Potencial de produção de biodiesel a partir de óleo de palma no Brasil Amazonas

Potencial de produção de biodiesel a partir de óleo de palma no Brasil Amazonas

VivianVicentiniKuss a,n, AneliseVicentiniKuss b, RosanaGomesdaRosa b, Donato A.G.Aranda c, YordankaReyesCruz a

A b s t r a c t

A busca por fontes alternativas de combustível é indispensável para reduzir a dependência de combustíveis derivados do petróleo. Biodiesel, que é produzido a partir de óleos e gorduras é um excelente substituto para o diesel. Em termos de matéria-prima, o óleo de palma é destacada como a cultura tradicional com melhor rendimento em óleo por hectare e é um dos óleos mais consumidas no mundo. O Brasil possui grande quantidade de áreas desmatadas ilegalmente na Amazônia e esses lugares são capazes de cultivar óleo de palma. Essas áreas podem ser recuperados por meio do plantio sustentável de palma, o desenvolvimento da agricultura familiar e economia da região, além de colocar o Brasil como um país com maior potencial de biodiesel e óleo de palma produção.

INTRODUÇÃO

The worldwide energy matrix is strongly dependent on petro- leum, discovered in 1859 and the use of which has been broad- ening due to the rise in its consumption. Since petroleum is not a renewable resource, we are subject to see it getting scarce. Due to relation between offer and demand, petroleum price may rise even more, as it has been seen in the last decades. From 1999 to 2008, the petroleum barrel price had an ascendant trajectory, reaching values of US$54 in October 2004; US$70.85 in August 2005; and US$98.62 in November 2007, almost reaching its record from April 1980, (when it reached price in States of US$101.70), after the Iranian Revolution and during Iran-Iraq war. In Brazil, petroleum represents 43% of the energy matrix while worldwide energy matrix counts has participation of 80% from fossilized carbon sources, being 36% of petroleum. The fossil fuels  are environmental polluters because their combustion leads to the release of greenhouse effect gases, and because of the presence of toxic components in it which contaminate soil and water when continuous spillages occur.

Since the last century, fuels derived from petroleum have been the main worldwide energy source. Nevertheless, predictions that this resource will come to an end, plus growing worries over environment, have instigated the search for renewable energy sources. Since the eighties, there has been an alert, given by the scientists, about the global warming phenomenon which pre- sented evidences that the Earth's temperature was raising in a rate higher than expected by the historical registers due to the human actions. The main cause mentioned would be burning of fossil fuels, which helps the elevation of carbon dioxide levels at the atmosphere which is the main gas of the greenhouse effect. It is interesting to notice that on each petrol crisis, new perspectives for energy alternative sources were emerging in Brazil and worldwide. Petroleum crises have been occurring during the last decades associated with the rising demand for fuels and with the growing worries about environment, which encourages continuous search for new energy alternative sources as well as the substitution by another sources of fuel, as the electric energy generation, among others.

 It is interesting to notice that on each petrol crisis, new perspectives for energy alternative sources were emerging in Brazil and worldwide. Petroleum crises have been occurring during the last decades associated with the rising demand for fuels and with the growing worries about environment, which encourages continuous search for new energy alternative sources as well as the substitution by another sources of fuel, as the electric energy generation, among others.

There are two greatly known biofuels, that is to say, ethanol and biodiesel which replace gasoline and diesel derived from petroleum, respectively. Ethanol corresponds Ethanol corresponds to 4.7% of the energy final consumption,and diesel oil to 19.1%. Higher percentages of biodiesel have been added to diesel oil to reduce the demand for petroleum derivatives.

The increased demand for liquid fuels, global warming caused by the greenhouse effect, energy security issues due to the reduction of oil reserves, and The political will to foster development in the agricultural, social and energy fields are new áreas of  interest and opportunities for research and development interest and opportunities for research and development in academia and industry because they are the driving forces responsible for the renewed interest in biofuels production.

Palm oil is one of the most consumed oils in the world and can be used as feedstock for biodiesel production. Oil palm has the highest oil yield per hectare, making it an inexpensive feedstock for the production of fuels. The most utilized process for biodiesel production is transesterification, but processes of hydroesterification, enzymatic transesterification and supercritical transesterification have been used in the production of biodiesel.

The aim of the present work is to present principles of biodiesel production processes, approaching the biodiesel production potential from the palm oil produced connected to the use for cultivating the palm of deforested areas in Amazon.

[pic 1]

Fig. 1. Transesterification reaction for biodiesel production [13] Encarnação APG. Geração de biodiesel pelo processo de transesterificação e hidroesterificação, uma avaliação econômica. RiodeJaneiro: UFRJ, Escola de Química; 2008, 1-144.

BIODIESEL

According to the Resolution of the Brazilian Agency of Petro- leum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis, in Portuguese)—ANP N.7,fromMarch 19th,2008 biodiesel (B100)is defined as afuel compossed of alkyl esters of long chain fattyacids, derived from oils or fats. The mixture of diesel and biodiesel oils, namedas BX, is acommercial fuel composed of (100-X)% in diesel oil volume and X% in biodiesel volume. Biodiesel is typically produced through the reactions of oils or fats with alcohol—metanol or ethanol—in the presence of catalysts, producing mono-alkyl-estersandgly- cerin–which needs to be separated from biodiesel. The reactions of biodiesel synthesis are explained as follows.