ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Fatty acid methyl ester production from acid oil using silica sulfuric acid: Process optimization and reaction kinetics

Krunal A. Shah, Jigisha K. Parikh, Bharat Z. Dholakiya, and Kalpana C. Maheria

Applied Chemistry Department, Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Ichchhanath, Surat, 395007, Gujarat, India

E-mail: maheria@gmail.com

Abstract: Conversion of high free fatty acids (FFA) containing acid oil (AO) to fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) using silica sulfuric acid (SSA) as a solid acid catalyst was investigated. Process parameters such as reaction temperature, reaction time, catalyst loading, and methanol to oil molar ratio were optimized using the Taguchi orthogonal array method. Maximum FFA conversion (97.16 %) was achieved under the optimal set of parameter values viz. 70°C, 4 mass % catalyst loading, and 1: 15 oil to methanol molar ratio after 90 min. SSA was reused three times successfully without a significant loss in activity. Biodiesel produced from AO met the international biodiesel standards. Determination of kinetic parameters proved that the experimental results fit the pseudo first order kinetic law.

Keywords: acid oil – biodiesel – esterification – silica sulfuric acid – Taguchi method

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-013-0488-4

Chemical Papers 68 (4) 472–483 (2014)