Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1144
https://doi.org/
10.69639/arandu.v13i1.1968
Kinetic
study and simulation of the biodiesel production
process
using a mixture of palm and rapeseed oils
Estudio cinético y simulación del proceso de producción de biodiésel a partir de una

mezcla de aceites de palma y colza

Daniel
Álvarez-Barrera
Universidad
Politécnica de Santa Rosa Jáuregui
Querétaro, México

Jorge Bello Cantú

Facultad de ciencias Físico-Matemáticas, BUAP

Puebla, México

Artículo recibido: 10 diciembre 2025
-Aceptado para publicación: 18 enero 2026
Conflictos de intereses: Ninguno que declarar.

ABSTRACT

This
study focuses on demonstrating the changes that occur in the transesterification reaction of
methanol
and African palm oil (Elaeis guineensis) when mixed with rapeseed oil. All changes
were
analyzed both at the kinetic level and in terms of the technical feasibility of large-scale
production
in a basic medium, catalyzed by sodium hydroxide. The best reagent concentration
conditions
were determined statistically in each case and then used to obtain the reaction kinetics
through
chromatographic analysis at regular time intervals. The quality of the product obtained
was
compared with the specifications of the ASTM D6751 standard, demonstrating compliance
with
these standards. Once the necessary data had been obtained, the production process for this
biofuel
was simulated using the SuperPro Designer® simulator. The results obtained show that
modifying the fatty acid content by adding rapeseed oil to palm oil favorably changes its

reaction kinetics, improving its energy produced to energy consumed ratio.

Keywords
: biodiesel, kinetics, simulation, transesterification
RESUMEN

This study focuses on demonstrating the changes that occur in the transesterification reaction of

methanol and African palm oil (Elaeis guineensis) when mixed with rapeseed oil. All changes

were analyzed both at the kinetic level and in terms of the technical feasibility of large
-scale
production in a basic medium, catalyzed by sodium hydroxide. The best reagent concentration

conditions were determined statistically in each case and then used to obtain the reaction kinetics

through chromatographic analysis
at regular time intervals. The quality of the product obtained
was compared with the specifications of the ASTM D6751 standard, demonstrating compliance
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1145
with these standards. Once the necessary data had been obtained, the production process for this

biofuel was simulated using the SuperPro Designer® simulator. The results obtained show that

modifying the fatty acid content by adding rapeseed oil to palm oil favorably changes its

reaction kinetics, improving its energy produced to energy consumed ratio.

Keywords:
biodiesel, kinetics, simulation, transesterification
Todo el contenido de la Revista Científica Internacional Arandu UTIC publicado en este sitio está disponible bajo

licencia Creative Commons Atribution
4.0 International.
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1146
INTRODUCTION

Biodiesel
is currently understood to be a mixture of fatty acid alkyl esters obtained from
oils
and fats through chemical reaction processes, mainly transesterification with short-chain
alcohols such as methanol or ethanol (Avhad & Marchetti, 2015; Mandari & Devarai, 2022). Its

main boom has occurred in recent years thanks to its renewable and biodegradable nature and

the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when used in place of fossil diesel (Kivevele et al.,

2024).

At the industrial level, the production process for this biofuel encompasses stages of raw

material pretreatment (oil extraction), catalytic reaction, biodiesel
glycerol phase separation,
product purification, and alcohol recovery, all of which significantly modify the energy and

economic efficiency of the process (Pasha et al., 2021; Trirahayu et al.,
2022). The quality of the
oil
used as raw material, particularly its free fatty acid and water content, is used as a guideline to
determine the viability of different catalytic route options, as well as the degree of complexity in

the separation processes used in the purification of the final product (Gebremariam & Marchetti,

2021).

Basic
homogeneous catalysis, carried out using alkali hydroxides or alkoxides, is the most
widely
used technology on an industrial scale due to the high reaction rates obtained, as well as
the high conversions achieved under moderate conditions (Avhad & Marchetti, 2015). However,

this catalysis option is overshadowed by its high sensitivity to free fatty
acids, which leads to the
formation
of soaps and hinders the separation of the final product (Mandari & Devarai, 2022).
On
the other hand, homogeneous acid catalysis allows the processing of raw materials with
high
free fatty acid content through esterification reactions, but requires longer reaction times and
more severe conditions, which leads
to increased operating costs and corrosion problems
(Khodadadi et al., 2020).

