EPF 4603 Biomaterial Processing System

Esterification
Transesterification
In bio-diesel production from used frying oil

Presentator:
1. Ummi Amirah Bt Abd Sukor 180683
2. Lisnurjannah Bt Mujianto 180230
3. Nurfarhanah Bt Md Nazim 177710
Introduction

What are esters?

• An ester is a product of the
reactions of an acid (usually A carboxylic
organic) and an alcohol. acid
• Esters mainly result from the
condensation ( a reaction that
produces water) of a
carboxylic acid and an alcohol.
Ester
• The process is called
esterification.

A reversible reaction between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid

causes loss of water and the formation of an ester
 Introduction

• A carboxylic acid contains the –

COOH group
• In an ester, the hydrogen in – COOH
group is replaced by a hydrocarbon
group of some kind.
• The hydrogen of the acid R-COOH is
replaced by an alkyl group R’
 Introduction

What is Bio-diesel?
• Biodiesel is simply a liquid fuel derived from
vegetable oils and fats, which has similar
combustion properties to regular petroleum
diesel fuel.
• Biodiesel can be produced from straight
vegetable oil, animal oil/fats, tallow and
waste cooking oil.
• Biodiesel is biodegradable, nontoxic, and has
significantly fewer emissions than
petroleum-based diesel when burned.
• Biodiesel is an alternative fuel similar to
conventional or “fossil/petroleum” diesel.
 Introduction

What is transesterification?
• Transesterification is the process used to convert oil crops to biodiesel.
• Transesterification process is the reaction of a triglyceride (fat/oil) with an
alcohol to form esters and glycerol.
• A triglyceride has a glycerine molecule as its base with three long chain
fatty acids attached.
 Introduction
What are differences between
esterification & transesterification?
Esterification: Transesterification:

• The reaction of an alcohol

and a carboxylic acid
producing an ester and
water. • The reaction of a triglyceride
• Formation of an ester with an alcohol to form
from a non-ester is esters and glycerol.
esterification. • Initial esters become
different esters.
Characteristics of Oils and Fats Used in Biodiesel Production

• Oils and fats, known as lipids, are hydrophobic

substances insoluble in water and are of animal
or vegetal origin.
• They differ in their physical states at room
temperature.
• From a chemical viewpoint, lipids are fatty
glycerol esters known as triglycerides. General formula of triglycerides
• R1, R2 & R3 represent hydrocarbon chains of
fatty acids, which in most cases vary in length
from 12 to 18 carbon atoms.
• The three hydrocarbon chains may be of equal
or different lengths, depending on the type of
oil. Leading Oil Crops for Biodiesel
Production
• They may also differ on the number of double-
covalent bonds in each chain.
Biodiesel Production Process

• Transesterification is the most important step in biodiesel

production (since it originates the mixture of esters) but
additional steps are necessary to obtain a product that
complies with international standards.
Biodiesel Production Process

1. Once the chemical reaction is

completed and the two phases (mix
of esters and glycerin) are
separated, the mix of methyl esters
must be purified to reduce the
concentration of contaminants to
acceptable levels.
2. These include remnants of catalyst,
water and methanol
3. The latter is usually mixed in excess
proportion with the raw materials in
order to achieve higher conversion
efficiency in the transesterification
reaction.
Sources of OIL
to make
biodiesel Oil
Alcohol

ANIMAL ORIGIN
Eg:- Animal Fat Catalyst

PLANT ORIGIN
Palm oil, jatropha
oil, soy bean oil
Biodiesel + Glycerin +
Fatty Acid
 Transesterification Product
Application

• Railway usage • Food • Soap & detergent

• Aircraft use • Cosmetic • Plastic
• Vehicles • Drug/Pharmaceutical • Coating & resin
• As heating oil • Detergent

Biodiesel Glycerin Fatty acid

Facilities Required for Biodiesel
Manufacturing
Biodiesel Production Flowchart
Conclusion

• There are significant advantages in the use

of biodiesel as a replacement of diesel
fuel.
• The vegetable oils used as raw materials
can be obtained from different oil
crops that may be grown in a wide variety
of environments.
• Moreover, used cooking oils and fat
residues from the meat processing
industry may also be employed in
biodiesel production.
• In large-scale production plants, glycerin is
usually recovered and purified since
it is a valuable substance, with many
applications in the pharmaceutical,
cosmetics and chemical industries.