ALCOHOLYSIS OF CANDLENUT OIL INTO BIODIESEL WITH WASTE CATALYST CRACKING PERTAMINA RU III PALEMBANG

Candlenut oil is one type of vegetable oil that has a high content of fatty acids and has the potential to be used as raw material for biodiesel production. Because candlenut seeds contain several fatty acids, namely 0.202% capric acid, 6.32 palmitic acid, 2.31% stearic acid, 26.93% oleic acid, 38.52% linoleic acid, and 25.25% linolenic acid. This study aims to obtain the optimal composition in the manufacture of biodiesel using the transesterification method using waste catalysts from the c racking process of Pertamina Unit II Palembang. Based on the results of the alcoholysis reaction of candlenut oil with operating conditions of pressure above 1 atm, and the catalyst used in the form of a petroleum cracking waste catalyst, in the transesterification process the chemical reaction that occurs is a chemical reaction with pseudo-first order to glycerides, and takes place in the liquid phase. Optimal operating conditions are at a temperature of 383oK and agitation speed of 300 rpm, with an equivalent ratio of oil/methanol 5 mgek/mgek, and the percentage of catalyst as much as 2% by conversion of biodiesel amounted to 92.089%.