“Biodiesel from Tall Oil Fatty Acids using Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Catalysts”

M. L. PISARELLO; C.S. CORDEIRO; C.A. QUERINI

San Francisco – California – USA

Congreso; 21st North American Catalysis Society Meeting; 2009

The use of high acidity raw materials for biodiesel production is an interesting option, since these materials usually are of low commercial value. In our case, concentrated fatty acid was used obtained from crude tall oil, which is a by-product in the pulp manufacturing by craft or sulphate pulping process. The esterification reaction of tall oil fatty acids was tested with different acids catalysts, methanol/fatty acid molar ratios (MR), temperatures and pressures. Reactions were carried out in homogeneous and heterogeneous media using sulfuric acid and solid niobic acid (Nb2O3.nH2O, commercially available as HY-340) as catalysts, respectively. Even though the niobic acid is less active than the sulfuric acid, it is important to follow the research in the field of solid catalysts since it makes possible to simplifies the purification process.