Simulation and Optimization of

Biodiesel Process from Waste Cooking Oil

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The world is currently challenged with global warming, depletion of non-renewable fossil

fuel and environmental pollution. Hence, there is a need to find alternative energy sources that are

renewable, economically feasible and environmentally friendly to overcome these challenges

(Tshizanga, Aransiola, & Oyekola, 2017).

Biodiesel obtained from vegetable and animal fats has emerged as one of the alternative to

petroleum fuel. Biodiesel offers many advantages over petroleum-based diesel such as

renewability, sustainability and biodegradability which makes it one of the most promising and

feasible future energy sources (Patle, Wei, & Ahmad, 2015). However, a large-scale production of

biodiesel to supply the demand for fuel is being limited by cost due to high raw materials and

production cost. Biodiesel feedstock constitutes approximately 70 to 95% of the overall cost of

biodiesel production (Apostolakou, Kookos, Marazioti, & Angelopoulos, 2009).Thus, many

research activities are focused on finding cheaper feedstock and better catalysts.

Waste cooking oil (WCO) is a low-cost feedstock that can be used to produce biodiesel.

Since one of the major concerns on biodiesel production is the price of feedstock, utilization of

waste cooking oil significantly enhances the economic viability of biodiesel production. However,

WCO have different properties from those of refined and crude vegetable oils. The presence of
high free fatty acid (FFA) content in WCO makes it not suitable for transesterification in the

presence of an alkaline base catalyst for it leads to catalyst deactivation and soap formation

(Gashaw & Teshita, 2014).

To overcome the problems involved in processing low cost feedstock, extensive research

into new processing methods has taken place. A heterogeneous catalyzed process is one of the

preferred option for producing biodiesel from WCO as it is more tolerant to water and FFA content

in the feedstock (Dall'Oglio, et al., 2014). The use of heterogeneous catalyst could also minimize

costs because the process avoids the step for catalyst separation from the product and the catalyst

can be regenerated for several times. Therefore, development of viable heterogeneous technology

for biodiesel production using WCO as feedstock will be the focus of this study.

The performance of various individual units in a process is required to evaluate the

technical and economic feasibility of a biodiesel plant (Zhang, Dube, D, & Kates, 2003). One

convenient tool for developing a new process model that can be adjusted to accommodate a variety

of process conditions is the use of process simulation software such as Aspen Plus. Aspen Plus

simulation uses basic engineering relationships, such as mass and energy balances, to estimate the

behavior of a chemical process. It can also be used to design and test a chemical process in short

period of time and give results that are difficult to obtain in laboratory. By using experimental data

and realistic operating conditions, the actual process behavior can be simulated.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1.4 Significance of the Study

Biodiesel proved to be the best replacement for diesel due to its less greenhouse gas

emissions, non-sulfur emissions, non-particulate matter pollutants, low toxicity and

biodegradability. However, biodiesel production cost is still relatively more expensive compared

to diesel derived from petroleum. This study can address the problem of high production cost by

developing a heterogenous catalyzed biodiesel process and the utilization of WCO as its feedstock.

Furthermore, the result of this simulation study can serve as a basis for building a more efficient

biodiesel plant.

1.5 Scope and Limitation

This research is a simulation study for heterogeneous catalyzed biodiesel production

process using waste cooking oil as feedstock. The simulation will be done by incorporating

reaction kinetic and thermodynamic models based from selected literatures and from the Aspen

databank. Vegetable oil is mixture of several oils and fats but in this study, it will be assumed as

pure triolein due the lack of available date in the Aspen databank for other components of waste

cooking oil. Hence, only available components will represent WCO in the simulation.

1.6 Locale of the Study

1.7 Definition of Terms

 Aspen Plus –is a sophisticated chemical engineering computer tool that is used to design

process model and then simulate model such as that for biodiesel production.
 ASTM Standards – an international standards organization that develops and publishes

voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems,

and services.

 Biodiesel – is an alternative fuel similar to conventional or ‘fossil’ diesel that can be

derived from vegetable oil or animal fats.

 Esterification – is the process used to convert FFA to biodiesel, which refers to the

catalyzed chemical reaction involving FFA and methanol to yield fatty acid alkyl esters

(biodiesel) and water as byproduct

 Fatty Acid – a carboxylic acid with a long aliphatic chain which is either saturated or

unsaturated.

 Free Fatty Acid – impurities present in WCO which can drive the transesterification

reaction to soap formation especially when homogeneous base catalyst is used

 Glycerol – a byproduct in transesterification reaction in the production of biodiesel;

usually contains glycerin and trace amount of methanol

 Homogeneous Catalyst – a strong acid or base catalyst that is in the same phase as the

reactants and products

 Heterogeneous Catalyst – a strong acid or base catalyst that is in different phase as the

reactants and products.

 Simulation – is a representation of the functioning of a system or process. Through

simulation, a model may be implanted with unlimited variations, producing complex

scenarios.
  Transesterification – is the process used to convert the WCO to biodiesel, which refers to

a catalyzed chemical reaction involving WCO and methanol to yield fatty acid alkyl esters

(biodiesel) and glycerol as byproduct

 Triglycerides – an ester derived from glycerol and three fatty acids

 Waste cooking oil (WCO) – these are used cooking oil from restaurants and street stalls

selling fried products.

References
Abdurakhman, Y. B., Putra, Z. A., & Bilad, M. R. (2017). Aspen HYSYS Simulation for Biodiesel Production
from Waste Cooking Oil using Membrane Reactor. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and
Engineering.

Apostolakou, A. A., Kookos, I. K., Marazioti, C., & Angelopoulos, K. C. (2009). Techno-economic analysis
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Dall'Oglio, E. L., Sousa Jr, P. T., Oliveira, P. T., de Vasconcelo, L. G., Parizotto, C. A., & Kuhnen, C. A.
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Patle, D. S., Wei, P. E., & Ahmad, Z. (2015). Simulation and Economic Analysis of Biodiesel Production
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Tshizanga, N., Aransiola, E. F., & Oyekola, O. (2017). Optimisation of biodiesel production from waste
vegetable oil and eggshell ash. South African Journal of Chemical Engineering, 145-146.