A novel liquid-phase plasma discharge process for single-step emulsification and continuous biodiesel production

Plasma-assisted transesterification has emerged as a promising advanced method for biodiesel production, offering reduced reaction times and enhanced ester yields. Unlike conventional thermal processes, plasma technology operates at room temperature, supplying required energy through electrical discharge. However, in the absence of thermal energy, mass transfer limitations often necessitate a preliminary mixing step. This study introduces a novel liquid-phase plasma discharge process that simultaneously emulsifies reactants and enables continuous biodiesel production in a single step, eliminating the need for prior mixing. Optical microscopy and spectrophotometry techniques confirmed the formation of a stable, monodisperse emulsion of oil and methanol. Key factors influencing biodiesel synthesis included catalyst concentration, discharge voltage, and their interactions with reaction time. The optimized conditions of 15 min of reaction, 7.8 kV discharge voltage, and 1 % sodium methoxide resulted in a biodiesel with 97.9 % methyl ester content. This approach demonstrates the potential of plasma technology for efficient and sustainable biodiesel production.