Optimization and modeling of biodiesel production from oleic acid in plug flow reactor

Year 2024, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 28 - 42, 29.10.2024

Hanife Erden , Filiz Uğur Nigiz

https://doi.org/10.54559/jauist.1540978

Abstract

In recent years, biodiesel has been preferable to fossil fuels because of its renewability, biodegradability, and producibility from various wastes. In this study, the esterification reaction between oleic acid and methanol was carried out in the presence of sulfuric acid, which is a homogeneous acid catalyst, to produce biodiesel. Experiments were carried out in a plug flow reactor (PFR) and a batch reactor. The experimental conditions with the highest conversion obtained in the PFR were determined and applied to the batch reactor and results were compared. The effects of temperature (45, 55, 65 in Celsius), catalyst concentration (2%, 4%, 6% by weight), and methanol/oleic acid mole ratio (3, 6, 9) on oleic acid conversion were examined in the PFR. Retention times at different flow rates were calculated to determine the reaction time in the PFR and reactions were carried out between 2 and 6 minutes. In the reactions carried out in the PFR, the highest conversion value was obtained as 97.33% under conditions where the catalyst concentration was 6% by weight, the temperature value was 55oC and the alcohol/acid mole ratio was 6:1. These conditions were applied to the batch reactor and the conversion value was found to be 50%. When the experimental results were examined, it was seen that the effect of temperature and alcohol/acid ratio on the conversion was greater than the effect of the catalyst concentration on the conversion. The modeling of oleic acid/methanol esterification, i.e., biodiesel production, at specific boundary values was found to follow a cubic dependence in the general dependence equation via Response Surface Methodology.

Keywords

Plug flow reactor, biodiesel, oleic acid, batch reactor, response surface methodology (RSM)

Supporting Institution

Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi Bilimsel Araştırma Projeleri Koordinasyon

Thanks

Bu çalışma Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi Bilimsel Araştırma Projeleri Koordinasyon Birimince Desteklenmiştir. Proje Numarası: FBA-2022-4177

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