Evaluation of Biodiesel Production Process from Sapium Tree Oil Sebiferum using Exergy Analysis Methodology

Abstract

Environmental pollution and declining reserves of fossil fuels has generated the need for new sources of energy that are renewable, is how in the last decade have generated called biofuels, among which are mainly bioethanol and biodiesel. Palm oil, soybean and sunflower at the moment, are the most used raw materials, but some authors claim that the use of these seeds generates competition with human food sources and aggravating the problem of monoculture. Based on these questions the second generation biofuels represent a great advantage since they are characterized by the use of non-edible seeds, taking advantage of the potential that exists in process residues and native seeds are not commercially used. Besides the use of new energy resources, it is also necessary to be viable. The exergy analysis is a useful tool in the assessment process, which identifies the quantity and quality of energy sources, in addition to being used to design processes and emerging energy-evaluate existing processes. In this work a biodiesel production process was evaluated from Sapium sebiferum oil, inedible oilseed, through exergy analysis methodology. The process was simulated in the simulation software industry ASPEN PLUS8.4 and comprises pretreating the oil and subsequent transesterification, washing, solvent recovery and purification and coproduct. All both physical and chemical exergies were determined for each of the process streams including the heating and cooling services. Efficiency and exergy losses for each process unit is determined, the overall exergetic efficiency of the process is finally evaluated. The results confirm the potential of Sapium sebiferum oil for biodiesel production, presenting a exergy efficiency of 63.79 %, however you must make some technical improvements to the process in order to take the maximum amount of energy.