PRODUCTION OF BIOFUEL FROM WASTE COOKING OIL (WCO)
Suzihaque Maqsood-Ul-Haque1* , Nur Afrina Balqis binti Ahmad Shamsu1, Habsah Alwi1, Ummi Kalthum Ibrahim1, Sureena Abdullah2 and Normah Haron3

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA, UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA PAHANG, INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF MALAYSIA

Abstract

Rising energy usage and depleted oil sources have raised oil prices globally. The global increase in waste cooking oil (WCO) produced looks considerable. Malaysia has the potential to generate biofuel from WCO. This study produced biofuel utilising the transesterification process by a ratio of 2.6:1 bifunctional \(SrO-ZnO/Al_2 O_3 \) catalyst from a high FFA content of WCO with methanol. This research aims to create biofuel from WCO using a bifunctional \(SrO-ZnO/Al_2 O_3 \) catalyst and determine the optimal parameters for biofuel production by simultaneous transesterification and esterification. From the experimental research done, the maximum catalytic activity was determined where biodiesel yield was 73% which the operation conditions for transesterification were at 60 \( ^o C \), 8:1 methanol to oil ratio and 3 hours for reaction time complete. The characteristics of biofuel and WCO which are FFA content, acid value, kinematic viscosity, cloud and pour point were done where the value determined for biofuel were 0.282%, 0.564%, 44.873 \( mm^2 /s \), 18 \( ^o C \) and 2 \( ^o C \), and 3.384%, 6.786%, 73.889 \( mm^2 /s \), 19 \( ^o C \) and 5 \( ^o C \) for WCO respectively. GC-MS analysis was done to analyse the number of esters present in biofuel. Hence, the objectives of this research were achieved in determining optimal parameters of producing biodiesel and observing the highest yield of biofuel.

Keywords: Biofuel, waste cooking oil, SrO-ZnO/Al2O3, transesterification.

Topic: Biochemicals and Biofuels