Biodiesel Production from Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (PFAD) Using Esterification with Supercritical Methanol

Abstract

In this study, Palm fatty acid distillate with a high free fatty acid was used as feedstock for biodiesel production. Palm fatty acid distillate was reduced free fatty acids by esterification reaction less than 5%, and then it was reacted under supercritical methanol. This research was studied an influence of variables that affects fatty acid methyl ester and acid value. Variables are used to consider as molar ratio of methanol to oil was from 1:1 to 12:1, reaction time was from 10 to 60 minutes and temperature was from 240 to 320 °C. Optimum reaction conditions are molar ratio of methanol to oil as 9:1 at 60 minutes and 300 °C and it can be obtained the highest percent yield of methyl ester, 97.942%, then it can be reduced acid value to 2.232 mgKOH/g. This experiment was found that supercritical methanol can be used as a method for the production of biodiesel from palm fatty acid distillate.