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A Twitchell Reagent Revival: Biodiesel Generation from Low Cost Oils
Author(s) -
de Arriba Ángel L. Fuentes,
Simón Luis,
Alcázar Victoria,
Cuellar Jorge,
LozanoMartínez Patricia,
Morán Joaquín R.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
advanced synthesis and catalysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.541
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1615-4169
pISSN - 1615-4150
DOI - 10.1002/adsc.201100278
Subject(s) - transesterification , chemistry , methanol , catalysis , biodiesel , biodiesel production , organic chemistry , reagent , raw material
The transesterification of triglycerides with short‐chain alcohols, such as methanol, is the most used process for the obtention of biodiesel. This is a biphasic reaction which can occur both in polar and apolar phases. Using lipophilic sulphonic acids as catalysts, the transesterification reaction takes place primarily in the oil phase. Under these conditions, the reaction rates are considerably improved, with conversions up to 98% in 90 min at 80 °C and with 17.6% mol of catalyst. The most remarkable features of this process are that the catalytic efficiency is not affected by the presence in the oil of free fatty acids or small amounts of water, the transesterification takes place at low temperature (below the boiling point of methanol) and high conversions are reached within a short time. Therefore, low‐cost feedstocks containing high levels of FFA (free fatty acids) and water can be used as raw material for biodiesel production. Finally, catalyst recovery by adsorption on a silica gel column was also tested.