Snail Shells as a Heterogeneous Catalyst for Biodiesel Fuel Production

Homogeneous catalysis is relevant for biodiesel fuel synthesis; however, it has the disadvantage of difficult separation catalyst. In present work, heterogeneous was applied rapeseed oil transesterification with methanol, while snail shells were used as a CaO content in catalyst investigated. Transesterification reactions carried out laboratory reactor, ester yield analyzed using gas chromatography. Response surface methodology process optimization. It found that optimum conditions when reaction temperature 64 °C are following: amount 6.06 wt%, methanol-to-oil molar ratio 7.51:1, and lasting 8 h. An 98.15 wt% obtained under these conditions.