Researchers develop high-speed UCOME conversion method

In Iran, scientists at the Petroleum University of Technology in Ahwaz have developed a high-speed conversion that turns waste cooking oil into fuel using ultrasound and caustic soda. Details are reported in the International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology.

The team has demonstrated that biodiesel can be quickly produced from waste cooking oil by direct ultrasonic irradiation with caustic soda, sodium hydroxide NaOH or potassium hydroxide (KOH) as the chemical catalysts for the process known as a transesterification reaction. The researchers point out that adding methanol to the waste oil prior to conversion can boost the efficiency to 99 percent conversion. Moreover, the methanol additive reduces reaction time to just ten seconds. Complete conversion is possible with just 0.75% sodium hydroxide or 1.25% potassium hydroxide if the pellets are ground and blended complete with the waste oil and methanol raw materials.