Development of Genuine Reaction Kinetics of Transesterification Based On Two-Phase Model

A kinetic study of KOH-catalyzed transesterification of palm oil with methanol
was carried out. Overall transesterification reaction consists of three consecutive
second order reversible reaction steps. Experiments were performed to estimate the
saturated concentration of methanol in oil, average methanol droplet size, reaction
constant, k and diffusion coefficient of methanol in oil. The experiments were
performed with reaction mixture that had methanol to oil molar ratio of 6:1 and the
catalyst was potassium hydroxide (2 wt. % of methanol). The reaction were conducted
at room temperature of 24ºC for 180 minutes. Analysis of FAME will be carry out by
high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to get the result for oil conversion
over reaction time. The overall reaction rate, roverall of the palm oil-methanol
transesterification was calculated, consequently, prove the kinetic model