Estudio del proceso de transesterificación para la obtención de biodiesel a partir del aceite de palma en un reactor por lotes
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Date
2013-10-26
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Corporación Universitaria Lasallista
Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá
Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá
Abstract
Introduction. Theoretically, for producing three moles of ethyl-ester (biodiesel) there must be a reaction between
one mole of triglyceride and three moles of ethyl alcohol, but this process is developed in three stages:
considering the same stoichiometric relationship, in first place a fatty acid chain is separated from the triglyceride
and is combined with the first mole of ethyl alcohol, forming an ethyl-ester mole and a diglyceride mole.
Then, a fatty acid chain is separated from the diglyceride previously formed and is combined with the second
mole of ethyl alcohol, forming an ethyl-ester molecule and a glycerine molecule, thus finishing the transesterification
process. Objective. To study transesterification process in palm tree oil in order to obtain biodiesel in
a batch reactor. Materials and methods. In order to perform the study aforementioned, a batch reactor with a
volume control has been selected and a general equation of mass transfer has been applied. The equation was
simplified taking into account certain considerations pertinent for the case. After the simplification, the equation
was applied to every component that intervene in the transesterification process (mole balance for each
component), obtaining a differential equations system (phenomena modeling) which was solved by following the
finite differences method, thus obtaining the equations that relate concentration vs the time for ecah component.
Results. The solution of the model is shown graphically, and the graphic clearly shows the concentration
curves vs the time for each component. In these curves it can be observed the approximate time required by
each chemical eactions to reach balance. Conclusion. By the use of the phenomenological modeling, a simplified
form of the mass transference general equation was obtained for each component of the transesterification
process in a batch reactor.
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Keywords
Corporación Universitaria Lasallista, Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá, Biocombustibles, Aceite vegetal, Aceite de palma, Alcohol etílico, Transesterificación