Design, fabrication and evaluation of a direct-contact counter?current falling film evaporator for crude Jatropha curcas L. oil refining

Date

2011

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

College

College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Denise Ester O. Santiago

Co-adviser

Rex B. Demafelis

Request Access

To request access of this material, please email the administrator at uscs-mainlib.uplb@up.edu.ph

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to design, fabricate and evaluate a direct- contact counter- current falling film evaporator for crude Jatropha curcas L.

oil refining. Another aim was to analyze the initial and final free fatty acid (FFA) content in Jatropha curcas L. oil. Also, it was desired to reduce the FFA content of the oil. Finally, the effect of flowrate on reduction of free fatty acid was examined in the study. The designed evaporator column with height of 29 inches, including 2 inches high film distributor and with nominal pipe size of the column of 2 inches was run under atmospheric pressure and with saturated steam supply at 120 oC and 20 psi. The degummed and stripped Jatropha curcas oil were analysed for FFA content using titrimetric method and thin layer chromatography (TLC) method. The column was able to reduce the FFA content in the oil to about 25 % on average based on titrimetric method and 27 % on average based on TLC method. The effect of varying the flowrate was evident on the results from titrimetric method. For an increase in oil flowrate, % FFA content increases and % FFA reduction decreases. The highest reduction of FFA with 28.7508 % was at the lowest oil flowrate of 112.5 mL/min. Results showed that even at atmospheric pressure condition and with saturated steam supply, FFA content can still be reduced.

Language

English

Location

UPLB College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT)

Document Type

Thesis

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS