Intensification of Synthesis of Biodiesel from Nonedible Oils Using Sonochemical Reactors

Biodiesel synthesis from nonedible oils, which offer excellent potential as sustainable feed stock, is highly energy-intensive and slow operation, because it requires considerable processing due to higher initial acid values and due to the fact that the reaction is mass-transfer-controlled. The present work reports the intensification of synthesis of biodiesel from the high-acid-value Nagchampa oil using sonochemical reactors. The synthesis process is a two-step method of esterification in the presence of homogeneous acid catalyst followed by transesterification using an alkaline (KOH) catalyst. The synthesis has also been attempted using conventional methods of reflux for analyzing the degree of intensification. With an objective of avoiding possible saponification reaction in the transesterification based on use of an alkaline catalyst, the acid value of oil was reduced from 18.4 mg KOH/g of oil to 1.4 mg KOH/g of oil, using the first-stage esterification method. The reduction in the acid value allows for an efficient second transesterification stage. The reaction temperature, molar ratio, and catalyst concentration were optimized for esterification and transesterification stages for the ultrasound and conventional techniques. It has been observed that the reaction temperature and reaction time required for esterification, as well as the transesterification stages, are substantially lower in the case of sonochemical reactors, compared to the conventional heating method. Also, the percentage excess of the reactants is significantly reduced, leading to energy savings in the subsequent separation processes for getting the purified product. Overall, the present work has clearly established the efficacy of sonochemical reactors for the intensification of biodiesel synthesis based on a sustainable raw material.