Similarly, heterogeneous catalysts have been extensively studied as a sustainable

alternative, as they allow for easier separation, catalyst recirculation, and a reduction in effluents

(Hossain et al., 2019; Zhang et al., 2022). Some metal oxides such as CaO, supported materials,

zeolites, and nanostructured catalysts have shown encouraging results, although they still face

challenges related to deactivation, leaching, and limitations in diffusion systems (Kibar et al.,

2023).

As an alternative to the above catalysts, the use of enzymes such as free or immobilized

lipases offers certain advantages,
such as improved operating conditions and high selectivity,
making
them an attractive alternative for waste oils. However, their high cost limits their
industrial application (Mandari & Devarai, 2022). Similarly, non
-catalytic routes such as
transesterification
under supercritical conditions have been studied for their tolerance to
impurities,
but they require high pressures and temperatures, which reduces their economic
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1147
viability (Gebremariam & Marchetti,
2021).
Computer
simulation is a key tool in the comprehensive analysis of biodiesel production, as
it
allows for the evaluation of mass flows obtained during the process, as well as its energy
assessment. It also allows for the optimization of operating
conditions and the estimation of
technical,
economic, and environmental variables (Pasha et al., 2021). Some previous studies
report stoichiometric and kinetic models used in simulators such as Aspen Plus and Aspen

HYSYS, which
allow for the analysis of continuous and batch processes in different operating
scenarios
(Liu et al., 2021; García et al., 2010).
The
optimization of the different production processes for this biofuel usually focuses on
variables
such as the alcohol- oil ratio, the catalytic load, the reaction temperature, and the
alcohol separation and recovery processes, using multi
- objective approaches that
simultaneously evaluate economic and environmental criteria (Ahmed et al., 2022; Woinaroschy

et al., 2014).

The SuperPro Designer simulator has been widely used as a robust tool for industrial

process simulation and techno
- economic analysis of biodiesel plants, especially when detailed
equipment sizing and rigorous cost estimation are required
(Gebremariam & Marchetti, 2021;
Bansod
et al., 2025). Its use allows for the evaluation of different process configurations, analysis
of
their sensitivity in production costs with respect to important variables, and comparison of
alternative production and purification technologies (Kivevele et al., 2024).

In several studies, SuperPro Designer has been used as a complement to other simulators,

integrating advanced thermodynamic
models and cost analyses to provide a comprehensive view
of
the technical and economic performance of the production process (Trirahayu et al., 2022).
METHODOLOGY

Experimental

An experimental laboratory
-scale study was conducted, complemented by process
simulation, to evaluate biodiesel production through transesterification and its technical and

energy feasibility. Refined vegetable oils were used as raw material and were previously

characterized for their fatty acid composition by gas chromatography.

Laboratory
-scale transesterification reactions were done using 50 g of oil per batch.
Sodium hydroxide was used as a homogeneous
catalyst to allow the oil’s reaction with methanol.
Catalyst
and methanol-to-oil molar ratio were varied, while reaction time was established at 30
minutes. Once the reaction time was reached, the biodiesel
-rich phase has been purified using
silica (Trysil®) to remove soaps and subsequently dried to determine yield.

Statistical
analysis of the experimental results was performed using ANOVA to identify
the
most influential operating parameters. Kinetic studies were then completed under optimal
conditions
by measuring each component concentration at different reaction times. Quality
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1148
parameters of the final product, including density, viscosity, oxidation stability, water content,

acidity, and iodine value, were performed following AOCS standard methods (Mehlenbacher,

1997).

Once kinetic
data of the reactions were obtained, simulation of the biodiesel production
process
was performed using the simulator Superpro Designer 8.5 © (SPD). Data used for
process
simulations were taken from the experiments and located in each separation process.
Selection of the best separation conditions were achieved by sensitivity analysis. Finally, the

process was energetically evaluated by experimental calorimetric determination of the obtained

product and by simulations
report. A global view of the followed method to achieve the results
of
the simulations is shown in figure 1.
Figure 1

Process
flow diagram for biodiesel production. Adapted from Alvarez&Bello (In press, 2026),
Iberociencias
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1149
RESULTS

Optimal
transesterification conditions for refined African palm oil using sodium
hydroxide were reported
by Alvarez et al (2021) at concentrations of 0.6% w/w and methanol-
to
-oil molar ratio of 5:1. For the palm oilrapeseed oil mixture, optimal conditions were reached
with 1.0% w/w of catalyst and an alcohol/oil molar ratio of 7 to 1. These results highlight the

influence of oils composition (Table 1) on reaction behavior.

