Green Diesel Making by Alkali Soap Decarboxylation Method

• Main Author: GHAZI (NIM : 13013078) - FRANS HOT DAME TUA (NIM : 13013070) , MUHAMMAD
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/23237
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Biofuel production nowadays get more interests because depletion of fossil-based conventional fuel and its environmental issues. Biofuel that widely available is oxygenated biofuel which need to be mixed with fossil fuel in its use. Drop-in biofuel can replace fossil fuel without mixing because its compound is similar to compound of fossil fuel. Decarboxylation of alkali soap is one of the potential drop-in biofuel production route. The objective of this research is to produce green diesel by decarboxylation of alkali soap at various metal composition. In this research, alkali soap is made from palm stearin and palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) by Blachford and Rogers patent. Metal that used in alkali soap are Mg, Zn, Cu and Ca. The reaction temperature is decarboxylation temperature (350oC). Characterization of soap is analysed from acid value and yield. Characteristics of liquid product such as yield, Ferrox test, and profile of carbon chain length are analysed. Distribution of compound in liquid are analyzed by Gas Chromatography. <br /> <br /> Experiment result shows that soap making method which gives most yield is Blachford patent with palm stearin feedstock. The yield of liquid product from this method with Mg-Zn and Mg-Cu metal is 97% and 88%. Using calcium for decarboxylation produce distillate which contain pure hydrocarbon, unlike others metal using which still produce ketone. Addition of Zn and Cu is not give significant impact in product yield and distribution of distillate carbon chain length