Background

A process for the production of the ethyl ester of winter rape [EEWR] for use as a biodiesel fuel has been studied. The essential part of the process is the transesterification of rape oil with ethanol, in the presence of a catalyst, to yield the ethyl ester of rape oil as a product and glycerin as a by-product. Experiments have been performed to determine the optimum conditions for the preparation of EEWR. The process variables were. 1) temperature, 2) catalyst, 3) rate of agitation, 4) water content of the alcohol used, and 5) the amount of excess alcohol used. The optimum conditions were: 1) room temperature, 2) 0.5 % sodium me&oxide or 1 % potassium hydroxide catalyst by weight of rapeseed oil, 3) extremely vigorous agitation with some splashing during the initial phase of the reaction and agitation was not necessary after the reaction mixture became homogeneous, 4) absolute ethanol was necessary for high conversion, and 5) 50 % excess ethanol with NaOCH3 or 100 % excess with KOH gave a maximum conversion. Viscosity, cloud point and pour point of the EEWR were measured. A preliminary break-even cost for the commercial production of EEWR was found to be %0.55/liter [%2.08/U.S. gallon]