process these raw products undergo a cleaning step. In case of using
methanol as alcohol FAME (fatty acid methyl ester) biodiesel is produced. The purified
glycerol can be used in the food and cosmetic industries. The glycerol can also be used as
a substrate for anaerobic digestion.