Parichart Hasuntree, Vichuta Toomthong, Sukanda Yoschoch, and Usarat Thawornchaisit

pp. 525 - 530

Abstract

The possibility of using restaurant trap grease as feedstock in the production of biodiesel via acid catalyzed esterification is explored in this study. Sulfuric acid was used as a catalyst for the esterification reaction of free fatty acid (FFA) and
methanol. The FFA levels of restaurant trap greases were reduced from 60.38±2.22 mg KOH/g to 11.60±1.60 mgKOH/g when
conditions for biodiesel production are as follow: methanol-to-FFA ratio of 5:1, 5 wt.% H₂
SO₄
, and a reaction temperature at
60°C with a reaction time of 60 min. During the acid-catalyzed esterification, the percentage of methyl esters resulting from
conversion of FFA in the obtained product was 83.59±1.51% based on the result of ¹H NMR analysis. Data obtained from the
2³full factorial designs revealed that methanol-to-FFA ratio term had the most significant effect on the percentage of methyl
esters, followed by the H₂SO₄
 concentration. Conversely, reaction time between 1 and 3 hours had no significant effect on the
esterification of trap greases.