Low-cost biodiesel production using waste oil and catalyst

Area of Science:

• Chemical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

• Concerns regarding fossil fuel depletion drive the need for renewable biofuels.
• Utilizing low-cost and waste materials is crucial for sustainable biofuel production.
• Biodiesel production requires oil (triglycerides), alcohol, and a catalyst.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of travertine stone powder as a catalyst for biodiesel production.
• To optimize reaction conditions for maximizing biodiesel yield using waste frying oil.
• To assess the reusability and stability of the travertine catalyst.

Main Methods:

• Travertine stone powder was calcined at 900°C.
• Characterization of the catalyst using X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, FTIR, BET, TEM, and SEM.
• Response Surface Methodology was employed to optimize reaction parameters.
• Biodiesel yield was determined under optimal and reused catalyst conditions.

Main Results:

• Optimum calcination temperature for the catalyst was determined to be 900°C.
• A maximum biodiesel yield of 97.74% was achieved under optimized conditions.
• Optimized conditions included a reaction temperature of ~60°C, 3.8 hours reaction time, 1.36 wt.% catalyst concentration, and a methanol to oil molar ratio of 11:6.
• The catalyst maintained significant efficiency (89.84% yield) after four reuse cycles, indicating good stability.

Conclusions:

• Travertine stone powder is a viable, low-cost, and sustainable catalyst for biodiesel production from waste frying oil.
• The developed process is efficient, achieving high biodiesel yields.
• The catalyst exhibits good reusability and stability, making it suitable for industrial applications.