Esterification with ethanol to produce biodiesel from high acidity raw materials Kinetic studies and analysis of secondary reactions

Abstract

In this work, the esterification reaction of free fatty acids (FFA) in sunflower oil, coconut oil and concentrated FFA, with ethanol, methanol and ethanol 96%, using homogeneous acid catalysts to produce biodiesel isstudied. Kinetic parameters are estimated with a simplified model, and then used to predict the reaction behavior. Reactions other than the reversible esterification are considered to explain the behavior that this system displays. Such reactions are the triglycerides conversion by acid catalyzed transesterification and hydrolysis. In addition, we include kinetic studies of the reaction that occur between the sulphuric acid andmethanol (or ethanol), forming mono and dialkylsulphates. This reaction produces water and consumesmethanol (or ethanol), and consequently has a direct impact in the esterification reaction rate and equilibrium conversion. The concentration of sulphuric acid decreases to less than 50% of the initial value dueto the reaction with the alcohol. A minimum in the acidity due to the free fatty acids as a function of time wasclearly observed during the reaction, which has not been reported earlier. This behavior is related to theconsecutive reactions that take place during the esterification of FFA in the presence of triglycerides. The phase separation due to the presence of water, which is generated during the reaction, is also studied.