engleski

Influence of reaction parameters on the synthesis of octyl esters of fatty acids

Alkyl esters of fatty acids or biodiesel have been more intensively investigated in recent decades as a renewable source of energy that can be combined with diesel [1]. Possessing similar properties to diesel, smaller modifications are needed for biodiesel to be used solely or as a part of binary or trinary blends with diesel and/or alcohol in diesel engines [2, 3]. Biodiesel is chemically obtained with the reaction of transesterification that yields long-chained esters of fatty acids from initial feedstock (vegetable oil, bioalcohol or waste animal fat), in the presence of appropriate catalyst [4]. Mostly used alcohols for this reaction are methanol and ethanol although the potential for the improvement of biodiesel properties rises with the chain length of the alcohol, which is demonstrated here with the use of octanol [5]. The influence of molar ratio of the reactants and weight fraction of the catalyst on the conversion was investigated by comparing the experiments conducted at the same temperatures and throughout the same times. Experiments showed that the increase in the molar ratio from 4 : 1 to 10 : 1, at T = 40 °C, t = 2 h and wcat = 2 %, results in the conversion increasing from 32 % to 99 %. While the increase in temperature from 40 °C to 80 °C, at t = 2 h, A : U = 4 : 1 and wcat = 2 %, results in the increase of the conversion from 32 % to 55 %.

biodiesel ; transesterification ; 1-octanol

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