TY  - JOUR
T1  - Biodiesel Production from Palm Oil Using a Downflow Bubble Column Reactor
AU - Nuithitikul, K. AU - Khuenpetch, A. AU - Siripatana, C. AU - Koo-Amornpattana, W. 
JO  - Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
VL  - 12
IS  - 8
SP  - 2214
EP  - 2219
PY  - 2017
DA  - 2001/08/19
SN  - 1816-949x
DO  - jeasci.2017.2214.2219
UR  - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=jeasci.2017.2214.2219
KW  - Palm oil
KW  -transesterification
KW  -biodiesel
KW  -mathematical model
KW  -bubble column reactor
AB  - The objectives of this research were to develop a biodiesel production process from palm oil using
a downflow bubble column reactor and study the effects of reaction temperature, methanol-to-oil molar ratio
and catalyst (NaOH) concentration. The conversion of triglycerides to methyl esters was determined by nuclear
magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The optimum condition for transesterification of palm oil and methanol
catalyzed by NaOH was found to be: methanol-to-oil ratio of 6:1, NaOH concentration of 0.5 wt.% and reaction
temperature of 50 °C. At the optimum condition, the conversion of 95.7% was achieved. A mathematical model
was developed based on three-steps first-order kinetics with a mass transfer factor to describe the experimental
results. It was found that the developed mathematical model well described the production of biodiesel using
a downflow bubble column reactor.
ER  -