PARAMETRIC STUDY ON THE SOLVENT EXTRACTION OF MICROALGAL OIL FROM GREEN ALGAE Chlorella vulgaris
FOR BIODIESEL PRODUCTION
JANNZEN EDWARD PAYABYAB ESCOBAR
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND AGRO-INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES LOS BAÑOS
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
DEGREE OF
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
MARCH 2009
ii ACCEPTANCE SHEET
The report attached hereto, entitled “PARAMETRIC STUDY ON THE EXTRACTION OF MICROALGAL OIL FROM GREEN ALGAE Chlorella
vulgaris FOR BIODIESEL PRODUCTION” prepared and submitted by JANNZEN EDWARD PAYABYAB ESCOBAR in fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree of BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, is hereby accepted.
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ENGR. AMELIA E. PARAO DR. CATALINO L. ALFAFARA Panel Member Panel Member
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Date Date
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PROF. REX B. DEMAFELIS PROF. JUNE OWEN O. NACORDA Adviser Co-Adviser
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Date Date
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DR. JOVITA L. MOVILLON Chair
Department of Chemical Engineering
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Date
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DR. ARSENIO B. RESURRECCION Dean
College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology University of the Philippines Los Baños
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Date
Escobar, Jannzen Edward P., College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna; April 2009. Parametric Study on the Solvent Extraction of Microalgal Oil from Green Algae Chlorella vulgaris for Biodiesel Production.
Adviser: Prof. Rex B. Demafelis Co-Adviser: Prof. June Owen O. Nacorda
ABSTRACT
A parametric study on the solvent extraction of microalgal oil from green algae Chlorella vulgaris for biodiesel production was conducted. The first level of the study determines the effect of varying microalgal biomass to solvent ratio at constant soaking time on the oil yield. As the biomass to solvent ratio increases, the oil yield increases consequently. The mean percent oil yield for 1:4, 1:5 and 1:6 ratios considered are 8.82%, 15.98% and 25.62% respectively. The ratio which gave the highest oil yield, 1:6, was used in the second level of the study.
The effect of varying soaking time at constant biomass to solvent ratio on the oil yield was also determined. The soaking times considered are 12 hours, 24 hours
and 36 hours. The mean percent oil yields were 19.64%, 31.12% and 28.06% for 12, 24 and 36 hours respectively. As the soaking time increases, the mean percent oil
yield also increases from 12 to 24 hours but as the soaking time is further increased to 36 hours, the oil yield levels off which indicated that the amount of oil that can be extracted has reached its maximum. The results indicated that at a soaking period of 24 hours, we can already obtain high oil yields.
The chemical composition of the oil extract was also determined using Thin Layer Chromatography. The analysis showed that the microalgal oil extract was composed of huge amount of triglycerides at 89.09%, and small amounts of free fatty acids, 1,3-diglycerides and 1,2-diglycerides at 4.84%, 4.16% and 2.26% respectively.
