Analisis Metode Response Surface pada Produksi Biodiesel secara Katalitik dengan Static Mixing Reactor

Abstract

Transesterification process of palm olein with static mixing reactor is influenced by temperature, time and percentage of KOH catalyst. This study aims to determine optimum operating condition of a static mixing reactor for biodiesel production in batch system using Response Surface Methodology ( RSM ) box - Behnken. Catalytic biodiesel production process was carried out using a static mixing reactor, where palm olein, methanol, and catalyst were flown to the static mixer with reaction temperature of 30oC, 45oC, 60oC . Catalyst concentration given in this study were 0.3 % , 0.4 %, 0.5 %, while time for sampling was 20, 30, and 40 minutes. Laboratory analysis was conducted to obtained acid number, saponification number and total glycerol numbers, and by calculation that methyl esters content was 97.41 % w / w. This figure has met the SNI standard of methyl ester content which is 96.5%. Optimum operating condition was found at temperature of 300C, operating time is 45 minutes and 0.4 % of KOH catalyst.