Biodiesel Production by Lipase-Catalyzed in Situ Transesterification of Rapeseed Oil Containing a High Free Fatty Acid Content with Ethanol in Diesel Fuel Media

Migle Santaraite, Egle Sendzikiene, Violeta Makareviciene and Kiril Kazancev
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Migle Santaraite: Faculty of Forest Sciences and Ecology, Agriculture Academy, Vytautas Magnus University, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
Egle Sendzikiene: Faculty of Forest Sciences and Ecology, Agriculture Academy, Vytautas Magnus University, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
Violeta Makareviciene: Faculty of Forest Sciences and Ecology, Agriculture Academy, Vytautas Magnus University, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
Kiril Kazancev: Faculty of Forest Sciences and Ecology, Agriculture Academy, Vytautas Magnus University, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-12

Abstract: In this study, low-quality rapeseed was used as a raw material for biodiesel fuel production. The application of such seeds with an enzyme catalyst is a green approach to producing renewable biodiesel fuel. During the in situ transesterification process, mineral diesel was selected as an extraction solvent for the simultaneous extraction and transesterification of rapeseed oil (RO). This allowed, at the end of the process, for the production of a mixture of mineral diesel and biodiesel fuel. Energy is saved using this process, as the need to extract the oil separately is eliminated and extraction and transesterification take place together in the in situ process. In this study, 11 different lipases were analyzed from which to select the most effective biocatalyst according to the chosen experimental conditions. The most suitable lipase for in situ transesterification was Lipozyme TL IM (Thermomyces lanuginosus). The impact of the temperature and duration of the reaction was investigated along with the concentration of the lipase. A ethanol-to-oil molar ratio of 5:1 was chosen. The optimal reaction conditions were as follows: a reaction duration of 7 h, a reaction temperature of 30 °C and a lipase concentration of 5% (based on oil weight). Under these conditions, 99.92% of oil was extracted from the rapeseed. The degree of oil transesterification acquired was 99.89%. A mineral diesel and rapeseed oil ethyl ester blend of 9:1 (w/w) was produced.

Keywords: biodiesel; ethanol; in situ transesterification; lipase; mineral diesel; rapeseed oil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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