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Production of Biodiesel Through Transesterification of Avocado (Persea Gratissima) Seed Oil Using Base Catalyst
Production of Biodiesel Through Transesterification of Avocado (Persea Gratissima) Seed Oil Using Base Catalyst
ABSTRACT
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reaction involving vegetable oil and an alcohol to Preliminary stage is carried out in order to get
yield fatty acid alkyl esters (i.e., biodiesel) and avocado seed oil content and purify it, so the oil
glycerol. ready to processed by transesterification using base
Catalysts may either be base, acid, or enzyme catalysts. This stage contains of extraction,
materials. For base catalysts, the most commonly distillation, and degumming.
used materials are sodium hydroxide, potassium Main reaction stage is transesterification. The
hydroxide, and sodium methoxide. Most base operational condition for this stage are retention
catalysts systems use vegetable oil as feedstock. One time 60 minutes and 1% wt. NaOH toward oil.
limitation to the alkali-catalyzed process is its Whereas the variables are molar ratio oil to
sensitivity to both, water and free fatty acid. The methanol (1:4, 1:5, 1:6, 1:7, and 1:8) and temperature
presence of water may cause ester saponification reaction (40°C, 50°C, and 60°C).
under alkaline conditions. Also, free fatty acids can Purification is the final processing stage before
react with an alkali catalyst to produce soaps and the fuel is ready to use. The purification removes
water. Thus, dehydrated vegetable oil with less than catalysts and reactant residues, glycerol, and other
2 wt. % free fatty acids, an anhydrous alkali catalyst impurities. For the purification stage, biodiesel from
and anhydrous alcohol are necessary for transesterification process is washed by two different
commercially viable alkali-catalyzed systems [2]. methods. First method is water washing method
using 50% vol. warm water (±50°C) that is stirred
Table 1. Physical and chemical properties of avocado together with crude biodiesel. And the second is dry
seed oil [3]. washing method using 0.5% wt. magnesium silicate
Physical Properties Quantity as adsorbent for the impurities in the crude
Specific Gravity (25o C) 0.915-0.916 biodiesel.
Melting point 10.50o C
Flash point 245°C Feedstock and Equipments
Refractive index 1.462
Viscosity 0.357 poise The feedstocks are avocado seed, n-hexane,
Chemical Properties Quantity H3PO4, methanol, NaOH (solid), magnesium silicate,
Free Fatty Acid 0.367%-0.82%
Saponification number (mg KOH/g) 246.840
and aquadest. The research is laboratory scale using
Iod number (mg iodine/g) 42.664 transesterification reactor as the main equipment.
Acid number (mg KOH/g) 5.200
Esther number 241.640
Peroxide number (Milliequivalents
3.3
peroxide per 1000 gram oil)
Unsaponifiable matters 15.250 %
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Rachimoellah, Production of Biodiesel through Transesterification of Avocado (Persea gratissima) Seed Oil Using Base Catalyst
from degumming was continued to transesterification washing show decrease in methyl ester content at
process with operational condition and variables 60°C. These phenomena occur because of excess in
determined in before. Crude biodiesel produced have methanol that makes glycerol separation be more
to purify with washing. For water washing, the difficult. Biodiesel from this variable still contain
mixture of biodiesel and warm water is stirred for 5 glycerol that impact to decrease in methyl ester
minutes. Then the mixture is settled until it form content [5].
two layers, in which the top layer is biodiesel and the
bottom one is water that contain impurities. The
wash water is drained off. But it still contains water
that has to be removed with drying at 110°C.
whereas for dry washing method doesn’t involve
water, so it doesn’t need water removal in the end of
process. The mixture of biodiesel and magnesium
silicate is stirred at 55°C for 15 minutes. Then
biodiesel is separated from adsorbent that contain
impurities using filter vacuum pump.
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removal process. Dry washing method needs fewer analyzed is methyl oleic and methyl palmetic
times than another. Magnesium silicate as because they are main compound exist in the
adsorbent, can bind the impurities (unreacted avocado seed oil (Table 2).
methanol, catalyst residue, and glycerol). It has
strong affinity to bind polar compound, such as Table 2. Fatty acid composition of avocado seed oil
methanol and glycerol [6]. [7].
Fatty Acid %
Characteristic of biodiesel from avocado seed Palmetic Acid C16 : 1 11.85
oil Palmitoleic Acid C16 : 1 3.98
Stearic Acid C18 : 0 0.87
Before use for fuel, refined biodiesel with 84% Oleic Acid C18 : 1 7 70.54
methyl ester content should be analyzed first in Linoleic Acid C18 : 2 9.45
order to find out the qualities. The analysis include Linolenic Acid C18 : 3 0.87
of methyl ester content, density, viscosity, cetane Arachidic Acid C20 : 0 0.50
index, flash point, and pour point. Eliosenoic Acid C20 : 1 0.39
Behenic Acid C22 : 0 0.61
Methyl ester content is detected by Gas
Lignoceric Acid C24 : 0 0.34
Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and
continued with Gas Chromatography (GC). GC-MS
The characteristic of biodiesel should be known
use to know what kind of compounds present in
to figure out its quality. Viscosity is one of the most
biodiesel. Figure 4 shows one of the GC result of our
important parameter that influences machine
research. Range retention time is read, and
performance. Viscosity is a basic design specification
continued with GC in the same temperature and
for the fuel injectors used in diesel engines. Too high
column condition. Refined biodiesel is analyzed using
viscosity make the injectors do not perform properly
GC HP 6890 series with HP-5 column 5% phenyl
[8]. Viscosity is measured using viscometer Ostwald.
methyl siloxane. Kinds of methyl ester that be
Figure 4. Chromatogram GC
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Rachimoellah, Production of Biodiesel through Transesterification of Avocado (Persea gratissima) Seed Oil Using Base Catalyst
REFERENCES
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