Direct transesterification of microalgae biomass and biodiesel refining with vacuum distillation

Simonet Torres,Gabriel Acien,Francisco García-Cuadra,Rodrigo Navia

doi:10.1016/j.algal.2017.10.001

Simonet Torres, Gabriel Acien + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2017.10.001

Copy DOI

Abstract

The objective of this study was the use of vacuum distillation to increase fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) content and quality of microalgae biodiesel produced through direct transesterification. Microalgae biodiesel obtained from direct transesterification of microalgae (crude biodiesel) has a FAME content of 64.98±2.88%, viscosity of 17.7±0.17 (mm2/s), and a humidity level of 3.72%. As biodiesel's properties are related to FAME content, to increase FAME content and produce higher quality biodiesel two vacuum distillation experiments were conducted using different vacuum conditions. The best results were obtained in experiment 2 with two consecutive distillations, where FAME content increased from 64.98±2.88% in crude biodiesel to 85.50±2.60% in the D2.2 fraction, while viscosity decreased from 17.70±0.17 (mm2/s) in crude biodiesel to 3.76±0.01 (mm2/s) in the D2.2 fraction. Vacuum distillation, therefore, may represent an excellent alternative for the purification of microalgae-based biodiesel.

Highlights

Biodiesel is a mixture of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) synthesized from vegetable fats, animal fat or frying oil [1]
This study has demonstrated that it is possible to produce biodiesel at a semi-pilot scale with a direct transesterification process of wet microalgae biomass, without the need for prior oil extraction
Two experiments were conducted with different vacuum levels in the system and the best results in terms of product yield were achieved with two consecutive distillations with low vacuum in the system

Summary

Introduction

Biodiesel is a mixture of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) synthesized from vegetable fats, animal fat or frying oil [1]. The need for fertile land to meet the demand for biodiesel production has resulted in environmental damage and deforestation in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brazil. This situation has stimulated the search for alternative raw materials for biodiesel production, such as non-edible oils including Jatropha curcas, Pongamia pinnata, and Madhuca indica oil, among others. The advantage of these raw materials is that their cultivation doesn't require agricultural land [3,4,5]. Waste cooking oil is another alternative for biodiesel production, but it cannot be constantly supplied in adequate amounts to meet worldwide demand for biodiesel

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion