Determination of physiochemical properties of palm oil methyl ester catalyzed by waste cockle shells

• Main Authors: Nasir, Nurul Fitriah, Latif, Noradila Abdul, Bakar, Sharifah Adzila Syed Abu, Rahman, Mohd Nasrull Abdul, Selamat, Siti Norhidayah, Nasharudin, Nurul Nadirah
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biodiesel fuels; Calcium oxide; Catalysis; Catalysts; Flash point; Heat of combustion; Lime; Palm oil; Physical properties; Physiochemistry; Reaction time; Reactors; Transesterification
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/1.4981154

Waste cockle shell can be used as a source of calcium oxide (CaO) in catalyzing a transesterification reaction to produce biodiesel or fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). This aim of this paper is to determine the physicochemical properties of (FAME) which utilize waste cockle shells in the transesterification reaction process. In this study, the catalyst was prepared using high temperature furnace (700°C) for 4 h. The molar ratio of methanol to oil was fixed at 9:1 and the reaction temperature and catalyst concentration were varied from 65 -70 °C, and 10-30 wt. %, respectively for transesterification reaction. The reaction time was also fixed at 3 h. The analyzed physicochemical properties were density, viscosity, flash point and net heat of combustion. The results obtained from the analysis found that reaction temperature 65°C with 30% of catalyst concentration has produced the physical properties of FAME that comply the biodiesel standards. The results suggest that reaction temperature and catalyst concentration have influence on the value of physicochemical properties of FAME produced.