Kinetics Transesterification of Palm Oil To Biodiesel Using Circulation Reactor.

Abstract

Kinetics of transesterification using circulation reactor is studied in this research. This research is committed by reacting palm oil and methanol with ratio 1:6 at temperature 50, 60, and 70 °C using KOH as catalyst with concentration 1% of oil weights. Kinetics of transesterification is observed by measuring amount of combined glycerol that is available in methyl esters. The reduction of combined glycerol amount per unit of time is reflection how much triglyceride is converted as methyl ester. The result showed that circulation reactor can produce suitable biodiesel with quality standard in fast time. Optimum condition is acquired at temperature 60 oC on 20th minute that followed pseudo first order reaction with constanta of reaction rate as big as 0,0068 minute -1, activation energy (Ea) as big as 0,0104 kJ mol -1 , and praeksponensial factor (A) as big as 0,2254 minute-1 .