METHOD FOR PRODUCING BIODIESEL FROM VEGETABLE OILS WITH VARIABLE ACIDITY IN A SYSTEM OF CONTINUOUS ACTION AND THE PRODUCED BIODIESEL FUEL

摘要

1. Method for the production of biodiesel in a continuous system from vegetable oils with variable acidity, characterized in that at the first stage, vegetable oils with variable acidity are mixed in a multistage modular continuous tubular reactor with methanol or ethanol in a stoichiometric ratio from 1:50 to 1: 300 with respect to the amount of free fatty acids present in the medium in the presence of a strong acid catalyst in an amount of from 1 to 10 grams per kilogram of oil; each module has a capacity of approximately 300 to 400 kg of vegetable oil and consists of three main elements: a receiving pipe for oil and reagents, a system of ring parts perforated in the center and connected to each other by means of rods that uniformly move along the pipe and are activated a piston driven by an engine and a jacket-like shell through which hot water circulates at a temperature of about 60 ° C; In addition, each module has a system for evacuating gases, steam and methanol or ethanol, which works periodically, is connected to the oil line from one module to the next, is controlled by electronic valves and which is facilitated by the injection of air, nitrogen or any inert gas, and the specified the gases flow through a pipe that passes from the upper zone of the module to the distillation column, in which water is lost and alcohol condenses, which is returned to the production process in an amount equivalent to that removed; modules are connected to each other by four-way or multi-way valves