Biodiesel Production From Palm Oil Mill Effluent (Sludge)

Biodiesel which is also defined as alkyl-esters is produced from vegetable or animal oil
through transesterification process. In this process, triglycerides contained inside the
vegetable oil will react with alcohol to form alkyl-esters. Currently, the biodiesel plants
in especially in Malaysia produce biodiesel from refined bleached de-odorized palm oil
(RBDPO). As a result, the economical profits that can be obtained is greatly reduced as
the cost of production is spread across four aspects, extraction of palm oil from palm
fruits to become crude palm oil (CPO), refining it to become RBDPO, treating it with
alcohols to become FAME, and further refining it to become biodiesel. This research is
conducted to observe the possibility of palm oil effluent sludge (POME) into biodiesel.
Palm oil refinery in Malaysia produces ton ofeffluent per day which can be converted to
useful energy. The research begins by extensive literature review about biodiesel and also
about the extraction of long chain fatty acid (LCFA) in effluent sludge. There are two
types ofsludge used which is sludge oil from sludge bin and sludge water from pond that
was undergo aerobic digestion. One ofthe ways to extract oil is by using adsorbent such
as zeolites and activated carbon. In normal atmosphere condition, sample is stirred at 200
rpm for 10 minutes and then extracted using petroleum ether. Another method is by using
sample ofsludge oil which being heated at 100 °C. Then, continued by filtration process
to sieve the solid that diluted in the oil. Biodiesel process is conducted at 60 °C by using
methanol and acid sulphuric as catalyst. Then, Free Fatty Acid (FFA) analysis and thin
Layer Chromatography (TLC) to observe biodiesel produced.