The experimental studies have shown that a pulsed loop reactor can be used to successfully reduce the reaction time for the transesterification of oils and fats. In the present study, the transesterification of palm methyl ester (PME) and trimethylolpropane (TMP) to produce palm oil based TMP ester was conducted using the vacuum operated pulsed loop reactor. The reaction was catalyzed with sodium methoxide solution in methanol. The influences of five operating variables such as vacuum pressure, catalyst loading, molar ratio of high oleic PME to TMP, reaction temperature and oscillatory speed on the yield of TMP esters and unwanted fatty soap formation were examined. The optimum conditions for the reaction were found at 120 °C, 20 mbar, 3.9:1 M ratio of PME:TMP, 1.0 wt% catalyst solution and 180 rpm oscillatory speed. The product containing 95 wt% TMP triester was successfully synthesized in 1 h with 167 mg/g of fatty soap. The physicochemical properties of the TMP esters obtained using pulse reactor were comparable to characteristics of high oleic TMP esters.
The present study was performed to optimize reaction parameters for the transesterification reaction of palm oil methyl ester and pentaerythritol by using response surface methodology (RSM). The affecting parameters were selected as temperature (140-190°C), amount of catalyst (0.5-1.5 wt%), palm oil methyl ester-to-pentaerythritol molar ratio (4:1-5:1) and reaction time (1-5 h), in order to produce pentaerythritol ester (tetraester). The optimum operating conditions; temperature at 158°C; amount of catalyst, 1.19 wt%; molar ratio, 4.5 and 1 h of reaction time were obtained with the result of the pentaerythritol ester's yield of 40.13%. The interaction parameter of the catalyst amount with the palm oil methyl ester-topentaerythritol molar ratio was found to be the most significant amongst all of the interaction parameters. The pentaerythritol ester properties were analyzed and compared with the commercial oven chain lubricant. The results indicated that the pentaerythritol ester is able to withstand a high temperature environment with a flash point of 302°C and viscosity of 12.7 cSt at 100°C.
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