Produção catalítica de biodiesel de soja sem glicerol

Abstract

This work has as goal to evaluate the use of heterogeneous catalysts on interesterification reaction for glycerol-free biodiesel production. Interesterification is a reaction between the triglyceride ester from vegetable oil and a short-chain ester, like methyl acetate. This technique has advantages over conventional transesterification like elimination of product washing and purification steps, less effluent production, catalyst reusing possibility and coproduction of biofuel additive, named triacetin.. Firstly, performance tests of solid catalysts commonly used for transesterification reaction were carried out. Among them, the hydrotalcite-like compound Ca 40%-Mg-Al presented the best results, reaching a global yield (esters + triacetin) of 91.83% at equilibrium, at 250°C, methyl acetate/oil molar ratio of 32:1 and 4.7% wt. catalyst/reactants concentration. Next, in order to investigate the effects of temperature, methyl acetate to oil molar ratio and catalyst concentration over reaction yield, an experimental planning and kinetics tests were performed. At 350°C, signs of thermal degradation were observed, affecting negatively the product yields. Besides, it was noted that dilution and cage-effect can occur depending on the methyl acetate to oil molar ratio applied.In respect of the catalyst, it was observed that saturation occurs at concentration of 5% wt. catalyst/oil. The condition of 325°C, 40:1 methyl acetate/oil molar ratio and 5% wt. catalyst/oil was chosen as the more adequate, reaching in 1.33 h a global yield of 68.5%. At those conditions, the catalyst can be reused, without any treatment, at least for three reaction cycles.