Synthesis of Granular Biochar-based Catalyst for Transesterification Reaction

Jutaporn Chanathaworn, Chokchai Yatongchai

Abstract


The use of biochar catalyst in the form of granules was proposed in biodiesel production. The biochar was prepared by fast pyrolysis of Leucaena wood. Mixtures of Leucaena-derived biochar, waste glass powder and sodium silicate, were extruded. The influence of biochar/glass ratio (30:70-70:30) and amount of sodium silicate as a binder (50 and 70%wt) on biodiesel conversion was studied. The granular catalyst prepared from 50:50 biochar/glass ratio with 70% wt binder exhibited the best catalytic performance, which corresponded to the highest biodiesel yield of 98%. The reusability of the catalyst was also determined. The granular catalyst could be reused for 8 times with minor degradation. In addition, it could be easily separated from the mixture by simple filtration. The produced biodiesel was tested in accordance with the ASTMD6751/ EN14214 procedure, showing that the tested biodiesel was usable for biodiesel fuel blend stock. When tested on a single cylinder 4-stroke engine, the obtained biodiesel showed a proof of a high-quality product. In summary, the granular catalyst prepared in this work showed good catalyst performance, which could be a potential alternative for feasibility study in large-scale production. 


Keywords


Biochar-based catalyst; Biodiesel; Granular biochar; Granular catalyst; Transesterification reaction

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References


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