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Transesterification in Biodiesel Production

The document discusses the biodiesel production process of transesterification which uses a chemical reaction to convert vegetable oils into biodiesel. Key factors that affect the reaction include time, heat, catalyst type, feedstock, alcohol amount, and mixing. The process breaks triglyceride oil molecules into biodiesel and glycerol in order to make the oils more suitable for diesel engines.

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20 views2 pages

Transesterification in Biodiesel Production

The document discusses the biodiesel production process of transesterification which uses a chemical reaction to convert vegetable oils into biodiesel. Key factors that affect the reaction include time, heat, catalyst type, feedstock, alcohol amount, and mixing. The process breaks triglyceride oil molecules into biodiesel and glycerol in order to make the oils more suitable for diesel engines.

Uploaded by

Maka Magnaretogne
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

College of Agriculture, Human

and Natural Sciences


ANR-B8 2014 Cooperative Extension

Bioenergy
Maximizing the Biodiesel Process
Jason P. de Koff, Assistant Professor, Tennessee State University
Contact: 615-963-4929, jdekoff@[Link], @TSUBioenergy

Vegetable oils, whether from used cooking oil or


oilseeds, are transformed into biodiesel with the help
of a chemical reaction called transesterification. The
main reason we use the transesterification process is to
thin these oils so that they are more suitable for use in
diesel engines. To do this, the oil molecules, made up
primarily of triglycerides (Fig. 1) are broken apart into
glycerol (Fig. 2) and fatty acid esters (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3. The chemical structure of a fatty acid methyl ester


(biodiesel).

The fatty acid esters are the biodiesel and can be easily
separated from the glycerol that is also formed because the
biodiesel is less dense and floats on top (similar to oil and
vinegar). Breaking the triglyceride molecules apart requires
an alcohol (usually methanol) and a catalyst (usually sodium
or potassium hydroxide, similar to lye). The catalyst is used
Fig. 1. The chemical structure of a triglyceride molecule. to help speed up the reaction. In addition to the catalyst, a
number of other factors that affect the reaction process are
time, heat, type of catalyst, feedstock, alcohol, and mixing.

Time
The time allowed for transesterification is important in
producing a high quality biodiesel with good yields. Using
basic catalysts (i.e. sodium or potassium hydroxide), the
reaction generally proceeds very rapidly in the beginning
and then slows as more biodiesel is produced and there are
fewer materials to react. A study by Freedman et al. (1984)
identified yields of around 55% for peanut and cottonseed oil
and 80% for sunflower and soybean oil after only one minute
of reaction time. Since the reaction slows down after this, it
is usually advised to allow the reaction to take place for 1.5 to
2 hours to maximize yield and quality.
Fig. 2. The chemical structure of a glycerol molecule.
1
Heat
The addition of heat is always useful for making reactions
go faster. In biodiesel production, increasing temperature
will increase how quickly biodiesel is produced. A study
by Freedman et al. (1984) with soybean oil found that a
temperature of 140°F could produce 94% of the total biodiesel
yield in about 6 minutes versus a yield of 64% at 90°F (Fig. 4).

