IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v2y2009i2p362-376d5147.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Transesterification of Vegetable Oils with Ethanol and Characterization of the Key Fuel Properties of Ethyl Esters

Author

Listed:
  • George Anastopoulos

    (National Technical University of Athens, School of Chemical Engineering, Laboratory of Fuels Technology and Lubricants, Iroon Polytechniou 9, Athens 15780, Greece)

  • Ypatia Zannikou

    (National Technical University of Athens, School of Chemical Engineering, Laboratory of Fuels Technology and Lubricants, Iroon Polytechniou 9, Athens 15780, Greece)

  • Stamoulis Stournas

    (National Technical University of Athens, School of Chemical Engineering, Laboratory of Fuels Technology and Lubricants, Iroon Polytechniou 9, Athens 15780, Greece)

  • Stamatis Kalligeros

    (Hellenic Organization for Standardization, Technical Committee 66, 67 Prevezis Street, Athens 10444, Greece)

Abstract

The transesterification reactions of four different vegetable oils (sunflower, rapeseed, olive oil and used frying oil) with ethanol, using sodium hydroxide as catalyst, were studied. The ester preparation involved a two-step transesterification reaction, followed by purification. The effects of the mass ratio of catalyst to oil (0.25 – 1.5%), the molar ratio of ethanol to oil (6:1 – 12:1), and the reaction temperature (35 – 90 °C) were studied for the conversion of sunflower oil to optimize the reaction conditions in both stages. The rest of the vegetable oils were converted to ethyl esters under optimum reaction parameters. The optimal conditions for first stage transesterification were an ethanol/oil molar ratio of 12:1, NaOH amount (1% wt/wt), and 80 °C temperature, whereas the maximum yield of ethyl esters reached 81.4% wt/wt. In the second stage, the yield of ethyl esters was improved by 16% in relation with the one-stage transesterification, which was obtained under the following optimal conditions: catalyst concentration 0.75% and ethanol/oil molar ratio 6:1. The fuel properties of the esters were measured according to EN test methods. Based on the experimental results one can see that the ethyl esters do not differ significantly from methyl esters. Moreover, the results showed that the values of density, viscosity, and higher heating value of ethyl esters were similar to those of automotive and heavy duty engine diesel fuel. However, the CFPP values were higher, which may contribute to potential difficulties in cold starts. On the other hand, the flash points, which were higher than those of diesel fuel constituted a safety guarantee from the point of view of handling and storage.

