Esterification, Distillation, and Chemical Characterization of Bio-Oil and Its Fractions

• Published in: Energy & fuels 2019-10, Vol.33 (10), p.9886-9894
• Main Authors: Suota, Maria J, Simionatto, Edesio L, Scharf, Dilamara R, Meier, Henry F, Wiggers, Vinicyus R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0887-0624; 1520-5029
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.9b01971

In a previous study, crude bio-oil (CBO) was obtained from fast pyrolysis of waste cooking oil (WCO) under different conditions, varying the temperature and the residence time of the process. The samples produced were characterized by physicochemical methods, and the results showed an acidic, viscous, and odoriferous material. In this study, the esterification reaction was used to reduce the acidity of CBO. This step decreased the acidity value of the bio-oil by almost 95%. Afterward, the CBO was then distilled at the boiling points of gasoline and diesel, producing light and heavy fractions with approximately 30 and 50% yields, respectively. The physicochemical characterization of these light and heavy fractions was performed to obtain information on their properties, such as the specific gravity, iodine value, kinematic viscosity, and acid number. These biofuels were also submitted to chromatographic analysis (gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry), which partially revealed their composition as being rich in aromatics, olefin and paraffin hydrocarbons. This study contributes to a better understanding of the characteristics of bio-oil obtained from triacylglycerols and provides data that will be useful in future studies on the pyrolysis process.