(110f) Continuous Biodiesel Production From Waste Cooking Oil and Animal Fats Under Sub/Supercritical Methanol Conditions

In conventional biodiesel production process from waste cooking oil and animal fats, free fatty acids and water present a problem and result in a low conversion.  These problems can be easily overcome in supercritical methanol process.  In our study, both waste cooking oil and animal fats were used as feedstock for transesterification under sub/supercritical methanol conditions. The fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield was  over 90% at different reaction temperature and pressure: reaction temperature = 250°C and 300^oC, reaction pressure = 2000 psi, 2500 psi, and 3000 psi, residence time = 10-18 minutes, and molar ratio of methanol to oil = 40 : 1. The effect of different catalysts were also studied.