Abstract
The valorisation of waste and bio-waste is an important mean of the transition of European Economy to a Green Economy, essential for delivering a sustainable development and a long term growth.
Waste vegetable cooking oils (WVCO) are urban resources, and one of the most environmentally friendly feedstock for biodiesel, with considerable potential for converting a problematic waste into a value-added product. Biodiesel produced from waste grease results in an 86 % reduction in greenhouse gases, compared to petro-diesel, according to EPA's Renewable Fuel Standards Program Regulatory Impact Analysis (February 2010). The WVCO can be valorised as biofuels by a transesterification reaction with a low carbon chain alcohol.
The paper presents an experimental study of the transesterification reaction of WVCO with methanol, leading to biodiesel. The influence of different operational parameters, as WVCO type and quality, chemicals adding way, temperature, mixing conditions, catalyst type and quantity, is presented. The main factors affecting the process are molar ratio methanol/oil, catalyst amount, reaction temperature, and reaction time. A low quality WVCO needs an advanced pretreatment stage, and leads to a decreased yield in biodiesel. The experimental study was conducted using a factorial experimental plan, in order to optimise the quality and the yield of biodiesel.
