Optimisation on pretreatment of rubber seed (Hevea brasiliensis) oil via esterification reaction in a hydrodynamic cavitation reactor

Bokhari A 1 , Chuah LF 1 , Yusup S 2 , Klemeš JJ 3 , Kamil RNM 4

Affiliations 

  • 1 Biomass Processing Laboratory, Centre of Biofuel and Biochemical Research (CBBR), Chemical Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak, Malaysia
  • 2 Biomass Processing Laboratory, Centre of Biofuel and Biochemical Research (CBBR), Chemical Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak, Malaysia. Electronic address: drsuzana_yusuf@petronas.com.my
  • 3 Centre for Process Integration and Intensification-CPI(2), Research Institute of Chemical and Process Engineering-MŰKKI, Faculty of Information Technology, University of Pannonia, Egyetem u. 10, H-8200 Veszprém, Hungary
  • 4 Fundamental and Applied Sciences Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak, Malaysia
Bioresour Technol, 2016 Jan;199:414-422.
PMID: 26298387 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.08.013

Abstract

Pretreatment of the high free fatty acid rubber seed oil (RSO) via esterification reaction has been investigated by using a pilot scale hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) reactor. Four newly designed orifice plate geometries are studied. Cavities are induced by assisted double diaphragm pump in the range of 1-3.5 bar inlet pressure. An optimised plate with 21 holes of 1mm diameter and inlet pressure of 3 bar resulted in RSO acid value reduction from 72.36 to 2.64 mg KOH/g within 30 min of reaction time. Reaction parameters have been optimised by using response surface methodology and found as methanol to oil ratio of 6:1, catalyst concentration of 8 wt%, reaction time of 30 min and reaction temperature of 55°C. The reaction time and esterified efficiency of HC was three fold shorter and four fold higher than mechanical stirring. This makes the HC process more environmental friendly.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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