This document discusses biodiesel production through transesterification of triglycerides with alcohol. It summarizes that biodiesel is a vegetable or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters that can be used pure or blended with petroleum diesel. It also outlines that engineering disciplines like chemical, electronic, and mechatronic engineering can help in the biodiesel production process through experiments and optimization of variables like temperature, catalyst concentration, and oil-to-methanol ratio. Sunflower oil and methanol were materials used in one experiment discussed.

1. Instituto Universitario Politécnico “Santiago Mariño”
Extensión Porlamar – Sede Genovés
Escuela de Ingeniería Electrónica
Electiva I
Optimization Of Biodiesel Production
Prof. Cesar Velásquez
Elaborado Por:
Br. Fernando Carrasco CI. 20.537.235
Sección: 4A
Porlamar, Noviembre de 2.015

2. Biodiesel
Refers to a vegetable oil - or
animal fat-based diesel fuel
consisting of long-chain alkyl
(methyl, ethyl, or propyl) esters.
Biodiesel can be used in
pure form (B100) or may
be blended with
petroleum diesel at any
concentration in most
injection pump diesel
engines.
Production
Biodiesel produced by
transesterification of
triglycerides with alcohol, is
the
newest form of energy that
has attracted the attention of
many researchers due to
various advantages
associated with its usages.
Engineering
Help in the
process of
production.

3. Engineering´s Branches that help
in the prodution of Biodiesel
Chemical Engineering Electronic Engineering Mechatronic Engineering
Engineering that includes
a combination of systems
engineering, mechanical
engineering, electrical
engineering,
telecommunications
engineering, control
engineering and
computer engineering.
Is an engineering
discipline which utilizes
non-linear and active
electrical components
(such as electron tubes,
and semiconductor
devices, especially
transistors, diodes and
integrated circuits) to
design electronic circuits,
devices and systems.
Is a branch of science
that applies physical
sciences (physics and
chemistry) and life
sciences (microbiology
and biochemistry)
together with applied
mathematics and
economics to produce,
transform, transport,
and properly use
chemicals, materials and
energy.

4. Biodiesel Prodution
Experiments and Methods
Several types of oils can be used for
production of biodiesels. The most
common types of oils are sunflower oil.
Physical Properties
Kinematic viscosity of biodiesel
at 40, were higher than that of
petro-diesel and is 3.6 cSt. This
biodiesel has a copper strip
corrosion of 1a which indicate that
this fuel is not corrosive.

5. Response Surface Method
The central composite design was used to optimize operating
variables (temperature, catalyst concentration and oil to methanol ratio) .
Optimization of extraction condition
The first partial derivatives
of the regression model were equated to
zero according to X1, X2, and X3
respectively. The result was calculated as
follows: X1=48, X2=6.825 and X3=0.679.

6. Materials used for experiment
Sunflower oil was purchased from local shop.
Methanol with a purity of 99.5% and Potassium
Hydroxide (KOH)
Equipments
Device that used in this work include reactor,
EUROSTAR power control-visc P7 overhead
stirrer.