Production of Coco-Biodiesel from CNO (Coconut Natural Oil) for Small Scale Industries/Coconut Farmers Using Static Mixer and Dry Washing

• Published in: IOP conference series. Earth and environmental science 2023-08, Vol.1235 (1), p.12004
• Main Authors: Alamsyah, Rizal, Solikhah, Maharani Dewi, Kismanto, Agus, Heryani, Susi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biodiesel fuels; Biofuels; Catalysts; Coconut oil; Diesel; Diesel fuels; Energy consumption; Esters; Farmers; Fatty acid methyl esters; Fatty acids; Flow-density-speed relationships; Fossil fuels; Glycerol; Iodine; Membrane filters; Membranes; Methanol; Micrometers; Oils & fats; Phosphoric acid; Transesterification; Triglycerides; Washing; Water consumption
• ISSN: 1755-1307; 1755-1315
• DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/1235/1/012004

Coco-biodiesel is a derivative product of coconut (copra) and is a substitute for diesel fuel. The production of coco-biodiesel is a solution when the price of fossil fuels is uncertain and increasing. In addition, producing coco-biodiesel for coconut farmers will increase the added value of coconut, ensure the availability of local fuel, and support integrated coconut processing. The objective of the study is to introduce a process and equipment prototype for processing coco-biodiesel that can be operated on a small scale which is suitable for coconut farmers, especially in remote areas. Coconut natural oil (CNO) was mixed with 0.1% phosphoric acid in a tank, heated for 2 hours at 80°C, and settled for 4 hours. After that, the transesterification reaction was carried out by reacting coconut oil with methanol with a molar ratio variation of 1: 10, 1: 6, and 1: 4. The process was conducted at a temperature of 65°C and a flow speed of 1.25 m/s (on a static mixer) and using methanol 98 % and 1% KOH catalyst. The crude coco-biodiesel washing was done using dry washing (membrane filter), the results of which were compared with washing using hot water. The type of membrane filter used was ultra-filtration membrane with a membrane area of 0.0055 m 2 , length of 1200 mm, and porous size of 0.2-1.2 micrometers. The optimum condition of triglycerides synthesis into fatty acid methyl esters (coco-biodiesel) to produce a 96.5% content (requirement) was obtained at a molar ratio of 1: 6. Acid numbers, total glycerol, free glycerol, density, viscosity, and Iodine number of coco-biodiesel produced were