Estudo da reação de transesterificação do óleo de girassol via catálise heterogênea para a produção de biodiesel

Abstract

The need for energy is one of the fundamental pillars of human existence in today's world and a significant portion of this global priority comes from non-renewable and environmentally harmful sources. As an alternative to fossil fuels derived from petroleum, biofuels were developed, among which currently one of the most prominent is biodiesel. It can be produced by different industrial processes such as: cracking, microemulsion, esterification, supercritical methanol, pyrolysis and transesterification. One of the objectives of the transesterification process is to reduce the viscosity of the oil, to the range closest to that of diesel oil, thus avoiding damage to combustion engines. This work aims to study the transesterification reaction of sunflower oil via heterogeneous catalysis for the production of biodiesel. The synthesis of methyl biodiesel was carried out through the transesterification of Sunflower oil via two catalytic routes, namely: via homogeneous catalysis, following the parameters of 1.5% KOH as catalyst (v/m), in relation to the mass of methanol, with a molar ratio of 1:6 (sunflower oil: alcohol), and the synthesis via heterogeneous catalysis being carried out with a variation in reaction time (55 to 360 min), with a molar ratio of oil: methanol (1:6 and 1:12 ) and 1% of the alumina catalyst (m/m). To confirm the esters formed and compare the two sunflower oil transesterification routes applied during the methodology, the biodiesel samples produced were quantified by gas chromatography and mass detection (CGMS). The use of neutral aluminum oxide as a catalyst for transesterification of sunflower oil does not yet include a wide variation in reaction parameters, however yields of up to 58.91% were obtained in the process with a molar ratio of 1:6 (sunflower oil: alcohol).