Suggested Citation

  • George Anastopoulos & Ypatia Zannikou & Stamoulis Stournas & Stamatis Kalligeros, 2009. "Transesterification of Vegetable Oils with Ethanol and Characterization of the Key Fuel Properties of Ethyl Esters," Energies, MDPI, vol. 2(2), pages 1-15, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:2:y:2009:i:2:p:362-376:d:5147
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/2/2/362/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/2/2/362/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Makareviciene, V & Janulis, P, 2003. "Environmental effect of rapeseed oil ethyl ester," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 28(15), pages 2395-2403.
    2. Meher, L.C. & Vidya Sagar, D. & Naik, S.N., 2006. "Technical aspects of biodiesel production by transesterification--a review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 10(3), pages 248-268, June.
    3. Srivastava, Anjana & Prasad, Ram, 2000. "Triglycerides-based diesel fuels," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 4(2), pages 111-133, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Fassinou, Wanignon Ferdinand & Sako, Aboubakar & Fofana, Alhassane & Koua, Kamenan Blaise & Toure, Siaka, 2010. "Fatty acids composition as a means to estimate the high heating value (HHV) of vegetable oils and biodiesel fuels," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 4949-4954.
    2. Ming-Chien Hsiao & Li-Wen Chang & Shuhn-Shyurng Hou, 2019. "Study of Solid Calcium Diglyceroxide for Biodiesel Production from Waste Cooking Oil Using a High Speed Homogenizer," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-11, August.
    3. Liang Zhou & Jingang Yao & Zhaoxia Ren & Zhenqiang Yu & Hongzhen Cai, 2020. "Development of Magnetic Multi-Shelled Hollow Catalyst for Biodiesel Production," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-14, June.
    4. S, Prabakaran & T, Mohanraj & A, Arumugam, 2021. "Azolla pinnata methyl ester production and process optimization using a novel heterogeneous catalyst," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 353-371.
    5. Aslan, Volkan & Eryilmaz, Tanzer, 2020. "Polynomial regression method for optimization of biodiesel production from black mustard (Brassica nigra L.) seed oil using methanol, ethanol, NaOH, and KOH," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    6. Ming-Chien Hsiao & Peir-Horng Liao & Nguyen Vu Lan & Shuhn-Shyurng Hou, 2021. "Enhancement of Biodiesel Production from High-Acid-Value Waste Cooking Oil via a Microwave Reactor Using a Homogeneous Alkaline Catalyst," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-11, January.
    7. Aleksandr Ketov & Natalia Sliusar & Anna Tsybina & Iurii Ketov & Sergei Chudinov & Marina Krasnovskikh & Vladimir Bosnic, 2022. "Plant Biomass Conversion to Vehicle Liquid Fuel as a Path to Sustainability," Resources, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-11, August.
    8. Jincheng Ding & Benqiao He & Jianxin Li, 2011. "Biodiesel Production from Acidified Oils via Supercritical Methanol," Energies, MDPI, vol. 4(12), pages 1-12, December.
    9. de Jesus, Sérgio S. & Filho, Rubens Maciel, 2020. "Recent advances in lipid extraction using green solvents," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    10. Ming-Chien Hsiao & Shuhn-Shyurng Hou & Jui-Yang Kuo & Pei-Hsuan Hsieh, 2018. "Optimized Conversion of Waste Cooking Oil to Biodiesel Using Calcium Methoxide as Catalyst under Homogenizer System Conditions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-12, October.
    11. Ming-Chien Hsiao & Jui-Yang Kuo & Pei-Hsuan Hsieh & Shuhn-Shyurng Hou, 2018. "Improving Biodiesel Conversions from Blends of High- and Low-Acid-Value Waste Cooking Oils Using Sodium Methoxide as a Catalyst Based on a High Speed Homogenizer," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-11, August.
    12. Mazaheri, Hoora & Ong, Hwai Chyuan & Masjuki, H.H. & Amini, Zeynab & Harrison, Mark D. & Wang, Chin-Tsan & Kusumo, Fitranto & Alwi, Azham, 2018. "Rice bran oil based biodiesel production using calcium oxide catalyst derived from Chicoreus brunneus shell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 10-19.
    13. Fassinou, Wanignon Ferdinand, 2012. "Higher heating value (HHV) of vegetable oils, fats and biodiesels evaluation based on their pure fatty acids' HHV," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 798-805.
    14. Virgínio e Silva, Joab Oliveira & Almeida, Manuel Fonseca & da Conceição Alvim-Ferraz, Maria & Dias, Joana Maia, 2018. "Integrated production of biodiesel and bioethanol from sweet potato," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 114-120.
    15. Huang, Xinghua & Dong, Shengfei & Yang, Xiaoyi, 2022. "Refining lipid for aviation biofuel at the molecular level," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(P1), pages 148-159.
    16. Tanmay Chaturvedi & Ana I. Torres & George Stephanopoulos & Mette Hedegaard Thomsen & Jens Ejbye Schmidt, 2020. "Developing Process Designs for Biorefineries—Definitions, Categories, and Unit Operations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-22, March.
    17. Chuepeng, Sathaporn & Komintarachat, Cholada, 2018. "Interesterification optimization of waste cooking oil and ethyl acetate over homogeneous catalyst for biofuel production with engine validation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 728-739.
    18. Mohammed Kamil & Khalid Ramadan & Abdul Ghani Olabi & Chaouki Ghenai & Abrar Inayat & Mugdad H. Rajab, 2019. "Desert Palm Date Seeds as a Biodiesel Feedstock: Extraction, Characterization, and Engine Testing," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-20, August.
    19. Sophie Fon Sing & Andreas Isdepsky & Michael Borowitzka & Navid Moheimani, 2013. "Production of biofuels from microalgae," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 47-72, January.
    20. Panchal, Tirth M. & Patel, Ankit & Chauhan, D.D. & Thomas, Merlin & Patel, Jigar V., 2017. "A methodological review on bio-lubricants from vegetable oil based resources," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 65-70.
