Avaliação de catalisadores à base de estanho visando à produção de biodiesel

Abstract

Currently, there is a growing interest in renewable energy sources and the development of new technologies for biofuels production. Biodiesel is a very attractive alternative fuel source compared to diesel due its environmental benefits. Biodiesel is generally produced by transesterification of vegetable oils with a short chain alcohol. However, it can be produced through esterification of free fatty acids using feedstock of low quality such as industrial or domestic waste or animal fats. The study of catalysts that improve the results of such reactions has an important role in the development of biodiesel production. Commonly, basic catalysts such as NaOH are employed in the transesterification reactions. Nonetheless, the use of these catalysts causes environmental impacts and promotes the saponification reaction when the feedstock has significant levels of acidity, reducing the yield and hardening the separation of phases. This paper presents the study of acid Sn-based catalysts, with special emphasis on the tin II sulfate, centered on use in the esterification reaction of loads containing high levels of fatty acids. The influence of temperature, catalyst, concentration, type of reaction system, the amount of ethanol, type of alcohol, acidity, nature of fatty acids and the calcination temperature were evaluated. A comparison among catalysts, the matter of the reuse of catalysts and the changes provided by heat treatment, which they have been submitted to were also analyzed. Among the catalysts studied, tin sulfate catalysts showed higher catalytic activity as to the reaction studied, the most promising being calcined up to 500°C. The main reason for the high yield found was associated to the pseudo-homogeneous behavior of SnSO4, which solubilizes up, and acidifies the reaction medium during the esterification reactions