Effect of Temperature and Concentration of Zeolite Catalysts from Geothermal Solid Waste in Biodiesel Production from Used Cooking Oil by Esterification–Transesterification Process

Abstract

The production of biodiesel using zeolite catalysts from geothermal solid waste has been studied. This study aims to make zeolite catalysts as catalysts in biodiesel production, assessing the effect of catalyst concentration, and temperature in the esterification–transesterification process on the biodiesel yield produced. The results showed that the synthesized zeolite catalyst was an analcime zeolite catalyst (Al1.9Na1.86O12Si4). The biodiesel yield of 98.299% with 100% fatty acid alkyl ester (FAAE) content was achieved at a catalyst concentration of 5%wt and a reaction temperature of 300 °C for one-hour reaction time. The yield of biodiesel decreased with repeated catalysts, which experienced morphological changes before and after three usage times. Consequently, in this case, the catalyst cannot be regenerated.