    21. Erika Carnevale & Giovanni Molari & Matteo Vittuari, 2017. "Used Cooking Oils in the Biogas Chain: A Technical and Economic Assessment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-13, February.
    22. Barontini, Federica & Simone, Marco & Triana, Federico & Mancini, Andrea & Ragaglini, Giorgio & Nicolella, Cristiano, 2015. "Pilot-scale biofuel production from sunflower crops in central Italy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 954-962.
    23. Wahyudi & I.N.G. Wardana & Agung Widodo & Widya Wijayanti, 2018. "Improving Vegetable Oil Properties by Transforming Fatty Acid Chain Length in Jatropha Oil and Coconut Oil Blends," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-12, February.
    24. Aasma Saeed & Muhammad Asif Hanif & Asma Hanif & Umer Rashid & Javed Iqbal & Muhammad Irfan Majeed & Bryan R. Moser & Ali Alsalme, 2021. "Production of Biodiesel from Spirogyra elongata , a Common Freshwater Green Algae with High Oil Content," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-10, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jakeria, M.R. & Fazal, M.A. & Haseeb, A.S.M.A., 2014. "Influence of different factors on the stability of biodiesel: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 154-163.
    2. Kumar, Niraj & Varun, & Chauhan, Sant Ram, 2013. "Performance and emission characteristics of biodiesel from different origins: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 633-658.
    3. Malhotra, Rashi & Ali, Amjad, 2019. "5-Na/ZnO doped mesoporous silica as reusable solid catalyst for biodiesel production via transesterification of virgin cottonseed oil," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 606-619.
    4. Subramaniam, D. & Murugesan, A. & Avinash, A. & Kumaravel, A., 2013. "Bio-diesel production and its engine characteristics—An expatiate view," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 361-370.
    5. Senthil Kumar, T. & Senthil Kumar, P. & Annamalai, K., 2015. "Experimental study on the performance and emission measures of direct injection diesel engine with Kapok methyl ester and its blends," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 903-909.
    6. Azad, A.K. & Rasul, M.G. & Khan, M.M.K. & Sharma, Subhash C. & Mofijur, M. & Bhuiya, M.M.K., 2016. "Prospects, feedstocks and challenges of biodiesel production from beauty leaf oil and castor oil: A nonedible oil sources in Australia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 302-318.
    7. Banković-Ilić, Ivana B. & Stamenković, Olivera S. & Veljković, Vlada B., 2012. "Biodiesel production from non-edible plant oils," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(6), pages 3621-3647.
    8. Bhuiya, M.M.K. & Rasul, M.G. & Khan, M.M.K. & Ashwath, N. & Azad, A.K., 2016. "Prospects of 2nd generation biodiesel as a sustainable fuel—Part: 1 selection of feedstocks, oil extraction techniques and conversion technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 1109-1128.
    9. Balat, Mustafa & Balat, Havva, 2010. "Progress in biodiesel processing," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(6), pages 1815-1835, June.
    10. De Corato, Ugo & De Bari, Isabella & Viola, Egidio & Pugliese, Massimo, 2018. "Assessing the main opportunities of integrated biorefining from agro-bioenergy co/by-products and agroindustrial residues into high-value added products associated to some emerging markets: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 326-346.
    11. Talebian-Kiakalaieh, Amin & Amin, Nor Aishah Saidina & Zarei, Alireza & Noshadi, Iman, 2013. "Transesterification of waste cooking oil by heteropoly acid (HPA) catalyst: Optimization and kinetic model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 283-292.
    12. Chakraborty, M. & Baruah, D.C., 2013. "Production and characterization of biodiesel obtained from Sapindus mukorossi kernel oil," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 159-167.
    13. Lin, Lin & Ying, Dong & Chaitep, Sumpun & Vittayapadung, Saritporn, 2009. "Biodiesel production from crude rice bran oil and properties as fuel," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(5), pages 681-688, May.
    14. Khan, Shakeel A. & Rashmi & Hussain, Mir Z. & Prasad, S. & Banerjee, U.C., 2009. "Prospects of biodiesel production from microalgae in India," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(9), pages 2361-2372, December.
    15. Rathmann, Régis & Szklo, Alexandre & Schaeffer, Roberto, 2012. "Targets and results of the Brazilian Biodiesel Incentive Program – Has it reached the Promised Land?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 91-100.
    16. Banerjee, A. & Chakraborty, R., 2009. "Parametric sensitivity in transesterification of waste cooking oil for biodiesel production—A review," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 53(9), pages 490-497.
    17. Tariq, Muhammad & Ali, Saqib & Khalid, Nasir, 2012. "Activity of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts, spectroscopic and chromatographic characterization of biodiesel: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(8), pages 6303-6316.
    18. Manh, Do-Van & Chen, Yi-Hung & Chang, Chia-Chi & Chang, Ching-Yuan & Hanh, Hoang-Duc & Chau, Nguyen-Hoai & Tuyen, Trinh-Van & Long, Pham-Quoc & Minh, Chau-Van, 2012. "Effects of blending composition of tung oil and ultrasonic irradiation intensity on the biodiesel production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 519-524.
    19. Yesilyurt, Murat Kadir & Cesur, Cüneyt & Aslan, Volkan & Yilbasi, Zeki, 2020. "The production of biodiesel from safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) oil as a potential feedstock and its usage in compression ignition engine: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    20. Motasemi, F. & Ani, F.N., 2012. "A review on microwave-assisted production of biodiesel," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(7), pages 4719-4733.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:2:y:2009:i:2:p:362-376:d:5147. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.