Utilization of Ion Exchange Resins As Catalyst in Biodiesel Production
Project no. 1257 · Status: Kapanmış · 2017
Summary
Diesel fuels are used in many fields and are so important in a country's economy. Biodiesel produced from renewable sources is an alternative to petroleum diesel. A heterogeneous catalyst is required to prevent problems of using homogeneous catalysts in biodiesel production. Ion exchange resins can be used as catalysts in transesterification. In this project, the effect of using different types (gel and macroporous) of cation exchange and anion exchange resins in different ionic forms (H+ , Na+ and OH- forms) on transesterification of corn oil into fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) and free fatty acid (FFA) conversion were investigated. Also, Taguchi experimental design was used for determination of optimum reaction conditions (catalyst amount, temperature, reaction time, mol oil / mol methanol ratio) using these heterogenous catalyses. Then, experiments were carried out using refined safflower oil under optimum conditions determined according to Taguchi model for each ion exchange resin using corn oil. When ion exchange resins (Purolite-PD206, Purolite-CT175 and Purolite A500TLPlus) in different ionic forms (H+, Na+ and OH- forms) were used as heterogeneous catalysts in the production of biodiesel, the highest ester content and FFA conversion were achieved in experiments using Purolite-A500TLPlus anion exchange resin.