Glycerin Separation from Biodiesel Transesterification Process by Pulsed Electric Field with Specific Pulse Forming Network

Abstract

Biodiesel production process can be rapidly done if the glycerin separation can be removed faster. With the palm oil crisis, biodiesel is needed for faster production to add more value and to solve the oversupply problem. Pulse forming network circuit can generate pulsed electric field (PEF) to speedily separate glycerin from biodiesel production. While the substance is reacting, the electrical impedance value of glycerin is changed, the pulse forming network will keep waveform to be a square wave. Transesterification process using palm oil mixed with methanol with a molar ratio of 1:6 by using 1 wt.% of KOH as a catalyst. The reaction chamber electrode was coaxial cylindrical electrodes with diameter 6 cm and 1 cm. The maximum voltage across the reaction chamber is 500 V with 1, 5 and 10 kHz frequency. Glycerin separation was best achieved when using 5 kHz frequency. The glycerin was obtained at 155 ml in 20 minutes.