PROCESS SIMULATION OF CONTINUOUS BIODIESEL PRODUCTION IN A REACTIVE DISTILLATION VIA TRANSESTERIFICATION AND ESTERIFICATION OF WASTE COOKING OIL

Abstract

This research focuses on biodiesel production in a reactive distillation via transesterification and esterification of waste cooking oil. Process simulations were performed by using Aspen Plus. Three different continuous processes for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil were developed to compare with a based case (conventional process). The first process employed a reactive distillation in biodiesel synthesis using homogeneous catalyst (NaOH). This process still required many process equipment to separate homogeneous catalyst from biodiesel product. The second process used heterogeneous catalyst instead of homogeneous catalyst for biodiesel synthesis. The number of process equipment was decreased but this process still need separation unit in the pretreatment step. The third process combining the pretreatment and biodiesel synthesis steps in a reactive distillation and using heterogeneous catalyst system (Amberlyst-15 and CaO/Al2O3) was proposed. This process required fewer number of process equipment and offered good performance compared to the other processes. Then, the effects of various operating parameters of the third process were investigated to find suitable condition. The efficient process can produce biodiesel yield of 99.50% under column pressure of 3 bar, methanol to oil ratio of 4:1 and reflux ratio 0.1.