Bio-Diesel Production Using Homogeneous Catalyst : Product Yield Optimization

• Main Author: Teng, Xiau Jeong
• Format: Monograph
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Sains Malaysia 2018
• Subjects: T Technology; TP Chemical Technology
• Online Access: http://eprints.usm.my/53643/1/Bio-Diesel%20Production%20Using%20Homogeneous%20Catalyst%20Product%20Yield%20Optimization_Teng%20Xiau%20Jeong_K4_2018.pdf; http://eprints.usm.my/53643/

The depletion of fossil fuel has led to the rise of research of renewable energy and bio-diesel is among the most interested ones. The optimization of production of bio- diesel (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester or FAME) from waste cooking palm oil (WCPO) was simulated in Aspen Plus. The main reactions involved in producing FAME isesterification of Free Fatty Acid (FFA) and trans-esterification of Fatty Acid (FA) in the WCPO. The built-in convergence method in Aspen Plus is Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP). Aspen simulation was run with the default setting whereRTRANS operates at 57.74 °C, 4 bar; RTRANS2 at 45.15 °C, 4 bar; and RTRANS 3 at 58.09 °C, 4 bar as ‘Base case’ with a high yield of bio-diesel at 90.39%. The optimization is focused on the reactors undergoing the trans-esterification reaction. Optimization was done separately on operating temperature and operating pressure of RTRANS, RTRANS2 and RTRANS3 to determine the significance of impact of the variable towards bio-diesel yield. Operating temperature has a more significant impact towards yield of bio-diesel. The optimization carried out by Aspen Plus proved that a higher yield of 90.56% of bio-diesel could be achieved with a relatively lower operating conditions at 23.34°C and 2.60 bar for RTRANS, 20 °C and 2.59 bar for RTRANS2, 20.05 °C and 2.60 bar for RTRANS3.