Biodiesel production with continuous processing and direct Ultrasonic Assisted

Abstract

Biodiesel is an alternative energy can made from renewable resources such as vegetable oils and animal fats. One of considerable resource is vegetable oil, the plant's lipid-based oils. However, the application of vegetable oil in Indonesia are mostly used for foodstuff oil (edible oil), so it's not recommended as biodiesel feedstock because it is vital for human consumption, therefore it is required a new source of low usability vegetable oil such as Waste-Cooking Oil. The application of waste-cooking oil as biodiesel feedstock can reduce waste problems too. One technology that are lately often used is Ultrasonic-Assisted Technology. The objective of this research is to develop biodiesel process with Continuous Processing and Ultrasonic-Assisted Technology. Free Fatty Acid (FFA) contents in used cooking oil was analyzed with acidi alkali metry. FFA was reduced with esterification or neutralization process up to <3wt.%. Transesterification reaction was carried out with a base catalyst continuously reaction and ultrasonic assisted. Products were separated and analyzed about density, viscosity and contents of methyl ester. The results of experiments shown that the experiments with ratio methanol to triglyceride 8∶1 was better product than ratio of 4∶1. Increasing flowrate (14–16 ml/.minute) caused yield of biodiesel increase to. Yield of biodiesel was obtained 75.6–78%. Characteristics of biodiesel produced in accordance with ISO biodiesels.