The Bombay Technologist

Synthesis of Biodiesel from Palm Fatty Acid Distillate

Tarun Kataria

Bachelor of Technology, Department of Oils, Oleochemicals & Surfactant Technology

Keywords: Biodiesel, Esterification, Neutralization, Free Fatty Acid, PFAD.

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Abstract

Palm fatty acid distillate is a by-product of palm oil refining industries and it consists of 83% fatty acids and 12% glycerides. Biodiesel was synthesized using palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) as raw material in two steps. The first step involved hydrolysis of PFAD to convert glycerides into free fatty acids (FFA). The second step was esterification of these free fatty acids using methanol and homogeneous acid catalyst (sulfuric acid) to give methyl esters (biodiesel). Hydrolysis was studied at two different catalyst loadings. Esterification reaction was executed by recycling methanol and sulfuric acid in the aqueous phase. Recovery of methanol and sulfuric acid from aqueous phase of esterified PFAD was carried out by distillation. Biodiesel was purified firstly by water washing followed by neutralization of unreacted FFA. Neutralization was studied with different bases like aqueous sodium hydroxide, aqueous sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide in 80:20 and 90:10 glycerol:water mixture.