Abstract:
Mineral oil, a product obtained from petroleum refinery, has excellent electrical insulation
properties, efficient heat dissipation, and stability at high temperatures. However, it is nonbiodegradable
and toxic to the environment. Thus, palm oil is expected to replace the use of
mineral oil as a liquid insulator for transformers to reduce fossil fuel consumption. However, it
has high viscosity and pour point due to palmitic acid (C16:0) and oleic acid (C18:1), which
the main saturated and unsaturated components in palm oil. Since the unsaturated portion
promotes the good cold flow properties of the oils, the enhancement of the unsaturated part in
the palm oil structure via chemical interesterification (CIE) involving a rearrangement or
exchange of the fatty acids on the glycerol backbone of the triacylglycerol molecule of palm oil
was the aim of this research. Herein, the refined, bleached, and deodourised palm oil (RBDPO)
mixed with methyl oleate (MO, C18:1) at 50/50 (w/w) were used as feedstocks for CIE process.
The reaction was fed into the reactor and the reaction was conducted in the presence of sodium
methoxide (NaOCH3) 0.5 wt% based on the feedstock content) at 70-110 ºC for 0.5-1.5 h. The
content of triacylglycerol with the carbon number of C54 (TAG-C54) was enhanced from
5.29% in feedstocks to 16.82% when the CIE was conducted at 110 ºC for 1.5 h. The product
with high TAG-C54 content could be used as an alternative in bio-transformer oil production
King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok. Central Library
Address:
BANGKOK
Email:
library@kmutnb.ac.th
Created:
2024
Modified:
2025-03-06
Issued:
2025-03-06
BibliograpyCitation :
In Thai Institute of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry. The 33st Thai Institute of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry International Conference (TIChE 2024) (pp.273-280). Bangkok : Thai Institute of Chemical Engineering And Applied Chemistry