Biodiesel Production from Unrefined Palm Oil on Pilot Plant Scale

Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu; Theoneste Ishimwe; Ananie Niyibizi; Alexis Munyentwali

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13

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Biodiesel Production from Unrefined Palm Oil on Pilot Plant Scale

Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu, Theoneste Ishimwe, Ananie Niyibizi, Alexis Munyentwali

Published in International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy (Volume 4, Issue 1)

Received: 19 December 2014 Accepted: 6 January 2015 Published: 2 February 2015

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Abstract

As global warming and climate change issues are defying modern society sustainable development; biofuels, biodiesel included, are among promising solutions. Biodiesel is generally produced from renewable vegetable oils and animal fats via acid or base catalyzed transesterification. Depending on regional availability, biodiesel production feedstocks vary from vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil, soya oil, palm oil, and jatropha oil, to used cooking oil and animal fats, with each type of feedstock presenting its own process challenges rooting from its chemical composition. This paper reports about biodiesel production from crude palm oil on a pilot plant scale, subsequent to a laboratory scale investigation of biodiesel synthesis from various vegetable oil feedstocks. Prior to transesterification, pretreatment processes have been applied due to the fact that crude palm oil as a biodiesel feedstock possesses a high free fatty acid(FFA) content, water, solid impurities and waxes, all of which hinder an efficient transesterification if not dealt with accordingly. Those processes are mainly filtering, water evaporation, and FFA esterification which is done with 99.9% methanol and 96% sulfuric acid as a catalyst. In fact, the acid esterification process successfully handles the raw palm oil despite its high FFA content of 16.9%, and biodiesel is produced from that feedstock with a yield of 90.4%. A two steps transesterification is carried out using potassium methylate 32% in methanol as a catalyst and anhydrous methanol too. Laboratory analyses have also been used to monitor the process and assess the final product quality. Furthermore, biodiesel cold filtering and top layer intake tank systems of a filling station, both proved to be efficient at helping to obtain a refined product by getting rid of suspensions appearing in biodiesel at room temperature due to sterol glucosides and waxes.

Published in	International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy (Volume 4, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13
Page(s)	11-21
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Biodiesel, Palm Oil, FFA, Acid Esterification, Transesterification, Environmental Friendly, Biodiesel Sediments

References

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Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu, Theoneste Ishimwe, Ananie Niyibizi, Alexis Munyentwali. (2015). Biodiesel Production from Unrefined Palm Oil on Pilot Plant Scale. International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy, 4(1), 11-21. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13

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ACS Style

Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu; Theoneste Ishimwe; Ananie Niyibizi; Alexis Munyentwali. Biodiesel Production from Unrefined Palm Oil on Pilot Plant Scale. Int. J. Sustain. Green Energy 2015, 4(1), 11-21. doi: 10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13

