Feasibility analysis in using the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium chloride as a catalyst in the transesterification reaction of binary mixtures

• Grant number: 20/15809-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2021
• End date: July 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Daniela Helena Pelegrine Guimarães
• Grantee: Igor Nunes Ferreira
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The production of renewable fuels has been very popular in recent years. One of the alternatives is the production of vegetable oils with the ability to replace totally or partially diesel oil derived from petroleum. On the other hand, ionic liquids have been the object of considerable interest in the context of green synthesis due to their wide acceptability as an alternative green reaction medium. The objective of the proposed project is to study the physical and chemical characteristics of methyl biodiesel obtained from oil mixtures composed of soy oil + OGR, catalyzed by the 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium chloride, [emim] [Cl], produced in the laboratory. To estimate the optimal operating conditions, for each simulated oil condition (OGR + soybean oil) with the respective IL ([emim] [Cl]) the effect of the percentage of OGR (20 and 40%) and the molar ratio will be evaluated oil / methanol (1:20 and 1:40) in the percentage of conversion to biodiesel, as well as in the content of fatty acid esters in the biodiesel produced. The biodiesel obtained will be analyzed with respect to the acidity index, iodine content, glycerin, sulfur, cetane, moisture content, kinematic viscosity and average composition of fatty acid esters.