Kinetic
analysis shows that the addition of rapeseed oil increases reaction rates (Figura 2-
3),
which can be assigned to the changes in fatty acid composition, specifically the higher oleic
and linoleic acids content. Saponification reactions were unavoidable; however, their impact was

reduced by the best conditions obtained during experimentation. The kinetic model showed

excellent agreement with experimental data (Table 2). In addition, the quality values of the

product satisfy the ASTM D6751 norm (Table 3).

Table
1
Fatty
acids composition in the studied oils
Fatty
acid African Palm Oil Rapeseed Oil
Lauric
0.44 0
Myrístic
2.33 1.8
Palmític
41.53 4.84
Stearic
4.74 0.93
Oleic
38.22 61.52
Linoleic
12.79 23.18
Linolenic
0.15 7.73
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Figure
2
Obtained
concentrations for transesterification and saponification reactions of an African palm
oil
-rapeseed oil mixture at 40oC
Figure
3
Obtained
concentrations for transesterification and saponification reactions of an African palm
oil
-rapeseed oil mixture at 50oC
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1151
Table
2
Activation
energies and pre-exponential factors corresponding to the kinetic constants found for
transesterification of an african palm/rapeseed oils blend

Constant

Palm
and rapeseed oils blend
Activation

energy
[=]
KJ/mol

Pre
exponential factor
K
1 255.70 1.04 E 40
K
2 212.30 9.65 E 31
K
3 312.27 1.62 E 50
K
4 150.40 6.61 E 21
Where:

K
1 = Direct kinetic constant for reaction from vegetable oil to biodiesel. K2 = Reverse
kinetic
constant for reaction from vegetable oil to biodiesel.
K
3 = Direct kinetic constant for reaction from free fatty acids contained in the vegetable
oil to soaps. K
4 = Reverse kinetic constant for reaction from free fatty acids contained in the
vegetable
oil to soaps.
Table
3
Quality
parameters of the produced biodiesel from African palm/rapeseed oils blend
Standard

ASTM
D6751 Norm
Palm
and rapeseed oils
mixture

Lower
limit Upper limit
at
15 o C [=] Kg / m3 869.35 …. ….
at
40 o C [=] mm2 / s 4.6247 1.9 6
Oxidation
Stability [=] h 5.38 3 ….
Water
content [=] mg/Kg 236.8 …. 500
Acidity
[=] mg KOH/g 0.15 …. 0.5
Iodine
Value 76.99 …. ….
The flowsheets of biodiesel production process
simulated for the analyzed blend are
shown in figures
6 and 7 and correspond to the extraction and refining of oils, and their
transformation to biodiesel, respectively.
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1152
Figure
4
Extraction
and refining flow sheet for vegetable oils in the biodiesel production. Reproduced
from
Álvarez et al. (In press, 2026), Iberociencias
Figure
5
Oils
transesterification flowsheet and sub products separation for biodiesel production.
Reproduced
from Álvarez et al. (In press, 2026), Iberociencias
Vol. 13/ Núm. 1 2026 pág. 1153
Separation processes needing heat as distillation were designed using firstly shortcut

methods and then refined by
rigorous methods with a R / Rmin = 1.25. Thermodynamical
properties
of fatty acids and their methyl esters were taken from literature (Osmont & Catoire
(2007),
Vatani & Merphooya (2007), Drapcho et al (2008)). Based on the presented diagrams,
energetic services evaluation for the analyzed process using this blend is shown in table 4.

Table
4
Energetic
requirements of biodiesel production process using a palm oil/rapeseed oil mixture
Service
Consumed energy in Kcal/h
African
palm- rapeseed oils
mixture

Cooling
and Heating 1,535,703.85
Equipment
power 1,121,332.72
Total
2,657,036.57
Total energy was calculated based on the combustion heat,
obtained from a calorimeter
and the biofuel stream of the simulated processes, getting a heat flow of 22,573,627.09 Kcal/h

for the analyzed blend, so the produced energy / consumed energy rate is 7.15. This can ensure

the energetic feasibility of the process and is higher than the reported rate (5.81) for African

palm alone (Alvarez & Bello. In press, 2026).

CONCLUSIONS

Results
obtained from this research show that it is possible to produce biodiesel using a
mixture
of palm and rapeseed oils, obtaining a positive energy balance, which guarantees its
technical feasibility of production.

Similarly,
adding an extra oil to the process, such as rapeseed oil, has a positive effect on the
transesterification
kinetics, allowing for shorter reaction times and thus a reduction in the energy
required for the process.
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