Experimental study of biodiesel fuel production from Euphorbiaceae using a Ca-Al-CO3 hydrotalcite catalyst

Abstract

ABSTRACTBiodiesel produced by the transesterification of vegetable oils is a promising alternative fuel to diesel because of limited fossil fuel resources and environmental concerns. The use of heterogeneous catalysts greatly simplifies the technological process by facilitating the separation of the post-reaction mixture. The purpose of the present work was to examine a heterogeneous catalyst, in particular, Ca-Al-CO3 hydrotalcites, to produce methyl esters of Euphorbiaceae curcas oil (ECO). In this study, the transesterification of ECO with methanol was studied in a heterogeneous system, using Mg-Al hydrotalcites as solid base catalysts. The reaction was carried out in a batch type reaction vessel. The dependence of the conversion of ECO on the reaction variables such as the molar ratio of methanol/oil, the amount of catalysts used, reaction temperatures, and reaction times were performed. The conversion of 99% was achieved under the optimum reaction conditions.