Estudos dos parâmetros físico-químicos para reação de transesterificação

Abstract

This study was aimed initially determine the stability of some samples of biodiesel, with respect to time and storage temperature in order to verify the possibility of physico-chemical characterization over time. These samples were stored at different temperatures over time and through this study it was found that, when many samples and / or large volumes, which prevents its refrigerated storage, it is possible to store them at room temperature for thirty (30) days. One of the objectives of study was to analyze the behavior of the reaction mixture during the transesterification process, through the quantitative assessment of the values of some physico-chemical parameters (viscosity and density) as a function of the reaction yield. For this purpose, samples of biodiesel was produced by transesterification of soybean oil at different reaction conditions (time, temperature, and ratio of reagents), employing methanol or ethanol and catalyst NaOH. It was observed that for reactions performed using methyl alcohol was not possible to establish a tendency for phase formation and evolution of viscosity and density depending on the ester content, perhaps because other aspects such as the formation of persistent emulsions have an influence significant about the separation process and the results of physicochemical parameters. In the case of reactions conducted with ethyl alcohol, virtually no phase formation is observed due to formation of persistent emulsions. In this case also could not establish a trend between the viscosity values due to the ester content. Regarding the density, there is a tendency for a more definite increase in values as the ester content increases. However, a greater number of reactions is required for establishing more definitive considerations. It should be noted that, probably, a trend can be established when a broader range of reactions, with different degrees of conversion, is evaluated.