Abstract

GONZALEZ-BRAMBILA, M. M.; MONTOYA DE LA FUENTE, J. A.; GONZALEZ-BRAMBILA, O.  and  LOPEZ-ISUNZA, F.. A heterogeneous biodiesel production kinetic model. Rev. Mex. Ing. Quím [online]. 2014, vol.13, n.1, pp.311-322. ISSN 1665-2738.

This work presents a heterogeneous dynamic model for the production of biodiesel using palmitic triglyceride and methanol as raw materials. Triglycerides are the main compounds in vegetable oils and when its total is beyond 97%, it is possible to produce biodiesel by means of a basic transesterification employing sodium hydroxide as a catalyst. The model takes into account that triglycerides are not soluble in alcohol so two liquid phases exist in the batch reactor, causing the reaction to occur in the triglyceride-methanol interphase. Results show that the model successfully calculates the concentration profile of triglyceride, alcohol and biodiesel in time as well as the intermediaries' products in the reactor. It also predicts concentration profiles at different temperatures in accordance to the Arrhenius' Law.

Keywords : biodiesel; kinetic modeling; transesterification; batch reactor; kinetic.