Biodiesel Free Fatty Acids

Biodiesel is one of the products that come as a result of the reaction between oil and an alcohol. Vegetable oils and animal fats contain triglycerides or molecules with 3-carbon molecules that can be written chemically as CH2OCOR1-CHOCOR2-CH2OCOR3. Generally the oils like virgin vegetable oil, waste vegetable oil, algae oil, or animal fat reacts with 3 alcohol molecules to form a glycerin molecule, chemically CH2OH-CHOH-CH2OH and 3 molecules of biodiesel CH3OCOR1, CH3OCOR2, and CH3OCOR3. Where R1, R2, and R3 are one of several hydrocarbon chains, referred to fatty acyl groups. Vegetable oils with as little as 1 to 2 percent free fatty acid have been observed to cause difficulties with biodiesel production and separation.

So always it is necessary to use vegetable oils that have more amounts of fatty acids. The First method is esterifying the free fatty acids creates methyl esters, which is followed by the transesterification. The second method is to intensify the quantity of catalyst in single transesterification procedure. Therefore, the extra catalyst neutralizes the free fatty acids, which creates soap as a byproduct. Biodiesel are very useful in creating a green environment. They can be easily prepared in homes. The biodiesel fuels contribute a lot to the environment protection and control of pollution.