Production of Biodiesel Using Ethanol Way and Alkaline Catalyst

The potential inputs to promote the supply of the demand for power generation has become the aim of several scientific researches to mitigate environmental impacts. The biodiesel is the highlight solution that can be obtained through the transesterification process. The aim this present work was the biodiesel production using ethanol and crude oil sunflower as inputs and potassium ethoxide such as catalyst for the rection. Were produced seven samples using different parameters. The product with high rate of ethyl ester was the one with catalyst and reaction time optimized. However, it has showed the presence of glycerol, suggesting the use of other unit operations such as cooling and centrifugation to improve the purity of the biodiesel formed is necessary. The parameters used in this experiment (oil, catalyst and water washing contents, reaction time, temperature and agitation speed) showed critical endpoints to be monitored during the production of biodiesel due interfering the quality and yield to the final product. In addition, the inappropriate speed of agitation in the reactor for ethanol way in the presence of an alkaline catalyst can gelatinize the mixture of reactants due the emulsion formed.