DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF BIODIESEL WASHING AUTOMATION SYSTEM WITH SET OF SENSORS AND PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER DEVICE

• Main Author: ARSIKA SEPTIANI (NIM : 13311001); RIVON TRIDESMAN (NIM : 13311010), GITTA
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/20137
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Biodiesel washing is part of a biodiesel production process that aims to remove impurities contained in biodiesel such as residual alkaline catalyst, glycerol, <br /> <br /> <br /> methanol and soaps. In this research, the process of biodiesel washing was conducted at a liquid separation miniplant using mechanical stirring method. The process was carried out by mixing biodiesel that contains impurities to warm water in a mixing tank, and then the mixture was stirred. After the mixture settled, the biodiesel impurities will be dissolved in water. The force of gravity separated the two components in the mixture, in which the water will sink to the bottom of <br /> <br /> <br /> the tank and biodiesel will be at the top. The water was then disposed and the process was repeated several times to obtain biodiesel with acceptable purity. In <br /> <br /> <br /> order for the process to run optimally, it required a process control system. The existing systems relied on operator's visual observations to operate the pumps and <br /> <br /> <br /> to determine the water and biodiesel interface. In this research, a capacitive sensor was utilized to detect interface which is used in the separation between the two liquids, biodiesel and water. This sensor act as a <br /> <br /> <br /> substitute for the operator who does visual observation in liquid separation. The temperature and the level of water and mixture in the mixing tank to make the process run optimally was also constantly controlled. The process of washing or purification will be carried out with 3 times iteration. PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) was used as a controller device that serves to detect the sensor readings and operate the pumps and valves in this biodiesel washing process. The water mixing process was tested by mixing water temperature ranging from 70oC to 75oC with 25oC water for 2 times to get the water temperature of ± 55°C. The capacitive sensor module was able to differentiate water from biodiesel. The module produced 58,2 - 84,5 kHz voltage signal when detecting water and 84,5 - 98,8 kHz voltage signal when detecting biodiesel in static condition. The time delay for the transfer from water discharge valve to biodiesel discharge valve is 12 seconds. The overall, biodiesel washing automation system can be operated in ± <br /> <br /> <br /> 18 minutes duration for the washing cycle (excluding the duration of the water heating).