UNJUK KERJA REAKTOR PLASMA DIELECTRIC BARRIER DISCHARGE UNTUK PRODUKSI BIODIESEL DARI MINYAK KELAPA SAWIT

Abstract

Biodiesel is one of alternative renewable energy source to substitute diesel fuel. Various biodiesel production
processes through transesterification reaction with a variety of catalysts have been developed by previous
researcher. This process still has the disadvantage of a long reaction time, and high energy need. Dielectric
Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma electro-catalysis may become a solution to overcome the drawbacks in the
conventional transesterification process. This process only needs a short time reaction and low energy process.
The purpose of this study was to assess the performance of DBD plasma rector in making biodiesel such as: the
effect of high voltage electric value, electrodes gap, mole ratio of methanol / oil, and reaction time. The
Research method was using GC-MS (Gas Cromatography-Mass Spectrofotometry) and FTIR (Fourier
Transform Infrared Spectrofotometry) and then it will be analysed the change of chemical bond between
reactant and product. So, the reaction mechanism can be predicted. Biodiesel is produced using methanol and
palm oil as reactants and DBD plasma used as reactor in batch system. Then, reactants contacted by high
voltage electric. From the results of this research can be concluded that the reaction mechanism occurs in the
process is the reaction mechanism of cracking, the higher of electric voltage and the longer of reaction time lead
to increasing of product yield. The more of mole ratio of methanol / oil and widening the gap between the
electrodes lead to decreased product yield. From this research, product yield maksimum is 89,8% in the variable
of rasio mol metanol/palm oil 3:1, voltage 10 kV, electrode gap 1,5 cm, and reaction time 30 seconds.