Flow-mode biodiesel production from palm oil using a pressurized microwave reactor

Abstract

The factors that influence microwave-assisted biodiesel production reactions have been analyzed in this investigation. The studied parameters included microwave (MW) power, irradiation time, and reactor pressure. The response surface method was used to optimize the reaction conditions. The conversion for the 6:1 methanol/oil molar ratio and 1% catalyst ranged from 68.4% to 96.71%. The optimized conditions were found to be 138 s of MW irradiation at 780 W and 7 bar pressure. The conversion at this point was 97.82%. Biodiesel yield increased at higher radiation times (90–130 s) and pressures (5–7 bar). Results show that MW power and irradiation time have significant effects at the 1% level, whereas pressure had significant effects at the 5% level on biodiesel production in this range. The major properties of the palm oil biodiesel produced herein have met the requirements of the EN 14214 methyl ester standard.

Keywords

• biodiesel
• flow process
• microwave-assisted transesterification
• pressurized microwave reactor
• response surface method