Extraction and transformation of microalgal oil to biodiesel

Abstract

Biodiesel is one of the fastest growing renewable sources of low nitrogen and sulfur content while releasing less pollutants during the combustion process. Microalgae are widely distributed in the world with high fat content, high proliferation rate and high energy conversion efficiency as an important raw material for biodiesel production. However, due to its high production cost and low cost, microalgae biodiesel is still in the primary stage of development. In this study, from the perspective of solving the existing problems of low yield, the production methods of biodiesel raw materials, low yield and low energy consumption of microalgae biooil were studied, from the screening of microalgae to the methods encountered in the preparation of biodiesel.

The selection of carbon sulfonate nanosheets in solid acid catalysis was discussed. Solid acid catalyst is one of the commonly used catalysts for the synthesis of biodiesel. Compared with homogeneous acid catalyst, it has the advantages of easy separation, small volume, corrosion resistance and recoverability. It also eliminates the consideration of the acid value of the reactants and has a wider applicability than the base catalyst. However, the current solid acid catalyst has low activity and requires higher reaction temperature.