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AMA Style

Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu, Theoneste Ishimwe, Ananie Niyibizi, Alexis Munyentwali. Biodiesel Production from Unrefined Palm Oil on Pilot Plant Scale. Int J Sustain Green Energy. 2015;4(1):11-21. doi: 10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13,
  author = {Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu and Theoneste Ishimwe and Ananie Niyibizi and Alexis Munyentwali},
  title = {Biodiesel Production from Unrefined Palm Oil on Pilot Plant Scale},
  journal = {International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy},
  volume = {4},
  number = {1},
  pages = {11-21},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijrse.20150401.13},
  abstract = {As global warming and climate change issues are defying modern society sustainable development; biofuels, biodiesel included, are among promising solutions. Biodiesel is generally produced from renewable vegetable oils and animal fats via acid or base catalyzed transesterification. Depending on regional availability, biodiesel production feedstocks vary from vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil, soya oil, palm oil, and jatropha oil, to used cooking oil and animal fats, with each type of feedstock presenting its own process challenges rooting from its chemical composition. This paper reports about biodiesel production from crude palm oil on a pilot plant scale, subsequent to a laboratory scale investigation of biodiesel synthesis from various vegetable oil feedstocks. Prior to transesterification, pretreatment processes have been applied due to the fact that crude palm oil as a biodiesel feedstock possesses a high free fatty acid(FFA) content, water, solid impurities and waxes, all of which hinder an efficient transesterification if not dealt with accordingly. Those processes are mainly filtering, water evaporation, and FFA esterification which is done with 99.9% methanol and 96% sulfuric acid as a catalyst. In fact, the acid esterification process successfully handles the raw palm oil despite its high FFA content of 16.9%, and biodiesel is produced from that feedstock with a yield of 90.4%. A two steps transesterification is carried out using potassium methylate 32% in methanol as a catalyst and anhydrous methanol too. Laboratory analyses have also been used to monitor the process and assess the final product quality. Furthermore, biodiesel cold filtering and top layer intake tank systems of a filling station, both proved to be efficient at helping to obtain a refined product by getting rid of suspensions appearing in biodiesel at room temperature due to sterol glucosides and waxes.},
 year = {2015}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Biodiesel Production from Unrefined Palm Oil on Pilot Plant Scale
AU  - Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu
AU  - Theoneste Ishimwe
AU  - Ananie Niyibizi
AU  - Alexis Munyentwali
Y1  - 2015/02/02
PY  - 2015
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13
T2  - International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy
JF  - International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy
JO  - International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy
SP  - 11
EP  - 21
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1549
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13
AB  - As global warming and climate change issues are defying modern society sustainable development; biofuels, biodiesel included, are among promising solutions. Biodiesel is generally produced from renewable vegetable oils and animal fats via acid or base catalyzed transesterification. Depending on regional availability, biodiesel production feedstocks vary from vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil, soya oil, palm oil, and jatropha oil, to used cooking oil and animal fats, with each type of feedstock presenting its own process challenges rooting from its chemical composition. This paper reports about biodiesel production from crude palm oil on a pilot plant scale, subsequent to a laboratory scale investigation of biodiesel synthesis from various vegetable oil feedstocks. Prior to transesterification, pretreatment processes have been applied due to the fact that crude palm oil as a biodiesel feedstock possesses a high free fatty acid(FFA) content, water, solid impurities and waxes, all of which hinder an efficient transesterification if not dealt with accordingly. Those processes are mainly filtering, water evaporation, and FFA esterification which is done with 99.9% methanol and 96% sulfuric acid as a catalyst. In fact, the acid esterification process successfully handles the raw palm oil despite its high FFA content of 16.9%, and biodiesel is produced from that feedstock with a yield of 90.4%. A two steps transesterification is carried out using potassium methylate 32% in methanol as a catalyst and anhydrous methanol too. Laboratory analyses have also been used to monitor the process and assess the final product quality. Furthermore, biodiesel cold filtering and top layer intake tank systems of a filling station, both proved to be efficient at helping to obtain a refined product by getting rid of suspensions appearing in biodiesel at room temperature due to sterol glucosides and waxes.
VL  - 4
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu

Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (IRST), P.O. Box 227 Butare, Rwanda
Theoneste Ishimwe

Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (IRST), P.O. Box 227 Butare, Rwanda
Ananie Niyibizi

Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (IRST), P.O. Box 227 Butare, Rwanda
Alexis Munyentwali

Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (IRST), P.O. Box 227 Butare, Rwanda

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Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu, Theoneste Ishimwe, Ananie Niyibizi, Alexis Munyentwali. (2015). Biodiesel Production from Unrefined Palm Oil on Pilot Plant Scale. International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy, 4(1), 11-21. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13

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ACS Style

Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu; Theoneste Ishimwe; Ananie Niyibizi; Alexis Munyentwali. Biodiesel Production from Unrefined Palm Oil on Pilot Plant Scale. Int. J. Sustain. Green Energy 2015, 4(1), 11-21. doi: 10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13