Fig. 5. Effect of oil-to-methanol ratio, based on volume, on


biodiesel production (adapted from Freedman et al., 1984).
If there is too much alcohol, however, there can be difficulty
in separating the biodiesel from the glycerol because the
glycerol becomes more soluble in the biodiesel.
The type of alcohol used can also have an effect on the overall
effectiveness of biodiesel production. Typically, methanol is
used because it is cheaper but also because an alcohol like
Fig. 4. The effect of temperature on biodiesel production ethanol can prevent the separation of the biodiesel and
(adapted from Freedman et al., 1984). glycerol products.
Type of catalyst Mixing
Basic catalysts, like sodium or potassium hydroxide, are good In the reaction mixture, the catalyst will dissolve in the
at increasing the rate of the reaction for producing biodiesel. alcohol but the oil and alcohol are not soluble in one another.
Another option is a sodium methylate (also known as sodium Therefore, mixing is important for initiating the reaction.
methoxide) solution already dissolved in methanol. This Also, a slower rate of mixing can reduce the overall reaction
solution can produce higher yields, require less catalyst and rate.
improve safety (due to lower exposure to corrosive dust).
Feedstock Additional Resources
Freedman, B., E.H. Pryde, and T.L. Mounts. 1984. Variables
The type of oil feedstock you use may depend on the level of affecting the yields of fatty esters from transesterified vegetable oils.
free fatty acids (FFAs) it contains. Free fatty acids are large Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society 61(10):1638-1643.
molecules containing many carbon atoms with an acid group
at one end. These FFAs can interact with the basic catalyst Knothe, G., J. Krahl, and J. Van Gerpen. 2010. The Biodiesel
Handbook. 2nd edition. AOCS Publishing, Urbana, IL.
to form soap which will cause problems separating the two
end products; biodiesel and glycerol. In general, a FFA Meher, L.C., D. Vidya Sagar, S.N. Naik. 2006. Technical aspects of
level greater than 5% will cause this. If this occurs, an extra biodiesel production by transesterification – a review. Renewable
processing step will be necessary which will involve using and Sustainable Energy Reviews 10:248-268.
an acidic catalyst to convert the FFAs to biodiesel before the Stamenković, O.S., M.L. Lazić, Z.B. Todorović, V.B. Veljković, and
transesterification process can take place. D.U. Skala. 2007. The effect of agitation intensity on alkali-catalyzed
methanolysis of sunflower oil. Bioresource Tech. 98:2688-2699.
Alcohol
Van Gerpen, J. 2005. Biodiesel processing and production. Fuel
The transesterification reaction requires 1-1.5 gallons Processing Technology 86:1097-1107.
methanol for every 10 gallons of oil used to make biodiesel
[Link]
(oil-to-methanol ratio of 8:1). For maximum yield, however,
table-of-contents
more alcohol is usually used. Generally, about 2.5 gallons of
methanol for every 10 gallons of oil (or an oil-to-methanol Dean - Dr. Chandra Reddy, Associate Dean for Extension - Dr. Latif Lighari
ratio of 4:1) is used since it gives the best yields (Fig. 5).
TSU-14-0089(A)-15-17095 Tennessee State University is an AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in
its programs and activities.
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Common questions

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A higher oil-to-methanol ratio is generally preferred to maximize biodiesel yield. Specifically, using about 2.5 gallons of methanol for every 10 gallons of oil (a 4:1 ratio) gives the best yields. However, an excessive amount of alcohol can make glycerol more soluble in biodiesel, which complicates the separation of the two products .

Temperature plays a significant role in accelerating biodiesel production. Higher temperatures speed up the transesterification reaction, resulting in faster biodiesel production and higher yields. For instance, soy oil at 140°F achieves 94% of the total biodiesel yield in about six minutes, compared to 64% at 90°F .

Reaction time is critical for ensuring high-quality biodiesel production. Initial stages of the reaction proceed rapidly, but as more biodiesel is formed, the reaction slows. To maximize yield and quality, allowing the reaction to proceed for 1.5 to 2 hours is recommended, despite initial yields like 80% for soybean oil after just one minute .

Methanol is typically preferred over ethanol in the transesterification process because it is less expensive and does not prevent the separation of biodiesel and glycerol. Ethanol can make glycerol more soluble in biodiesel and hinder the separation process, complicating production .

Mixing is crucial in the transesterification process because the catalyst dissolves in the alcohol, but the oil and alcohol are not inherently soluble in one another. Proper mixing initiates and sustains the reaction, while inadequate mixing can slow down the reaction rate, leading to inefficiencies in biodiesel production .

High levels of free fatty acids (FFAs) in oil feedstock can cause problems in the biodiesel production process by interacting with the basic catalyst to form soap. This complicates the separation of biodiesel and glycerol. A FFA level greater than 5% usually necessitates an additional processing step using an acidic catalyst to convert the FFAs to biodiesel before the main transesterification process .

The catalyst in the transesterification process facilitates and speeds up the chemical reaction where oil (triglycerides) is converted into biodiesel (fatty acid esters) and glycerol. Basic catalysts like sodium or potassium hydroxide are effective at increasing the reaction rate. Sodium methylate (sodium methoxide) can provide higher yields, require less catalyst, and improve safety by reducing exposure to corrosive dust .

Choosing a feedstock for biodiesel production requires considering the level of free fatty acids (FFAs), as high FFA content (greater than 5%) can lead to soap formation when interacting with basic catalysts. This can hinder the separation of glycerol and biodiesel and may necessitate additional processing with an acidic catalyst to convert the FFAs before transesterification .

The choice of alcohol significantly impacts the separation process in biodiesel production. While methanol is commonly used due to its cost-effectiveness and non-interference in separation, using ethanol may hinder the separation of glycerol from biodiesel by increasing the solubility of glycerol in biodiesel, thereby complicating the production process .

The main purpose of transesterification in the production of biodiesel is to thin vegetable oils, making them more suitable for use in diesel engines. This is achieved by breaking down the triglycerides in the oils into glycerol and fatty acid esters, with the latter forming the biodiesel .

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