Biodiesel production from palm oil using homogeneous catalyst system

Due to the depletion of petroleum reserves and environmental concern, biodiesel has emerged as one of the most potential energy to replace petroleum. It is a renewable, biodegradable and non-toxic fuel which can be easily produced through transesterification. Transesterification of palm oil with methanol has been studied in a homogenous catalyst system using different catalysts (CaCO₃, SrCO₃ and BaCO₃). The effects of concentration catalyst (0.25 %w/w-1.5 %w/w) and molar ratio of methanol to oil (3:1-21:1) on biodiesel yield and conversion of FFA to FAME was investigated. From this study, SrCO₃ gave better yields of FAME while CaCO₃ gave better conversion of FFA to FAME compared with other type of catalyst. The lowest yield of FAME was recorded at catalyst concentration of 0.25 %w/w, SrCO₃ (33.334 ± 20.068%) while the highest yield of FAME was at catalyst concentration of 1.25 %w/w, SrCO₃ (55.238 ± 10.817%). The lowest conversion of FFA to FAME for CaCO₃ was showed at catalyst concentration of 0.25 %w/w (5.754 ± 2.840%). The highest conversion for CaCO₃ was showed at catalyst concentration of 0.75 %w/w (18.019 ± 3.751%). For the molar ratio of methanol to oil, the minimum yield of FAME for SrCO₃ at 21:1 (20.952 ± 1.649%). The maximum yield of FAME was obtained at 3:1 molar ratio methanol to oil, SrCO₃ (67.619 ± 4.365%). The minimum conversion of FFA to FAME was recorded at 3:1 molar ratio methanol to oil, CaCO₃ (6.588 ± 8.521%). The maximum conversion of FFA to FAME for CaCO₃ was recorded at 15:1 molar ratio methanol to oil (68.872 ± 1.395%). This study revealed that biodiesel was successfully reduced 52.3 % opacity level of smoke emission by diesel engine that operated with petroleum diesel.