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AMA Style

Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu, Theoneste Ishimwe, Ananie Niyibizi, Alexis Munyentwali. Biodiesel Production from Unrefined Palm Oil on Pilot Plant Scale. Int J Sustain Green Energy. 2015;4(1):11-21. doi: 10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13,
  author = {Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu and Theoneste Ishimwe and Ananie Niyibizi and Alexis Munyentwali},
  title = {Biodiesel Production from Unrefined Palm Oil on Pilot Plant Scale},
  journal = {International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy},
  volume = {4},
  number = {1},
  pages = {11-21},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijrse.20150401.13},
  abstract = {As global warming and climate change issues are defying modern society sustainable development; biofuels, biodiesel included, are among promising solutions. Biodiesel is generally produced from renewable vegetable oils and animal fats via acid or base catalyzed transesterification. Depending on regional availability, biodiesel production feedstocks vary from vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil, soya oil, palm oil, and jatropha oil, to used cooking oil and animal fats, with each type of feedstock presenting its own process challenges rooting from its chemical composition. This paper reports about biodiesel production from crude palm oil on a pilot plant scale, subsequent to a laboratory scale investigation of biodiesel synthesis from various vegetable oil feedstocks. Prior to transesterification, pretreatment processes have been applied due to the fact that crude palm oil as a biodiesel feedstock possesses a high free fatty acid(FFA) content, water, solid impurities and waxes, all of which hinder an efficient transesterification if not dealt with accordingly. Those processes are mainly filtering, water evaporation, and FFA esterification which is done with 99.9% methanol and 96% sulfuric acid as a catalyst. In fact, the acid esterification process successfully handles the raw palm oil despite its high FFA content of 16.9%, and biodiesel is produced from that feedstock with a yield of 90.4%. A two steps transesterification is carried out using potassium methylate 32% in methanol as a catalyst and anhydrous methanol too. Laboratory analyses have also been used to monitor the process and assess the final product quality. Furthermore, biodiesel cold filtering and top layer intake tank systems of a filling station, both proved to be efficient at helping to obtain a refined product by getting rid of suspensions appearing in biodiesel at room temperature due to sterol glucosides and waxes.},
 year = {2015}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Biodiesel Production from Unrefined Palm Oil on Pilot Plant Scale
AU  - Jean Baptiste Nduwayezu
AU  - Theoneste Ishimwe
AU  - Ananie Niyibizi
AU  - Alexis Munyentwali
Y1  - 2015/02/02
PY  - 2015
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13
T2  - International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy
JF  - International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy
JO  - International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy
SP  - 11
EP  - 21
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1549
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijrse.20150401.13
AB  - As global warming and climate change issues are defying modern society sustainable development; biofuels, biodiesel included, are among promising solutions. Biodiesel is generally produced from renewable vegetable oils and animal fats via acid or base catalyzed transesterification. Depending on regional availability, biodiesel production feedstocks vary from vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil, soya oil, palm oil, and jatropha oil, to used cooking oil and animal fats, with each type of feedstock presenting its own process challenges rooting from its chemical composition. This paper reports about biodiesel production from crude palm oil on a pilot plant scale, subsequent to a laboratory scale investigation of biodiesel synthesis from various vegetable oil feedstocks. Prior to transesterification, pretreatment processes have been applied due to the fact that crude palm oil as a biodiesel feedstock possesses a high free fatty acid(FFA) content, water, solid impurities and waxes, all of which hinder an efficient transesterification if not dealt with accordingly. Those processes are mainly filtering, water evaporation, and FFA esterification which is done with 99.9% methanol and 96% sulfuric acid as a catalyst. In fact, the acid esterification process successfully handles the raw palm oil despite its high FFA content of 16.9%, and biodiesel is produced from that feedstock with a yield of 90.4%. A two steps transesterification is carried out using potassium methylate 32% in methanol as a catalyst and anhydrous methanol too. Laboratory analyses have also been used to monitor the process and assess the final product quality. Furthermore, biodiesel cold filtering and top layer intake tank systems of a filling station, both proved to be efficient at helping to obtain a refined product by getting rid of suspensions appearing in biodiesel at room temperature due to sterol glucosides and waxes.
VL  - 4
IS  - 1
ER  -

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