Impact of Pulsed Electric Field on Glycerin Sedimentation from Biodiesel Production Process

Abstract

This research aims to study the impact of continuous pulsed electric field (PEF) on glycerin separation from Transesterification process. Transesterification process of biodiesel production using 100 ml vegetable oils with alcohol of 1:5 molar ratio together with potassium hydroxide (KOH) as catalyst 1 wt.% for the reaction. The designed glass tube reaction chamber is 250 ml contained with coaxial cylindrical electrodes. The applied voltage to an electrode was at 1 kV and frequency of 1 kHz with pulse duration of 500 μs and also 4 kHz with pulse duration of 125 μs. The results showed that the glycerin volume from transesterification process has rapidly sedimented with pulsed electric field method. It is much faster than using conventional gravity method. The sedimentation rate increases rapidly with an increasing in frequency of the applied voltage. The highest volume of glycerin sedimentation of 10.2 ml is by using pulsed electric field at 1 kV and 4 kHz.