Method for the production of biodiesel from vegetable oils and fats, using heterogeneous catalysts

摘要

The invention relates to the field of methods used for the transesterification of oils and fats in order to produce diesel oil. The invention provides a novel method for the production of diesel oil by transesterifying fatty acid esters present in vegetable oils and fats, using a novel catalyst consisting of the oxide of a group V metal and having the formula X₂O₅, such as niobium pentoxide (Nb₂O₅). Unlike in the methods used traditionally according to the prior art, the oils are converted here into high-purity products, including glycerol, in yields of the order of 100%, while using significantly less catalyst for a quantity of oil processed, when e.g. soya-bean oil, cotton-seed oil and canola oil are processed by the method according to the invention.