Development and Performance of Hydrocyclone Separator for Biodiesel Production

Hydrocyclone is an equipment that uses a cyclone or tangential injection flow process with centrifugal forces to separate liquids of different densities. The denser liquid move downwards in spiral path into underflow chamber, while clean which less dense upwards the center spiral, towards top outlet. Colman and Thew’s hydrocyclone geometry analysis approached was used design assumed inlet chamber diameter (D) for this 150 mm reducing section length 1500 at angle 20°. capacity designed system volume 5.5 liters. developed machine tested 15 liters palm kernel oil (PKO) as raw material using two pressures gauge (70 80 kPa) also effect acid concentration (sulphuric acid) 3 experimental runs. After experiments, it deduced constant temperature level, pressure rate increases, there corresponding increase discharge overflow outlets where 2.04 minutes 1.67 were biodiesel glycerin under 70 kPa respectively. Also, experimentally PKO sulphuric gives higher yield 47.74% one without has 38.49% same operational conditions.