Design, fabrication and evaluation of a packed column evaporator for crude Jatropha curcas L. oil refining.

Date

2012

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

College

College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT)

Restrictions

Restricted: Not available to the general public. Access is available only after consultation with author/thesis adviser and only to those bound by the confidentiality agreement.

Abstract

A packed column evaporator was designed, fabricated and evaluated for crude Jatropha curcas L. oil refining. The designed column with a nominal pipe size of 3 inches, a height of 30 inches and an additional 3 inches high distributor was run under atmospheric pressure and vacuum pressure with a saturated steam supply at 120ºC and 140.1mmHg. The initial and final free fatty acid (FFA) content in Jatropha curcas L. oil was analyzed using titrimetry and thin layer chromatography (TLC) to quantify the FFA reduction. The effectiveness of the column was tested at a constant oil flow rate of 150mL/min. Under atmospheric condition, the average % FFA reduction is 19.28% based on titrimetric method and 20.74% based on TLC method. While at 50mmHg vacuum pressure, the average % reduction obtained are 58.41% and 58.87% based on titrimetric method and TLC, respectively. The highest reduction of FFA was 62.50% based on TLC for the J. curcas oil operated under vacuum conditions with an oil flowrate of 150mL/min. Results showed that at atmospheric condition and saturated steam supply, the FFA content of J. curcas oil can be reduced. Furthermore, higher FFA removal was achieved for the column operated at 50mmHg because of the vapor pressure elevation of FFA. The oil produced in this study, which has an FFA content of 8.92%w/w can undergo acid-catalyzed transesterification or non-catalytic supercritical alcohol treansesterification.

Language

English

Location

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

Call Number

LG 993.5 2012 E62 C64

Document Type

Thesis

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