Factors Affecting the Quality of Biodiesel from Palm Fatty Acid Distillate at Palm Oil Refining Plant

A study on factors affecting biodiesel quality of agricultural by-products, namely palm oil derived using palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD), collected from the Oleen Palm Oil industrial refining plant. This PFAD showed free fatty acid content and a saponification value of 88.4 % and 204 mg KOH/g, respectively. An acid catalyst was successfully used to produce biodiesel in the esterification reaction, and a 97.11% conversion to biodiesel based on the European Standard EN 14214:2003 was achieved under the conditions (PFAD to methanol molar ratio 1:3.71 with 1.834 % H2SO4 catalyzed at 121 °C for 15 minutes). Overall, this novel process achieved highly enhanced FAME (95.82% to 97.31%) with a significantly increased reaction time (10 to 30 minutes) and catalyst requirements (1.834 % H2SO4).

The Physico-Chemical and Mineralogical Characterization of Mg-Rich Synthetic Gypsum Produced in a Rare Earth Refining Plant

The physical, chemical and mineralogical characterization of the constituents of magnesium-rich synthetic gypsum produced in a rare earth-refining plant located in Gebeng, Pahang, Malaysia was conducted through elemental chemical analysis, scanning electron microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX)-analyzer, thermal analysis, X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction. The crystalline nature of the by-product was studied using FTIR spectroscopy. Elemental analysis confirmed the presence of Ca and Mg, which are essential macronutrients required by plants and this Ca alongside the high pH (9.17) of MRSG may confer on the material a high acid neutralization capacity. From the result, it was observed that the studied by-product is a heterogeneous crystalline material comprising of gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) and other major components such as calcium (magnesium) compounds (hydroxide, oxide, silicates, and carbonate) and sulfur. These aggregates may contribute to give an acid neutralization capacity to MRSG. The XRD study of MRSG indicated a high content of gypsum (45.4%), shown by the d-spacing of 7.609 Å (2-theta 11.63) in the diffractogram. The infrared absorption spectra of MRSG indicate close similarities to mined gypsum. The results of the characterization indicated that MRSG has valuable properties that can promote its use in amending soil fertility constraints on nutrient-deficient tropical acid soils.

Two-step Biodiesel Production from Used Activated Bleaching Earth at Palm Oil Refining Plant

A study on two-step biodiesel production of agricultural by-products, namely palm oil derived using activated bleaching earth )UABE), collected from the Oleen Palm Oil industrial refining plant consisting of 22.4 % of waste oil. This waste oil showed free fatty acid content and a saponification value of 15.5 % and 199.7 mg KOH/g, respectively. The FFA content after esterification should be approximately 1.0%, not only to save glycerol and the catalyst involved in the esterification but also to achieve high biodiesel conversion during the transesterification. An alkaline catalyst was successfully used to produce biodiesel in the second step. A 97.6% conversion to biodiesel based on the European Standard EN 14214:2003 was achieved under the conditions (1.0% NaOH catalyst relative to waste oil, the molar ratio of free fatty acid, and methanol of 1:13.22, 60ºC, 1h). Overall, this novel two-step process achieved highly enhanced biodiesel conversion (74.6% to 100.0%) with a significantly increased molar ratio of free fatty acid and methanol (1:2.71 to 1:15.89) and catalyst requirements (1.0% NaOH).

Biological Treatment of Wastewater from Production Enterprises

The article provides information on the growth, development, reproduction and degree of purification of wastewater from organo-mineral substances of the high water plant pistia (Pistia stratiotes L) oil refining plant wastewater.