Episode 4: PRODUCTION OF 60, 000 MTPA OF OLEOCHEMICAL METHYL ESTER FROM RBD PALM KERNEL OIL
Micro-emulsion
Process of reducing the viscosity of vegetable oil by the means of solvent (methanol, ethanol as well as normal butanol).
Episode 4: PRODUCTION OF 60, 000 MTPA OF OLEOCHEMICAL METHYL ESTER FROM RBD PALM KERNEL OIL
1. SAJJAD KHUDHUR ABBAS
Chemical Engineering , Al-Muthanna University, Iraq
Oil & Gas Safety and Health Professional – OSHACADEMY
Trainer of Trainers (TOT) - Canadian Center of Human
Development
Episode 4 : PRODUCTION OF 60, 000
MTPA OF OLEOCHEMICAL METHYL
ESTER FROM RBD PALM KERNEL OIL
2. WAN ADEEBAH WAN MAHMOOD
SITI IRHITH BUSHRAH NOOR MAHADI
SAJJAD KHUDHUR ABBAS
AIMAN MOHAMMED BELAL SIDAN
PRESENTED BY:
3. 1. To produce 60,000 MTPA of methyl esters
from RBD palm kernel oil.
2. To achieve the production of methyl esters
by using homogeneous base-catalyzed
transesterification method with sodium
methoxide (NaOCH3) as catalyst.
a) OBJECTIVES
4. What is methyl ester?
Methyl Ester
4
Fatty Acid Methyl Ester
(FAME)
Biodiesel
One of the Basic Oleochemicals
(Others: Fatty acids & Fatty alcohols)
Derived from
natural Oils & Fats
Plant Oils
Animal Fats
Waste Oils
Normally produced by:
• Transesterification of triglyceride (oil)
• Esterification of free fatty acid (FFA)
b) PROCESS BACKGROUND
12. POSSIBLE PROCESSES FOR ME
SYNTHESIS
• Micro-emulsion
• Pyrolysis (thermal cracking)
• Transesterification
13. 1. Micro-emulsion
Process of reducing the viscosity of vegetable oil by the means of
solvent (methanol, ethanol as well as normal butanol).
Advantages:
• Clear
• Isotropic
• thermodynamically stable mixtures of a polar phase .
Disadvantages:
• Sticky
• Heavy carbon deposits when used as fuel
• Creates problems with the engine performance
14. 2. Pyrolysis
Pyrolysis is a conversion process by the means of heating with absence
of air resulting in ME
Advantages:
• Can use any type of raw material
• Gases oils/solvents and carbonized materials are produced
• Good viscosity
Disadvantages:
• Sticky
• When ME used as:
o fuel Fuel injection system experience damage
o High amount of carbon deposition
o Inacceptable combustion values in the engine
15. 3. Transesterification
Alcoholysis of triglycerides resulting in a mixture of
mono-alkyl esters and glycerol.
Advantages:
• Better separation of byproduct
• Achieve better viscosity product
Disadvantages:
• High methanol/oil ratio
18. Transesterification Catalysis
Alternative 1:
Base catalyst
PKO +methanol methyl ester +glycerol
Advantages:
1. High reaction rate and high catalyst activity
2. Low methanol/oil ratio
3. Mild operation condition
Disadvantages:
1. Formation of soap
2. Limited free fatty acid,FFA content for oil
3. Inhibited by water
19. Alternative 2:
Acid catalyst
PKO +methanol methyl ester +glycerol
Advantages:
1. Unlimited free fatty acid, FFA content for oil
2. Product can be easily separated
3. High conversion
Disadvantages:
1. Long reaction time
2. High methanol/ oil ratio
3. Acid has a stronger affinity for water
20. Alternative 3:
Lipase Enzyme
PKO + methanol methyl ester +glycerol
Advantages:
1.More stable
2.Lipase can be regenerated and reused
Disadvantages:
1.Still under development
2.Very high cost of lipase enzyme
3.Unfavorable reaction yield and reaction time
22. Catalyst & Alcohol Selection
1. Alcohol selection
• Methanol is selected instead of ethanol and
butanol.
• Shortest chain alcohol
• Low cost
2. Catalyst selection
• Sodium methoxide is selected instead of other
catalysts.
• Higher yield obtained
• Lower soap formation
23. Heterogeneous OR Homogenous
Catalytic Process
• Homogenous catalytic process is chosen
• Heterogeneous catalytic reaction is not been
explored and developed
• Less sources regarding heterogeneous catalytic
reaction
• Unexpected reaction rate and undesired side
reaction may encounter
24. • Higher ability to convert intermediate
products.
• Higher ability for shifting the reaction toward
desired product.
• Shorter reaction time.
• Lower reaction temperature.
• Reduced alcohol and catalyst used.
• Higher yield obtained.
Why Three Reactors
25. LEVEL 2 DECISION : INPUT-OUTPUT STRUCTURE OF
PROCESS FLOW SHEET
Species Boiling Point (oC) Destination Code
RBD Palm Kernel Oil
Not pertinent (Very
high)
Recycle (if X < 95%)
Methanol 64.7 Recycle
Sodium Methoxide (30wt% in
methanol)
a 93.0 Waste
Methyl Ester
CE-810
C8:0 b 193.0
Primary product
C10:0 b 224.0
CE-1214
C12:0 b 262.0
C14:0 b 295.0
CE-1618
C16:0 b 338.0
C18:0 b 352.0
C18:1 b 349.0
C18:2 b 366.0
Glycerol 290.0 By-product
Table 1-1: Destination code for transesterification process
Source: a (Leonid Chemicals, n.d.); b (Graboski and McCormick, 1998)
40. EQUIPMENT SIZING
Distillation Column Design Summary
EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATION SHEET
Equipment C-103 C-104 C-105
Material of Construction SS 304 SS 304 SS 304
Feed Trays (from top) 10 7 20
Liquid Flow Pattern Single pass Single pass Single pass
Tray spacing, lt (m) 0.6 0.6 0.6
Column diameter, Dc (m) 1.18 1.09 1.27
Column cross-sectional area, Ac (m2) 1.09 0.93 1.26
Column height, ht (m) 18.13 15.06 19.99
No. of trays 28 24 32
Provisional Plate Design
Plate thickness, tp (mm) 5 5 5
Plate area
Down comer area, Ad (m2) 0.16 0.14 0.19
Net area, An (m2) 0.93 0.79 1.07
Active area, Aa (m2) 0.76 0.65 0.88
Hole area, Ah (m2) 0.09 0.08 0.11
Hole Design
Hole diameter, dh (mm) 5 5 5
Single hole area, Ash (m2) 1.96E-05 1.96E-05 1.96E-05
Number of holes 4658 3960 5384
41. Assumptions
Optimizations
Conclusion
1. Reactors
2. Distillation column
3. Decanter
1. Operating conditions
2. Assumptions
3. Economic potential EP
4. Sizing and costing
5. Recycle
With these assumptions and
optimizations , we can produce
60,000 ton of ME per year .