Production of Biodiesel Via Catalytic Processes: A Brief Review

Abstract

Abstract Currently, there is a worldwide concern, not only with the exhaustion of diesel oil, but also with the environmental damages caused by this fuel, from the process of extracting oil to consumption. The emission of the gases from the combustion process of this fuel are harmful to the health of living beings and contribute directly to the worsening of the greenhouse effect. Biodiesel appears in this context as a possible substitute for diesel. Thus, the main objective of this work was to carry out a bibliographical review of the main catalytic processes available in the literature for the production of biodiesel, respectively, the main chemical reactions involved in these processes, being: the esterification and transesterification reaction. Among the catalytic processes, the alkaline, acid and enzymatic catalysis was highlighted. And, among the main raw materials used in the production process are: vegetable oils, animal fats and oils and fats; as economically and environmentally viable alternatives. Still referring to the raw materials, there are the alcohols: methanol and ethanol, which are frequently used. In this way, the most varied catalytic methods present in the literature were presented. For each catalytic process, the work was presented, which developed methodologies for: homogeneous, heterogeneous catalysts, dispersed or immobilized, with the most diverse raw materials, which are currently used or that may be used in the process of obtaining biodiesel in the future. Industrial scale.