Abstract
In this paper, the simulation study of biodiesel production from Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (PFAD) using Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (PEFB) catalyst as the heterogeneous acid catalyst in reactive distillation (RD) column was studied. The main parameters of the basic RD column such as the number of stages, molar ratio of feed, total number of stages, and reboiler heat duty were employed in the simulation study. The equilibrium stage and rate-based models were used for the RD simulation studies. The simulation studies show that the equilibrium stage model could describe the column profiles only qualitatively while the rate-based model was capable in describing the column profiles quantitatively and qualitatively. From simulation results, it can be concluded that the reactive distillation process with the Palm Empty Fruit Bunch catalyst offered advantages over the conventional process because it could eliminate the requirement of post-processing separation and purification at cost-effective column design and operating conditions. The optimum condition for producing biodiesel by reactive distillation using PEFB catalyst was found as follows: 4:1 of methanol to PFAD molar feed ratio, reflux ratio of 1.5, reboiler heat duty of 2.107 kJ/h and 3 reactive stages. This condition provided a FFA conversion of 97 wt% and biodiesel purity of 97.5%.
Highlights
Biodiesel is a mono alkyl ester of fatty acid derived from vegetable oils and animal fats
Biodiesel is conventionally produced via transesterification of triglycerides, which is the reaction of vegetable oils with alcohol to produce alkyl esters and glycerol, in the presence of an alkaline catalyst
Biodiesel can be produced by esterification of free fatty acid (FFA) with alcohol to fattyacid alkyl ester and water
Summary
Biodiesel is a mono alkyl ester of fatty acid derived from vegetable oils and animal fats. Biodiesel is conventionally produced via transesterification of triglycerides, which is the reaction of vegetable oils with alcohol to produce alkyl esters and glycerol, in the presence of an alkaline catalyst. Most biodiesel plants are using refined vegetable oils as their main feedstock. These feedstock is impractical and uneconomical due to high feedstock cost and priority as food resources. The cost of refined vegetable oils contributed nearly 80% of the overall biodiesel production cost. The use of low cost feedstocks such as Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (PFAD) can reduce biodiesel production cost and increase supply while avoiding the food versus fuel problem. Carbon-based solid acids are considered ideal catalysts for many reactions due to their chemical inertness, stable under acidic basic conditions, have very high surface area, renewable biomass sources, and good mechanical and thermal stability [2]
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